THE GOOD LIFE Tony Bennett Tribute to Play RiverCenter This Fall
The 16-piece orchestra will also perform music tied to Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong and Dean Martin.
RiverCenter for the Performing Arts will celebrate a century of style, swing and song when Joe Gransden's Big Band presents "The Good Life: Happy 100th Birthday Tony Bennett!" on Thursday, September 24 at 7:30 p.m.
Featuring Gransden and his full 16-piece orchestra, the concert takes audiences on a swinging journey through the music and career of Tony Bennett, one of the most celebrated interpreters of the American Songbook.
Audiences can expect beloved Bennett classics including The Good Life and I Left My Heart in San Francisco, alongside music associated with some of the artists who influenced and surrounded Bennett throughout his legendary career, including Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong and Dean Martin.
'Tony Bennett understood how a great song can transcend generations, and Joe Gransden is an exceptional artist to lead this celebration of his legacy,' said Lee Foster, Executive Director of RiverCenter for the Performing Arts. 'With Joe's voice, his trumpet and the power of a full big band behind him, this is going to be an evening filled with the sophistication, warmth and pure joy that made this music timeless.'
A trumpeter, vocalist and bandleader, Gransden has built a career that spans jazz clubs, concert halls, recording studios and stages around the world. Born in New York City and raised primarily in Buffalo, New York, Gransden grew up surrounded by music. His father was a singer and pianist, his grandfather was a professional trumpeter, and his extended family included piano virtuoso Carmen Cavallaro.
Over the course of his career, Gransden has performed hundreds of engagements annually at venues ranging from intimate jazz clubs to some of the country's most recognizable stages, including Jazz at Lincoln Center's Dizzy's Club and The Blue Note in New York City.
For the RiverCenter performance, that combination will turn its attention to Bennett, whose interpretations of the American Songbook helped define popular music across a career spanning more than seven decades.
The performance is part of RiverCenter's 2026-27 25th Anniversary Season, a milestone lineup featuring Broadway, jazz, popular music, comedy, dance and family programming. 'The Good Life' offers audiences an opportunity to experience not only a tribute to Bennett, but the sound and scale of classic big-band music performed live.
Joe Gransden's Big Band: "The Good Life: Happy 100th Birthday Tony Bennett!" performs Thursday, September 24 at 7:30 p.m. at RiverCenter for the Performing Arts, 900 Broadway in Columbus.
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