Sinatra / Capitol Sound Quality (and general discussion): Singles, Soundtracks, Etc.

Anybody need a copy of The Hit Maker?

https://eil.com/shop/moreinfo.asp?catalogid=549301

These do not turn up often. I am NOT affiliated with this seller but I’ve bought several records from them and their descriptions are spot-on. Hope posting this doesn’t violate any forum rules.

 

I'm glad I have it. From the days when I bought everything FS

 

it's a really great set

 

It's my favorite Frank recording of that song. Not because it is from Capitol, but because it is still in shape, although not as much as it was in 1956. The tone of the song is ideal and Nelson Riddle's arrangement is great, tailored. That is enough for me to prefer it. I know that many like and prefer the 1969 version with Don Costa and, although it has a well-crafted introduction, I still prefer the 1958 recording.

Conductor: Nelson Riddle

Frank Sinatra (vocalist), Shorty Sherock (trumpet), Conrad Gozzo (trumpet), Cappy Lewis (trumpet), Dale McNickle (trumpet), Tommy Pederson (trombone), Dick Noel (trombone), Juan Tizol (valve trombone), George Roberts (bass trombone), John Cave (frenchhorn), Vincent DeRosa (frenchhorn), Ted Nash (saxophone/woodwinds), Harry Klee (saxophone/woodwinds), Champ Webb (saxophone/woodwinds), Gene Cipriano (saxophone/woodwinds), Joe Koch (saxophone/woodwinds), Victor Bay (violin), Alex Beller (violin), Felix Slatkin (violin), Paul Shure (violin), Murray Kellner (violin), Nathan Ross (violin), David Frisina (violin), Ben Gill (violin), Marshall Sosson (violin), James Getzoff (violin), Alvin Dinkin (viola), Paul Robyn (viola), Joseph DiFiore (viola), Eleanor Slatkin (violoncello), Kurt Reher (violoncello), Elizabeth Greenschpoon (violoncello), Kathryn Julye (harp), Bill Miller (piano), Laurindo Almeida (guitar), Al Viola (guitar), Tony Rizzi (guitar), Joe Comfort (string bass), Bill Richmond (drums)

Recorded at the session of December 29, 1958.

P.S.:The list of musicians present refers to the recording session, some of which may be absent in some tracks of the same.​

 

That's right. That's it. Very nice.

 

Yes, agree, the Capitol version is so much more beautiful than the later version. Loved the movie too!

 

I like both versions very much. The vocal is simply beautiful on the '58 version. But there's a knowing, world weary quality to the '69 version.

 

No doubt. The '69 version is great too!

 

One of my favorite singles. The lyrics are very creative, I am sorry that it seems to me to be an underrated song.

Written By
Doc Stanford, Jimmy Van Heusen

Arranger
Nelson Riddle

Billboard
Highest Chart: 67
Weeks on Billboard: 5

Technical
Catalog Number: 3350
Master Number: 14430
Format: 78-10"



Conductor: Nelson Riddle

Frank Sinatra (vocalist)

Mannie Klein (trumpet), Frank Beach (trumpet), Pete Candoli (trumpet), Mickey Mangano (trumpet), Dick Noel (trombone), Joe Howard (trombone), Jimmy Priddy (trombone), George Roberts (bass trombone), Harry Klee (alto saxophone), Mahlon Clark (alto saxophone), Champ Webb (tenor saxophone), Ted Nash (tenor saxophone), Chuck Gentry (baritone saxophone), Felix Slatkin (violin), Paul Shure (violin), Victor Bay (violin), Alex Beller (violin), Nathan Ross (violin), Anatol Kaminsky (violin), Marshall Sosson (violin), Mischa Russell (violin), Alvin Dinkin (viola), Stanley Spiegelman (viola), Virginia Majewski (viola), Eleanor Slatkin (violoncello), Ray Kramer (violoncello), Armand Kaproff (violoncello), Kathryn Julye (harp), Bill Miller (piano), Nick Bonney (guitar), Joe Comfort (string bass), Max Albright (drums)

Recorded at KHJ Studios in September 13, 1955.​

 

Currently updating my Sinatra collection and researching masters/alternate takes etc. I've seen reference to the WOW database on CD-Rom which is now out of print. Do any ever come up for sale anywhere please?

 

I’ve not noticed any (and my copy is not for sale), but this was the website way back when:

Where Or When: The Definitive Sinatra Database

Note that it was strictly a Windows product.

 

I refuse to believe that the piano in this recording is badly recorded to the point of seeming level and distant. Even more so in a monaural Capitol recording.

 

I think the best ressource for these questions is the discography section at the Sinatra family website. The number of available alternate takes from the Capitol and Reprise sessions is rather limited. There are a few alternates for the RCA sides (it gets more complicated with the transcriptions there, though), but the real challenge are the Columbia years.

 

But is there the possibility of having a "dry" version?

 

What the hell. Excessive reverb and compression on classic Pop recordings is all that's not needed.

 

I already had some good recommendations about this Box. Can anyone tell me the pros and cons?​