Tony Bennett With Count Basie And His Orchestra / In Person ! (US, Columbia, CL 1294) <March 1958>

Tony Bennett With Count Basie And His Orchestra / In Person ! (US, Columbia, CL 1294) <March 1958>
(SIDE 1) XLP45068-1E
(SIDE 2) XLP45069-1H

Released;Early March 1959
Recorded;December 22 & 30, 1958, CBS 30th Street Studio, New York City

発売目的でベネットとベイシーが1958年11月にライヴを録音したものの、満足いく内容では無かったため1958年末にスタジオで録り直し（一発録り）して、歓声や拍手をオーヴァー・ダビングして作られたのが本作品です。でも何故か、ベイシーがピアノとしてクレジットされていないんですよ・・・・。

Tony Bennett - vocals
The Count Basie Orchestra:
Trumpet: Thad Jones, Joe Newman, Snooky Young, Wendell Culley
Trombone: Henry Coker, Benny Powell, Al Grey
Alto sax / clarinet: Marshall Royal
Alto and tenor sax / flute: Frank Wess
Tenor sax / flute: Frank Foster
Tenor sax / clarinet: Billy Mitchell
Baritone sax / flute / bass clarinet: Charlie Fowlkes
Electric guitar: Freddie Green
Piano / arranger: Ralph Sharon
Double bass: Eddie Jones
Bongos: Candido Camero
Drums: Sonny Payne

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0fpy2PFurU&index=8&list=OLAK5uy_kViPOz5FfuJn7Htuz93Sz75pDlsGZ17gY

"Lost In The Stars"

Before Lord God made the sea or the land
He held all the stars in the palm of his hand
And they ran through his fingers like grains of sand
And one little star fell alone

Then the Lord God hunted through the wide night air
For the little dark star on the wind down there
And he stated and promised he'd take special care
So it wouldn't get lost no more

Now, a man don't mind if the stars get dim
And the clouds blow over and darken him
So long as the Lord God's watching over them
Keeping track how it all goes on

But I've been walking through the night and the day
Till my eyes get weary and my head turns gray
And sometimes it seems maybe God's gone away
Forgetting his promise and word he'd say

And we're lost out here in the stars
Little stars, big stars, blowing through the night
And we're lost out here in the stars

"Lost in the Stars"は1950年3月に亡くなったクルト・ワイルにとって最後になったブロードウェイ作品のテーマ曲にして、畢生の名曲です。ミュージカルは"Cry, the Beloved Country"という1948年の小説を元にした作品で、アパルトヘイト下の南アフリカを舞台に、黒人牧師を中心に息子が人を殺してしまい死刑になるまで、息子が殺した白人青年の父親が教会を訪れるまでを描いた、とても重い作品です。トニー・ベネットとカウント・ベイシーの関係やトニー・ベネットの黒人観はわかりませんが、こうした曲を敢えて選ぶところに意味を感じてしまいます。