SHOW 3: INTERVIEW WITH ANTONIA BENNETT
Episode 3, somewhat delayed, of OPEN YOUR MIND is my interview with Antonia Bennett. She is a singer, actress, dancer (apparently!) and the daughter of American legend Tony Bennett. I’m also glad to call her one of my dearest friends.
We first met at Berklee College of Music...a couple of years ago (leave it there!). I was playing the role of “Mr. School Spirit,” partially because I’m just a busybody in general, and partially because I knew how to play the I’m-worthy-of-institutional-scholarships game. In connection with all this, they put me on a committee of sorts called the “Berklee Ambassadors.” To this day, I have no idea what the hell that committee was supposed to be about. In the end, I guess it doesn’t really matter.
The room where we held our first meeting, I mention without a hint of irony, was the green room above the Berklee Performance Center auditorium. Complete with couches, and a bar (sadly, not fully stocked.) I took a seat on a bar stool, crossed my legs, and proceed to portray my post-adolescent version of refinement. I took on a swivel on the barstool, and my crossed leg happened to brush against the leg of the redhead seated next to me. Relatively well-mannered as I am, I opened my mouth to say the words, “I’m sorry.” But before I could get them out, the redhead drew her foot back as though it were a soccer match and KICKED ME BACK! (With FEELING! Bouncing red hair as far as the eye could see. Well, I NEVER!)
Now, some angry black men wouldn’t react to this kindly. But I found her fascinating. Who is THIS? I thought. Who is this ballsy b**ch who has the NERVE to KICK the likes of ME? Whoever she was, if she had the nerve to do something like that, she HAD to be someone worth knowing. She turned out to be Antonia. We’ve been friends since that day. Only after a story like this could people from such different worlds become as great friends as we have become. And that was just the beginning.
As a matter of fact, another funny story takes us to Trattoria Il Panino in Boston where Antonia had a weekly gig that I would sit in with her on every now and then, but mostly I’d hang and not sing. Entrepreneurial as always, I tried informally “managing” Antonia for a hot minute during that period, and I had a ball fielding all the offers from dark suit-types who approached her while she was doing this gig. One of them gave me a cigar. Never smoked one in my life, but I’m a “manager,” right? Gotta play the part. So I sit up in the (pre-smoking ban) room in while Antonia sang, fired up the stogie, and got to puffing away, leaning back, and looking like a black boy with a Scarface/Godfather jones happening. Antonia was in the middle of some swing tune, but she leaned over, without missing a beat, and whispered in my ear, “You’re f—king killing me with that cigar!”
So many memories... I love her to pieces. I alluded to it in the interview, but I mean it – I feel like Antonia’s protective pit bull. And she makes for a fascinating interview subject.
Self-criticism moment: I say “mmm-hmm” too much during interviews. If you notice, going forward, that there are fewer of them in my work, know that it is not without deliberative effort. Aside from that, I’m proud of how this one came out. I took my time with it, and this is exactly what Open Your Mind is supposed to be about. Topics that I care about on a personal level, but hopefully you guys can get something from as well.
Check out the official website for Feinstein’s at the Regency where Antonia is currently appearing as the special guest of Michael Feinstein.through December 30th. Go see my friend – she’s fabulous. I’ll be there at some point during the last week.
Also you can (and should) download a copy of “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm” by Tony and Antonia from Tony Bennett’s ‘Swingin’ Christmas album. Download from iTunes, buy it from Amazon, share the video & audio at JOOST. And, of course, get in touch with Antonia on MySpace or with me by commenting here or e-mailing me through the CONTACT page.
Everything I hear from you helps me make OPEN YOUR MIND a better show! 'TIl then!
Links:
ANTONIA BENNETT OFFICIAL WEBSITE: