Wikipedia

Tony DeSare

Tony DeSare (born 1976) is an American jazz singer, pianist, songwriter, producer and composer known for blending traditional jazz standards with contemporary pop and original compositions.[2] His work has drawn comparisons to performers such as Frank Sinatra, Billy Joel, and Harry Connick Jr..[3]

Tony DeSare
Born1976 (age 49–50)
Glens Falls, New York, U.S.
GenresJazz, Classic Pop[1]
OccupationsMusician, singer-songwriter
InstrumentsPiano, vocals
LabelsTelarc, AJD
Websitewww.tonydesare.com

In addition to his recording career, DeSare is recognized for his performances with major symphony orchestras, his film scoring work, and his "Song Diaries" project created during the COVID-19 pandemic.[4]

Several of his albums have charted on Billboard's Jazz Albums chart, and he has been featured by media outlets including NPR[5], The New York Times[6], and CBS News.[7]

He is also known as a frequent collaborator with social media group, Postmodern Jukebox.

His song, Chemistry won 1st place in the Jazz Category of the USA Songwriting Competition and placed 2nd overall.[8]

Early life

edit

DeSare was born in Glens Falls, New York in 1976.[9] He began playing the piano as a young child, and had public performances in his late teens.[9] He kept performing locally during his studies at Ithaca College.[9]

Career

edit

Early career

edit

In 1998, DeSare moved to New York City after graduating from Ithaca College, where he performed regularly at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Times Square and appeared in the off-Broadway musical Our Sinatra.[9] During this period, he met jazz guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli, who became an important mentor in the development of his professional career.[10]

DeSare's vocal and piano style attracted early critical attention for combining classic jazz phrasing with contemporary popular music influences. The New York Times described him as "one of the most promising young male performers," while other critics compared his style to Sinatra and Bobby Darin.[6]

Recording career

edit

DeSare's debut album, Want You, was released by Telarc Records in 2005.[9] The album featured jazz standards, reinterpretations of lesser-known songs, and original compositions.[11] It reached No. 43 on the Billboard Jazz Albums chart.[12]

Tony DeSare's 2007 album Last First Kiss peaked at #5 on the Billboard Jazz Albums chart, according to his personal blog. Some sources also list the album as reaching #8 on the Billboard Jazz chart.[13]

Last First Kiss included both original songs and reinterpretations of works by artists such as Prince and Carole King. The album was featured on NPR's Weekend Edition Saturday[14] and reached No. 8 on the Billboard Jazz Albums chart.[12] Last First Kiss also achieved the following chart positions including #30 on the Billboard Heatseekers Chart and #2 on the iTunes jazz chart.[9]

Radio Show followed in 2009 and continued his blend of standards and original material.[15]

In 2013, DeSare released PiANO, an experimental album created entirely using sounds produced "on, in, or under" an acoustic piano. The project received attention for its unusual production method and was reviewed by outlets including The Wall Street Journal[16] and JazzTimes.[17]

His holiday album Christmas Home was released in 2015 through AJD Entertainment.[18]

In 2019, he released Lush Life, a collaborative album with pianist Tedd Firth.[19]

Lush Life (2019) charted at #3 on the Billboard Jazz Albums Chart for the week of November 2, 2019.[20]

He has also announced an eponymous forthcoming new studio album, titled 'Tony DeSasre', consisting of original compositions in the classic pop style.[3]

Symphony and orchestral performances

edit

Alongside his recording work, DeSare has performed with orchestras including the Cleveland Orchestra[21], New York Pops[22], Houston Symphony[23] and Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.[24]

His concert programs frequently reinterpret the Great American Songbook[25] alongside works by later songwriters such as Billy Joel[26], Elton John[27], and Ray Charles, a repertoire he has described as part of the "Contemporary American Songbook."[28]

Film scoring and composing

edit

DeSare has also worked as a composer for film and television projects, expanding his career beyond performance and recording.[2]

Song Diaries

edit

During the COVID-19 pandemic, DeSare created a series known as the Song Diaries, a project of regular online musical performances and personal reflections shared with audiences during lockdown periods. The series combined original songs, reinterpretations of standards, and commentary on everyday life during the pandemic, helping maintain his connection with live audiences while concert venues remained closed.[4]

Musical style

edit

DeSare's music combines jazz vocals, piano performance, soul influences, and pop songwriting. Critics have frequently compared his vocal style to classic crooners such as Frank Sinatra[29] and Dean Martin[30], while also noting the influence of Billy Joel and contemporary singer-songwriters.[31]

His performances often bridge traditional standards with more modern repertoire, reflecting his stated interest in expanding the American Songbook beyond its mid-20th-century foundations.[25]

Chart performance

edit

Four of DeSare's albums have appeared on Billboard's Jazz Albums chart.[12]Want You peaked at No. 43, while Last First Kiss reached No. 8, becoming his highest-charting early release.[32] Additional releases including PiANO and later projects also received chart recognition within jazz and adult contemporary categories.[17] Lush Life achieved No. 3 on the Billboard Jazz Albums Chart the week of November 2, 2019.[20]

Media appearances

edit

DeSare has been featured on NPR[5], The New York Times[6], and CBS's Early Show[33], Prairie Home Companion among other national media outlets.[34] His performances and interviews have highlighted both his reinterpretation of standards and his crossover appeal between jazz and mainstream pop audiences.[2]

He was cast in the role of Frank Sinatra in the Season 4 Episode 9 of the ABC produced, Godfather of Harlem.[35]

Discography

edit
  • Want You (2005, Telarc) [11]
  • Last First Kiss (2007, Telarc) [13]
  • Radio Show (2009, Telarc)[15]
  • PiANO (2013, AJD Entertainment) [17]
  • Christmas Home (2015, AJD Entertainment)[36]
  • One for My Baby (2017)[37]
  • Lush Life (with Tedd Firth) [2]
  • Song Diaries Vol. 1: Songs of Comfort (2020)[4]
  • Song Diaries Volume 2 (2022)[38]
  • Tony DeSare (2026) [3]

Live albums

edit
  • Night Life (2017)[39]

Notable singles

edit
  • "Dreaming My Life Away" (2015)[5]
  • "I'm Gonna Live Till I Die" (2021)[40]
  • "Yellow" (2024)[41]
  • "Let's Get It On" (2024)[42]
  • "Too Late to Say Goodnight" (2024)[43]
  • "I Can't Give You Anything but Love" (with Caity Gyorgy) (2025)[44]

References

edit
  1. ↑ Merrick, Herb (7 April 2025). "Concert Review: 'Let's Misbehave: The Songs of Cole Porter,' Jack Everly conducting the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, with Tony DeSare, Bria Skonberg, and John Manzari". Maryland Theatre Guide.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Tony Desare: 'Doing What I So Enjoy!' - The Syncopated Times". 2025-08-31. Retrieved 2026-06-04.
  3. 1 2 3 "DeSare will sing Sinatra with YSO". vindy.com. Retrieved 2026-06-04.
  4. 1 2 3 "Tony Desare: Songbook Comforts in Quarantine - The Syncopated Times". 2020-12-30. Retrieved 2026-06-04.
  5. 1 2 3 N; P; R (2013-06-28). "Tony DeSare On Piano Jazz". NPR. Retrieved 2026-06-04.
  6. 1 2 3 Holden, Stephen (2012-10-04). "A Polite Crooner Capable of Boogie-Woogie Fire". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-06-04.
  7. ↑ "Husband Of 42 Years Surprises Wife With BSO Serenade - CBS Baltimore". www.cbsnews.com. 2012-02-09. Retrieved 2026-06-04.
  8. ↑ "Tony DeSare". Houston Symphony. Retrieved 2026-06-04.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Collar, Matt. "Tony DeSare". AllMusic. Retrieved January 6, 2019.
  10. ↑ Dixon, Graham (2010-03-08). "In the Limelight: Bucky Pizzarelli, Tony DeSare". Midland Reporter-Telegram. Retrieved 2026-06-04.
  11. 1 2 Dryden, Ken. "Tony DeSare: Want You". AllMusic. Retrieved January 6, 2019.
  12. 1 2 3 "Tony DeSare: Chart History". billboard.com. Archived from the original on January 7, 2019. Retrieved January 6, 2019.
  13. 1 2 Collar, Matt. "Tony DeSare: Last First Kiss". AllMusic. Retrieved January 6, 2019.
  14. ↑ "Jazz Singer Tony DeSare's 'Last First Kiss'". NPR. 3 February 2007. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
  15. 1 2 Bouchard, Fred (June 2009). "Tony DeSare: Radio Show". DownBeat. Vol. 76, no. 6. p. 70.
  16. ↑ Friedwald, Will (2012-09-28). "The Jazz Scene: Bringing the Babsian Lore". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2026-06-04.
  17. 1 2 3 Loudon, Christopher (2024-06-22). "Tony DeSare: PiANO". JazzTimes. Retrieved 2026-06-04.
  18. ↑ Hadley, Frank-John (December 2016). "Yuletide Joy". DownBeat. Vol. 83, no. 12. p. 84.
  19. ↑ "Tony Desare: 'Doing What I So Enjoy!' - The Syncopated Times". 2025-08-31. Retrieved 2026-06-04.
  20. 1 2 "SINATRA AND BEYOND". The Syracuse Orchestra. Retrieved 2026-06-04.
  21. ↑ "Cole Porter: Let's Misbehave and The Cleveland Orchestra". www.clevelandorchestra.com. Retrieved 2026-06-04.
  22. ↑ "The New York Pops: The Songs of Cole Porter". www.carnegiehall.org. Retrieved 2026-06-04.
  23. ↑ "Piano Man: The Music of Billy Joel
 - Houston Symphony". Houston Symphony. Archived from the original on 2026-02-10. Retrieved 2026-06-04.
  24. ↑ "Sinatra and Beyond with Tony DeSare - Pittsburgh". Pittsburgh symphony.
  25. 1 2 ccaspell (2009-04-09). "The American Songbook in London: Tony DeSare – Mercer, Moon River and Me - The Classical Source". Retrieved 2026-06-04.
  26. ↑ Lester, Rob (2026-03-08). "Cabaret Review: BILLY JOEL SONGBOOK (Tony DeSare at Birdland Theater) - Stage and Cinema Tony DeSare's Billy Joel Songbook Review – Birdland Theater NYC". Stage and Cinema. Retrieved 2026-06-04.
  27. ↑ "Cleveland Pops Concert to Feature Pianist Tony DeSare". Ideastream Public Media. 2017-03-22. Retrieved 2026-06-04.
  28. ↑ katia (2018-10-03). "Review: I Love A Piano with Tony DeSare ‣ Columbus Indiana Philharmonic". Retrieved 2026-06-04.
  29. ↑ Telin, Mike (2024-08-21). "Tony DeSare brings the music of Frank Sinatra to Blossom". Cleveland Classical. Retrieved 2026-06-04.
  30. ↑ "An Evening with Tony DeSare: Hits from the Rat Pack + More". RPAA. Retrieved 2026-06-04.
  31. ↑ Lester, Rob (2026-03-08). "Cabaret Review: BILLY JOEL SONGBOOK (Tony DeSare at Birdland Theater) - Stage and Cinema Tony DeSare's Billy Joel Songbook Review – Birdland Theater NYC". Stage and Cinema. Retrieved 2026-06-04.
  32. ↑ "Tony DeSare booked at Jazz Lab". Edmond Life & Leisure. Retrieved 2026-06-04.
  33. ↑ Telin, Mike (2017-03-20). "Cleveland POPS: a conversation with pianist/singer/composer Tony DeSare". Cleveland Classical. Retrieved 2026-06-04.
  34. ↑ Telin, Mike (2017-03-20). "Cleveland POPS: a conversation with pianist/singer/composer Tony DeSare". Cleveland Classical. Retrieved 2026-06-04.
  35. ↑ "Godfather of Harlem: Season 4, Episode 9 | Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved 2026-06-04.
  36. ↑ Symphony, Pacific. "A Rat Pack Christmas with Tony DeSare". Pacific Symphony. Retrieved 2026-06-04.
  37. ↑ Kerns, William. "Contemporary piano man LSO guest DeSare looks back on career advice from Billy Joel". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. Retrieved 2026-06-04.
  38. ↑ "Tony DeSare – Rhapsody & Blue Eyes - Victoria Symphony". Retrieved 2026-06-04.
  39. ↑ Sorokoff, Stephen (1970-01-01). "Photos: Tony DeSare Brings NIGHT LIFE to 54 Below". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2026-06-04.
  40. ↑ "WHRO Radio & TV Programs, Podcasts, Episodes". mediaplayer.whro.org. Retrieved 2026-06-04.
  41. ↑ "Tony DeSare Archives". Stage and Cinema. Retrieved 2026-06-04.
  42. ↑ Jacobs, Lloyd (2024-03-04). "The North Carolina Symphony and Music Director Carlos Miguel Prieto Announce 2024/25 Season". North Carolina Symphony. Retrieved 2026-06-04.
  43. ↑ "Tony DeSare Lyrics". Lyrics On Demand. Retrieved 2026-06-04.
  44. ↑ "Tony DeSare". Peter Throm Management. Retrieved 2026-06-04.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tony_DeSare&oldid=1358479586"