Tony DeSare

New York's Tony DeSare is a sophisticated jazz vocalist, pianist, and songwriter who balances his love of the classic American songbook with his other eclectic pop and rock influences. DeSare first emerged in the early 2000s after being championed by guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli and quickly drew favorable comparisons to other revivalists like Harry Connick, Jr., John Pizzarelli, and Michael Bublé. His diverse albums -- including 2007's number eight Billboard Jazz album Last First Kiss, 2009's Radio Show, and 2020's Lush Life -- reveal that he is just as likely to draw upon legendary artists such as Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole as he is to perform songs by more contemporary artists like Prince, New Order, and Carole King. Born in 1976 in Glen Falls, New York, DeSare began playing piano at a young age and by 17 had more than a few live performances under his belt. During his time at Ithaca College, he continued performing and developed a loyal following around Upstate New York. Moving to New York City in 1998, DeSare nabbed a gig playing at the Marquis Hotel in Times Square and eventually landed a role in the off-Broadway musical Our Sinatra. A chance meeting with veteran guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli during a performance at the Apollo Theater led to numerous projects between the up-and-comer and the journeyman, including a pairing on DeSare's 2005 Telarc debut, Want You. Two years later, DeSare returned with Last First Kiss, which again featured Pizzarelli. The album, which also found DeSare beginning to expand his approach, singing both classic standards as well as more contemporary songs by Prince and Carole King, cracked the Top Ten of the Billboard Jazz chart. He then rounded out his time at Telarc with 2009's even more eclectic Radio Show, tackling songs by New Order, Philip Bailey, Bob Dylan, and others. In 2013, he released the inventive Piano, in which every sound that accompanied his vocals, from the notes to the rhythms, was created on an acoustic piano. Following a 2015 holiday album, the singer issued his sixth full-length album, 2020's Lush Life, which found him collaborating with pianist Tedd Firth. ~ Matt Collar, Rovi