Tommy Dorsey: The Essential Frank Sinatra with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra (2CD) Harry James: The Complete Recordings: Nineteen Thirty-Nine __________________ ~ Frank's Albums
Nice little article by Marc Myers, with photos and videos: —> Videos: Frank Sinatra, 1943 - JazzWax http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUs-QT6a2gA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pn27HYX_DYI http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=co2RdmFUHXA
Release now set for April 13, 2015 at —> amazon.co.uk/dp/B00RVD8D12 (Not yet listed at Amazon.com, but the UK price can't be beat for three CDs.) Looks to be a very randomly-ordered collection of Columbia and Victor recordings from 1939–1952, including Harry James, Tommy Dorsey, and (at least one) radio tracks, mixed in with studio cuts from Frank's solo Columbia career.
Thanks for the heads-up, Bob. Is there any more word about the possible reissue of the full Columbia set at some point this year?
Update (now that I've studied the track listing): Strike the "(at least one)" qualifier. There are many radio tracks in this collection. Everything appears to have been previously released on older Columbia/Legacy CDs. It remains to be seen if there are any new transfers for improved sound and/or any new alternate takes.
The Capitol albums Nice 'n' Easy and Point of No Return might work as a way to make a transition into the Columbia material. On the first, almost all the songs save for the title track are remakes of tunes he did with Columbia. Plus, they're done in a heavily romantic style that loosely echoes the arrangements of Axel Stordahl, Sinatra's primary arranger in that era. The second was arranged by Stordahl himself and offers something of an update of his Columbia-era sound. All that said, the way I got into Sinatra's Columbia work was because of the six-LP 1986 box set called The Voice. This set had 72 cuts divided into six categories, including saloon songs, theater songs, swingers, etc. I was really young when I got this set (and hadn't heard the Capitol stuff yet), but the way they divided everything out genre-wise made it easy to grasp. If you can find a used copy of this set, it might offer a good way to start.
Hey coincidentally, I just bought the Harry James one today!! I'm Sinatra-crazy these days, it seems! "Why can't I be more conventional...."
To each his own, yes of course! I’m only getting into Sinatra these days because of the Dylan album. (A year ago, a statement like that would have been insane. Getting into Sinatra because of Dylan?) But from the little I know of Sinatra’s early to mid-catalog, I have to say (as a life-long fan of the Beatles/Dylan/Neil Young/Byrds etc.) that the following performance is the greatest song/performance of the 20th century. I believe it’s the Columbia version. The moment when he sings “you know I’ll love you till the moon’s upside down…” Oh my god! !!!!!!!!!
It was also available as a 4-CD box set. Very nice package with an excellent booklet containing the six sets of liner notes. However, the sound quality does not measure up to the Columbia/Legacy remasters which came later. Link to SFF album thread —> THE VOICE: THE COLUMBIA YEARS 1943-1952 (Columbia/CBS) 1986 __________________ ~ Frank's Albums
My parents bought me the vinyl version for Christmas the year it came out. At first I was disappointed because I was heavily into Capitol Sinatra at the time and thought that that era was the one most worth listening to. Man, did I have to qualify that opinion as I began dipping into this set. I remember the liner notes for each LP being particularly well-done as well.
I've said it before...I stayed away from Columbia stuff for many years due to sound quality. Enter "The Big Blue Box" aka The Columbia Years 1943-1952 The Complete Recordings in 1993 and I was H-O-O-K-E-D!!!!
Track listing now posted at the SFF —> The Real... Frank Sinatra: The Ultimate Collection (Columbia/Legacy) 2015
It may have escaped much notice, but the entire contents of the complete Columbia box set—all 285 tracks on 12 discs—are available for unlimited streaming FREE to Amazon Prime subscribers: —> Amazon.com: The Columbia Years (1943-1952) The Complete Recordings: Frank Sinatra: MP3 Downloads
Good timing, Bob. I just noticed this last night, after using the Amazon Prime app for the 1st time. There is an incredible amount of accessible Sinatra material available through that particular service.
It took longer than I thought it would for you to point that out, Paul. Sony had used the mirror image on an earlier CD cover:
I "inherited" a copy of this early "Lp" (10", six songs) minus the cover, unfortunately, and a little worse for wear, but wow, his voice comes through clear as a bell.
This is a pretty cool thing to have. Do you know if Columbia was adding reverb to the tracks at this point? I have Love Is a Kick from three years later and they were mixing the tracks with 'verb by then. I still enjoyed the LP, though -- it was the first Sinatra I ever bought, for $1 in great condition in a punk rock record store in DC called Vinyl Ink.
Mine, too! For some reason, they thought it was something I'd enjoy. When the CD came out, I sold the vinyl to a buddy and got the CD version, which I still have.
re: "Why Try to Change Me Now?" m: Cy Coleman; w: Joseph McCarthy rec. Sep. 17, 1952; arr. Percy Faith (Sinatra's last Columbia recording) rel. 1952 Columbia 78 (39882) b/w "The Birth of the Blues" (info courtesy of Bob F) Both sides of this single release, Why Try To Change Me Now? and Birth of the Blues, were featured on the public service radio show "Guest Star" in 1953, and included brief comments from Frank, suggesting that people buy U.S. Defense Bonds. There was also "canned" applause added at the end of each song. As I understand it, both of the recordings aired on the program were alternate takes. Have these appeared on any reissues, apart from the "Radio Spirits" box sets?
The Two Songs Turned Up On Young Frank Sinatra - In The Blue Of The Evening (Previously Unissued War Transcriptions) Natasha Imports NI-4007
Thank you -- I found the Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000008KQ9...reative=373501&linkCode=as3&tag=themonkees-20
