Sinatra on Columbia (Official/Authorized Releases)*

Sure, but are they using those antiquated sources? I believe that the Dorsey era and Columbia era got new transfers by Sony recently.

 

I would NOT call those sources "antiquated." They are perhaps not the latest (Rockport turntable) transfers used for The Essential FS with TD 2-CD subset, but they are an improvement over the highly-acclaimed complete box set and anything else that RCA ever put out on vinyl.

Chuck Granata has mentioned that not all the Sinatra-Dorsey recordings have yet been retransfered. This set contains 61 tracks vs. only 44 tracks which were remastered for the Essential set in 2005.

 

I mean, even the transfers used for The Song is You box are quite solid. At the $79.99 price point, I'm might just pick this up.

 

I have now heard Vol. 1 of the "Popular" series and didn't think it was too bad (haven't done a comparison through headphones). It seems to be a tad louder than "The Song Is You". There's more noise reduction than on "A Voice In Time".

Here are a few other RCA samplers:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Songs-Sinatra-Frank-Dorsey-1997-01-28/dp/B013Q79JLY/

Seems to have been released at the same time as "Popular". Similar mastering?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Voice-Century-Frank-Sinatra-Dorsey/dp/B000066AO0/

This has been part in the well-received Bluebird series. No idea about the mastering...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/All-Time-Greatest-Hits-Vol-1/dp/B000002WC0/

This pre-dates the comprehensive box set. The first (official) CD release of the Sinatra/Dorsey material? Is this sourced from tapes without NR (with clicks and pops like the Glenn Miller set)?

 

The Love Songs CD was released in 1997, at least a year before The Popular FS. I believe it uses The Song Is You box masters, but I haven't checked (and won't be able until next week).

Notable is the inclusion in this collection of all four Sinatra solos (without Dorsey) from his Bluebird singles session in 1942.

 

Many thanks for your input, Bob. Do you also have any info about "All-Time...". Are these re-issues of vintage LP masters (with clicks and without noise reduction) or digitally processed re-issues?

 

The CDs state "Digitally Remastered," but who knows what that means. Based on the dates (1988-90), I always assumed these were inferior to the later 5-CD box set versions, and I never bought them. Your comments about NR have made me curious, Stefan, and I may pick them up for some in-depth comparisons.

 

I may try one as well, Bob. I don't know if you have heard RCA's complete Glenn Miller set: that one sounds pretty weird - no click/pop elimination, (moderate) reverb and tape hiss. Of course, this sounds inferior to later issues for which RCA used original production parts, but it's the only way to hear the recordings without digital processing (let alone that RCA never bothered to re-issue all sides with modern masterings). I'm sure we will have excellent transfers of all the Dorsey sides once Chuck and his team are finished. I just hope that all extant alternates will be included (even if they only survive on commercial pressings)...

 

Does anybody know if any other of the songs on this CD are exclusive to this CD or are they culled from other CD's? Is it worth or not worth getting?

 

For the incredibly cheap prices they are asking why even haggle if they are worth it. Just get it.

 

Well, I'll have to get approval from the Department of Redundancy Department, but if the Department of Redundancy Department approves, I think I can afford $0.07 + shipping for a copy.

 

Any further information on this? Will it compile all of the Sinatra/Dorsey recordings?

 

This release sounds exciting! I love that Dorsey material.

Im also curious to know if Sony is going to do anything with those 1943(?) concerts that Frank did at the Hollywood Bowl(?) It has mentioned that they exist.

 

What about his 1950s stuff?

 

Now, any Sinatraphile will want a companion box with alternates and all of the various tracks issued on any and every Columbia/SONY release

 

Good timing on the dorsey material. Just this past weekend I picked up the three '80s RCA doubles and the radio material companion LP, as I hadn't yet delved very far into the FS/TD material. I was very disappointed to see "electronically created stereo" on the labels when I pulled the discs out to clean them last night.

 

Extremely dissappointed, indeed. At one time the Japanese 5CD set was the only FS-TD complete on CD, AND THAT WAS ALSO RECHANNELED! Where is that at, a documentary-style set in phony stereo. I wasted my money on that

 

There have been at least three different digital remasterings of FS/Dorsey material which are not fake stereo and sound wonderful. The US 5-CD "complete" set far surpasses the SQ of that earlier Japanese set (although the US box is missing a couple of alt. takes, IIRC).

 

Certainly. I got that Japan set when it was released (1992, I believe). It was a shock at that time that it was phony stereo. But, as many SONY reissues in various music styles are using old mastering, I hope the upcoming set will be new transfers

 

Yes, it was 1992. The less-complete US box The Song Is You came two years later.

I haven't listened to my copy of the Japanese box in years, and my memory is hazy, but I recall being disappointed by more than the poor sound: It claimed to contain three different takes of "Yours Is My Heart Alone," but one of those was a duplicate with different mastering, not a true alternate take.

 

I came close to having a complete set of Sinatra-Dorsey 78s in mint condition many years ago, but gave up when I only missed a couple. That was a fun time acquiring them one or a few at a time.

One of my "runs" of Sinatra 78s on Columbia came from the personal collection of a very well off bobby-soxer. She went into Manhattan on the release of every Sinatra Columbia 78 and bought 3 copies. One was to play the hell out of, one was for a back up if that first one broke, and one was NEVER to be touched again. I got her "never touched" series.

I really enjoy thinking about her and her "archivist" mentality. Others might have wanted to do that, but never could afford it.

I still prefer the sound of the 78s to any of the reissues. The later Columbia 78s pressed on vinyl (DJ only) are the very best, if you get a very clean copy

 

I have been listening to a great deal of Columbia material in the last few days. I guess in anticipation of the Radio Box
and the reconfigured complete Columbia recordings re-release. So many experimental sessions those years have FS doing things that he would never try again.
a few obscure favorites.
1. Poinciana
2.For Every Man There's A Woman
3. It All Came True
4. The Tony Mottola trio session
5. The Sing and Dance sessions

 

6. Feet of Clay

 

I recently visited an "old" friend from that first generation of Sinatra collectors who also prefers the sound of the 78's. He puts on a Sinatra 78 and says "That's how Sinatra is SUPPOSED to sound".