Sinatra / Capitol Sound Quality and General Discussion - Come Dance with Me (released 1959)*

Lonstein's and Marino's book (1970) lists Heinie Beau.

 

The Beau songs are supposed to be The Last Dance, Saturday Night & Too Close For Comfort in case anyone in SH land is wondering.

 

To be most accurate: I have the revised edition from 1979, but the original copyright date is 1970. That's The Revised Compleat Sinatra, by Albert I. Lonstein and Vito R. Marino, ISBN 0-87990-000-8.

 

Matt. Are all of the SM series albums this good? I was thinking of picking up a few since they are usually easier to find in NM condition than the originals.

 

I dug out my SM copy of "Sinatra's Swingin' Session" yesterday after decades of neglect on the shelf. It sounded surprisingly good to me! I will have to give my other SM copies a spin soon.

 

At least as far as the AFM files are concerned, I doubt Beau is listed as an arranger (maybe as a copyist if he served that function at all for May). Without having seen these particular files (but plenty of others), May is likely listed on the back of the sheet along with his arranging fee - probably a few grand - since he would have been the one contracted to do the arrangements. Any payments to Beau would likely have been worked out by May and Beau, not Beau and the union. I could be wrong, certainly, but this has been my experience when looking over Nat Cole AFM contracts.

 

So the "ghostwriter" would have been paid by the main arranger then , and not "directly"? Where did you find any documentation (like Matt was asking about here) for the ghosting arranger on Nat's sessions, if any?

 

Such information about ghostwriting (on Sinatra tracks, at least) usually came from word-of-mouth interviews with the parties involved, rather than the session documentation.

 

Typically the only way I've been able to determine any ghostwritten charts, other than in interviews with participants, is to view the chart itself, or have someone with access to the chart confirm the arranger for me - probably the reason I've only uncovered a few. BYU, for instance, has thousands of Capitol manuscripts and I learned through this archive that Billy May had at least three arrangements farmed out on one of his albums with Cole, one to the same Heine Beau discussed earlier.

 

Thanks... I'm a little surprised in some ways, but not in others. So that goes back to questioning where/how this was first documented.

 

How to identify the Alan Dell LPs

Could anyone help identify the catalog numbers for the 1984 Dell LPs that have done so well in many of these Sinatra Capitol record sound quality comparison threads?

Based on these threads and Matt's Capitol Scorecard, I have been trying to track down good copies of several of the Dell records, including Come Dance With Me. It is confusing trying to figure out what catalog numbers to look for. There is not much information on the Dell record issues floating around the web.

There are 20 records in the 1984 Dell box set, so one would think they would have a consistent scheme for their catalog numbers, but if so, I haven't found it. I think the surest sign of a Dell record is a certain round silver emblem on the cover. But I'm not sure they all have it.

The most common scheme seems to be a catalog number of LCT #### (i.e., LCT followed by a space and then four digits). Come Dance With Me, for instance, is sometimes listed as LCT 6179. But I also see listings that add an S to the start of this catalog number, so that Come Dance With Meis SLCT 6179. But I have also seen the following catalog numbers attached to issues of Come Dance With Me that I think might still be the 1984 Dell: 1A 038 26 0080 1; 1A-038 2600801; 038-26 0080 1; RI#2600801.

The LCT #### format seems to be the most common one for the Dell series, but for some albums, I can't find one like that. The only catalog number I've got for Close to You, for instance, is ED_26_0138_1.

I have also picked up some clues that LCT #### may indicate a mono record, while SLCT #### indicates a stereo record. But I'm not sure. It certainly would be interesting if the Dell records were issued in both stereo and mono versions. But if so, which ones were evaluated via Matt's sound clips? (I didn't get to hear them.)

Is there anyone who understands the 1984 Dell series well enough to explain how to identify one? I would be glad to learn!

Gary

 

Not so (as Matt just mentioned). I don't own the 20-LP box, so perhaps someone else can confirm the following list from my files:

1. CAPS 1008 In The Wee Small Hours
2. ED 260081 Swing Easy
3. ED 260074 Songs For Young Lovers
4. ED 260180 Come Swing With Me
5. SLCT 6106 Songs For Swingin' Lovers
6. ED 260138 Close To You
7. CAPS 260017 A Swingin' Affair
8. CAPS 260018 Where Are You
9. ED 260095 Come Fly With Me
10. ED 260080 Come Dance With Me
11. ED 260139 Only The Lonely
12. ED 260140 Look To Your Heart
13. ED 260141 No One Cares
14. ED 260142 Nice 'N' Easy
15. ED 260246 Sinatra's Swingin' Session
16. ED 260179 All The Way
17. ED 260177 Point Of No Return
18. ED 260178 Sings Of Love And Things
19. ED 260698 This Is Sinatra
20. ED 260699 This Is Sinatra Volume Two

Note 1: Box set order is not chronological.
Note 2: Most of the above catalog numbers are followed by a trailing 1 (not shown).
__________________
~ Frank's Albums

 

No: As I indicated, that list is secondhand information, but all from the same source. It's highly possible the number for SFSL is a mistake (especially because of the "S" in front, which has been suggested to represent "Stereo"). That's why I asked for confirmation from someone who actually has the box set (or the separate album, of course).

I'm sure someone will know firsthand. If it turns out to be wrong, I trust you'll do the editing honors, Matt.

 

Duke.
I havce one of these box sets coming and will keep you posted in the couple weeks.

 

All of the Alan Dell Sinatra LPs carry a small note about reissuing the Sinatra Capitol catalogue on the back, signed with a facsimile of Alan Dell's handwriting "Sincerely, Alan Dell".

 

I have the Dell box, so after work I will confirm the catalog numbers.

 

Matt, in that AES/Putnam paperwork (I don't remember which file offhand), 1959 was noted for the changes at the Capitol Tower studios.

 

All the catalog numbers above are correct (according to my box). One addition is 'Come Swing With Me!', cat no: ED 260180. (so, 21 LPs)

They did use the old SLCT number for Swingin' Lovers, which makes it harder to identify - if buying on the net, you need to see the rear cover which has the Alan Dell signature.

 

From Melrose to the early days of the Tower and the end of the 1950's you can hear the change.

The years prior to 1958 if that is when the change took place, were
close to perfection.

As much as I love the music on SFSL, CFWM , CDWM and onward
I have increasing difficulty enjoying the music without distraction.