 Welcome to the Official Website for
Tony Messina the jazz singer. Tony Messinas recent show at the
Cuillo Centre for the Arts took Southern Florida by storm and
trying to procure a last minute reservation was an exercise in
dashed hopes. Once the word got out the theatre was sold out.
The show title Time for Love had the audience swooning. The entire
stage was practically covered with long stem red roses. "Tony
takes over a stage far better than many of his singing contemporaries,"
says the Palm Beach Post. The Palm Beach Illustrated labeled
Tony "Sensational." Prior to the Cuillo Tony was invited
to sing for Tony Bennett who was being honored by the Sons Of
Italy Organization. He caught the attention of Larry King and
President Clinton who was in attendance. Tony has performed for
the Oslo Jazz Festival as well as the New Orleans and Aspen Jazz
Festivals. He also performed a tribute to Frank Sinatra for the
American Ambassador to Norway. That project was entitled "Ol'
Blue Eyes," in which Messina wrote the title song and arranged
historical and musical milestones in Sinatra's life and career
to remember and honor the greatest voice of all time. As Messina
prepares to take his new show Time for Love on tour, he continues
to compose and arrange new material for his next CD. It's working
title is "For Lovers Only." Messina has performed with
such entertainment luminaries as Stan Kenton, Lionel Hampton,
Louie Bellson, David Letterman, Johnny Carson, Joan Rivers, Rodney
Dangerfield, Merv Griffin and sang for the Chairman of the Board
himself, who was a major fan! After a number of early recordings,
including one for United Artists Records, Tony left the music
work to try his talented writing and acting skills on the big
screen and television. He acted on "The Young and The Restless,"
"General Hospital" and in two Mel Brooks films, "History
of the World" and "Life Stinks." Messina's warm,
rich voice and impressive keyboard skills allow him to mix meaningful
renditions of selections from The Great American Songbook with
original compositions. On his 1997 release, This is What I Am
(R&M 1902), Messina poses the musical question "What makes
a great song?" and answers it convincingly! From the mellow
and moving takes on "Little Boy Lost" and "Here's
To Life" to the snappy swings through "Fever,"
"That's All" and Van Morrison's "Moondance,"
Messina covers the bases abundantly, making sure there is something
for every fan and admirer of "great" music. Messina
has wowed listeners and reviews alike. Labeled by Variety as
"Dangerous, may be habit forming," Messina is regarded
by the New York Post as "Excellent!" The San Francisco
Chronicle claims that Tony has "impeccable phrasing, a silky
style and effortless authenticity." Louie Bellson ranks
Messina up among "the swingingest singers ever." Speaking
of Messina, Steve Martin prolaims "I love your voice, I
listen to your CD's all the time!" Harrison Ford enthuses
"You're special, I love your style!" Frank Sinatra
noted Messina's "great voice and intonation" long ago,
and Barbara Sinatra continued to be "dazzled by Messina's
talent." It's time to discover Tony Messina for yourself!
Tony has performed at the Aspen, New Orleans and Oslo Jazz Festivals
as well as the Plush Room in San Francisco, the Cinegrill in
Los Angeles, the Colony Hotel in Palm Beach, the MGM Grand Hotel
in Las Vegas, the National Buildings Museum in Washington, D.C.
honoring Tony Bennett and Alice Tully Hall/Lincoln Center in
New York City. |
