The *Frank Sinatra* recordings thread

Can't go wrong for 99p. It's a good album, generally considered one of Sinatra's best Reprise era recordings, with a superb version of Ol' Man River, although personally I haven't warmed to those big showtune arrangements yet. You've bought the mono mix, which I haven't heard. I have a later UK stereo issue.

Interesting recording, at the film studio stage, using 21 tracks onto 35mm film. The subsequent mix down to 2-track stereo has come in for some criticism over the years and I daresay it would benefit from a remix using the original multi-tracks.

Sounds like you got a nice deal, apart from the damaged cover, although it doesn't have a high value on the used vinyl market.

 

Re: "The Concert Sinatra" gatefold sleeve

Graham, That's how the original LP (Reprise R9-1009) was packaged in the US. It's not UK-specific. The liner notes by Lawrence D. Stewart occupy both pages of the inside gatefold. The "About the Recording" blurb by Raymond V. Pepe (President of the Institute of High Fidelity, Inc.) is on the back cover.

Note that the front and back covers are all part of one single photograph, cropped to appear as if taken by a wide-angle lens, which continues across the spine. That panoramic view of the Goldwyn Studios soundstage is quite impressive. The effect is lost in the Reprise and Universal CDs in jewel cases. (In the original Reprise CD, the front photo is cut off at the bottom, and the back half isn't even shown. In the Reprise EOTC and UMG reissues, the back is cut off at the bottom.) The recent Universal Japan SHM-CD reissue replicates the gatefold LP accurately and beautifully.

This is the uncropped Ted Allan source photo (from mptv.net):

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"Bewitched," in particular, is over-orchestrated. But the other tracks are stupendous.

 

You've hit the nail on the head - a few too many of those big climaxes and I'm quickly finished off. Oo-err missus!

 

Very interesting discussion on the CD. I hadn't seen that before. I especially liked the War And Peace bit at the end

 

CORRECTION: This is a NEW compilation, with 16 instead of 21 tracks. See thread: [thread=229064]Golden Anniversary of the Rat Pack[/thread].

 

THAT particular orchestration was originally recorded in 1957 for the "Pal Joey" soundtrack album by Frank and Nelson, then recycled for "The Concert Sinatra" 6 years later!!!

 

sorry: those are 2 very different arrangements. the '57 one quite soft and subtle, the latter one quite baroque.

 

I didn't know where to Post this...

But how are they going to post THIS to me from across the pond? LOL!

Apparently now available for the first time a Sinatra Estate authorised "Life Sized Stand-Up Of Frank" very handsome too, I must say.

 

A late comer to Sinatra and now a person who wished i would have seen him live and now collecting his vinyl lps i need some help. My favorite songs or on the CD Reprise The Very Good Years from 1991 and i'm working on getting vinyl of the songs
1. The Last Dance
2. Night And Day
3. I Get A Kick Out Of You
4. Luck Be A Lady
5. The Way You Look Tonight
6. My Kind Of Town
7. The Best Is Yet To Come
8. Fly Me To The Moon
I dont know if the versions on the CD are available on vinyl but man Luck Be A Lady Tonight and The Best Is Yet To Come give me goose bumps any help finding these songs on vinyl would be very much appreciated.

 

They can be found on vinyl on these original albums, lots of debate across the site as to which issue sounds better -

1. The Reprise Collection - 6LP Edition, contains all the songs but this is unique to it.
2. Sinatra and Strings
3. Sinatra and Swingin' Brass
4. Guys and Dolls Reprise repetory Theater or My Kind of Broadway or Sinatra '65 (both are compilations)
5. Sinatra Sings Academy Award Winners or My Kind of Broadway
6. Robin and the 7 Hoods Soundtrack or Sinatra '65
7. It Might as Well be Swing
8. As Above

 

Just a quickie...

Off the top of my head Frank did a couple of " Disco " style mixes of previous recordings " Night And Day" - " All Or Nothing At All "

What else did he do that I may have forgotten about?

Frank was always ahead of his time, and kept up with current trends etc so can anyone think of a Frank song that would easily fit into today's music chart.

I know Mint Royale recorded a remix of "This Town" which I actually quite liked, maybe something a little more obscure like " My Way Of Life" could fit in with today's music with a little "Tweaking" I don't know,

Any thoughts ?

 

Come Fly Away Musical Soundtrack Question

I hope this hasn't been covered but I did try a search on these terms and the results were voluminous.

I just got back from a trip to Manhattan where I stopped in the Broadway souvenir shops and got the last copy they had of the CD soundtrack for "Come Fly Away: A New Musical Love Affair".

The 16 tracks it contains all sound different from the originals, different vocals, different instrumentals. Can anyone point me to a description of the vocal takes and dates for the recordings used? I'm pretty fastidious about logging my Sinatra collection details and the liner notes were poor.

Thanks!

 

See [post=5435524]post #749[/post] in this thread.

Note that it's not really the "soundtrack" from the show. It states on the back cover that these are the original studio recordings.

As stated earlier, I believe these are in fact all the original Reprise (plus some Capitol) studio takes, possibly remixed (which may account for apparent sonic differences), with one exception:

 

The Riddle (Slatkin) version of "The Last Dance" was first issued on the 4 disc Reprise Years compilation, and the 1 disc distillation of it that you have. There is a vinyl version of the box from Europe and a U.S. 7" 45 of the song. I doubt they're anything special sonically though.

For the '61 "Night and Day", try to find a mint 2nd issue stereo LP of SINATRA AND STRINGS. There's a few variants of the same basic label, so just look for a copy with a 3 color label that also credits Warners at the bottom of the labels. I also have a w7 2 color label that's OK, but once you start getting into the later copies (1970+ label variants) with the square Reprise logo on the labels, you may end up with the remix (which is what you hear on your 1 disc compilation). I prefer the original stereo mix. The original "R9" pressings (pre Warner era) aren't mastered as well as the 2nds+.

The best sounding "Luck Be a Lady" is on the Reprise Repetory Theater GUYS AND DOLLS vinyl, mono and stereo. The song is not exactly hi-fi demo material, but the LPs of this album present the song best. Amazing performance and arrangement that really transformed the song from something that usually sounded like a novelty into a classic. One of Frank's best records ever.

Try to find the DCC Gold CD of ROBIN AND THE 7 HOODS for "My Kind of Town". Steve did an amazing job mixing and mastering that album.

Be sure to also get the '98 CD of IT MIGHT AS WELL BE SWING for #7-8. I believe the current Universal CD from Europe is the same, sonically. It's better than any previous release due to a better, higher fidelity mix made for it compared to either the original stereo or mono mixes. Even though the bass was jacked up, etc., it still sounds good.

 

Came across this scan of a Polish Sinatra LP today, and I had to wonder who they were using as a model!

 

Well it WAS the " Radio Years " no one knew what Frank looked like LOL!

It even looks worse than the "likeness" found in the Caricature thread and that is saying something LOL!

 

Well it reminds me of someone, I just can't think who though.

It's on the tip of my tongue and no I don't mean the Sinatra Stamp LOL!

Added: He to me looks a lot like Nicolas Cage.

 

It's this guy, when he was younger. (And this is an official Capitol LP!)

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