From what I can tell, Seal alternates covers albums with original material that he actually writes himself. I also didn't hear him as imitating Frank's vocal style in the samples I heard, but YMMV. I can totally understand you not enjoying his interpretations, but I guess I find the disrespect being thrown at him to be...uncivil.
Comparing Sinatra with Seal, just mentioning them in one sentence, is ridiculous. Sinatra is in a complete different artistic league. One other thing that bothers me: Why do Popsingers with Popvoices always think they can handle classic standards, swing or jazz?! They can't!!! Look, Jazzsingers don't try to sing opera and Operasingers are not able to sing jazz and usually they don't try to! What is it with those popsingers?! Most of them have as much talent as my neighbours cat! Still they think they can handle that stuff. From where do they get their self-confidence?
My only reason for introducing Seal to this thread was the news mention of an upcoming Frank Sinatra Christmas duets album. This album is as yet unconfirmed by the Sinatra camp, but if the article is to be believed, “Frank's kids” approve of Seal's renditions.
Speaking of "Duets" Weisman recalls that the idea to record Sinatra's hits with young artists was originally Jilly's idea. Weisman recalls Sinatra as hesitant and it took a few days to get him into the studio. At dinner Barbara looked at Sinatra and said "Are you SCARED!!!....you can't sing anymore?". Weisman recalls he had never heard ANYONE talk that way to Sinatra. The next day Sinatra went in and did the first 8 songs.
Eliot Weisman's book drops in two days, but you can read a preview, with his account of the Duets recordings in the first chapter, at Amazon. Click on the “Look inside” book cover image: The Way It Was: My Life with Frank Sinatra: Amazon.com: Books
Well,with Space Jam 2 in turnaround limbo,no place for him to be heard. But usually there is the ever popular religious album before the great American Songbook. Kiss From A Rose 2018 Remix,anyone? Or maybe a blues ballad: Glum After Klum.
Oh, how I detest her!!! Barbara talked him into it! Just because she wanted her share of money!!! Not caring for his legacy at all! I think if you've read Tina Sinatra's book you know everything about her and what kind of human being she was. The Weisman anecdote just confirms this.
Weisman's book is basically a defense of his dealings between Barbara and Sinatra's children as being fair and even-handed. He admits that Tina never trusted him but feels that Barbara did. He writes that Sinatra tasked him with seeing that everyone was taken of and treated equitably and makes the case that as an Executor of Sinatra's Estate he accomplished this task.
To me it’s all about the music when it comes to FS. Not interested in any books with supposedly inside information. Think I’ll throw an LP from the Capital box on the table!
Why after 20 years? Firstly, he obviously needs some bucks and secondly these long 20 years will allow him to refer to a memory lapse, when the acurancy of his claims turns out to be incorrect.
Perhaps with the centennial and the re-release of other books including Tina's he felt the time had come. In any event the last 20 years of Sinatra's life has not been explored that thoroughly. Weisman takes much of the credit for Sinatra having performed as long as he did. He writes that he saw to Sinatra's needs and comforts etc. He says he cared about Sinatra but when he discusses Sinatra's declining health he conveniently passes the buck to Barbara as she was Sinatra's wife and she made those decisions. Sinatra's doctors kept saying that he had been on certain meds far too long and that his meds needed to be changed. This meant that he would have had to stop performing during this period of adjustment. Barbara would then decide against this and his touring continued. Weisman maintains that Frankie felt if Sinatra stopped performing he would die anyway.
Thanks, Paul. I see now that the book release was announced at least in June, and Barbara died in July.
I'm all for anyone singing the standards. So what if it isn't someone's favorite interpretation. You can still enjoy them. Recent artists doing these songs only develops new fans for the legendary singers. If no one sang the standards, the songs would disappear from our culture pretty quickly. And I do think many singers try them because they love the songs, not for dough. They are not big sellers for anyone, even Paul McCartney.
