Frank sinatra in Jazz Instrumental Music

"A Jazz Portrait of Frank Sinatra" (09/14/2004) Jazz Instrument Peterson, Oscar, Verve (USA)Personnel: Oscar Peterson (piano); Ray Brown (bass); Ed Thigpen (drums). Recorded in Paris, France on May 18, 1959. Oscar Peterson: Oscar Peterson (piano); Ray Brown (bass instrument); Ed Thigpen (drums). Master pianist Oscar Peterson works the ivories in typically impressive fashion on this 1959 tribute to Frank Sinatra. Performing with bassist Ray Brown and drummer Ed Thigpen, Peterson runs through 12 instrumental versions of songs made popular by Ol' Blue Eyes, including, naturally, faithful renditions of Sinatra signatures "Witchcraft" and "I Get a Kick Out of You." Though the trio takes a swinging, intensely jazzy approach to these tunes, there is no excessive stretching out here--each cut clocks in at less than four minutes. Likewise, Peterson, Brown, and Thigpen color strictly inside the lines here, keeping things highly melodic, laid-back, and elegant. This is music more appropriate to a candlelit dinner than to a smoky club. But the appeal of A JAZZ PORTRAIT OF FRANK SINATRA is in this very distinction; Peterson and company quite obviously set this date to make an intimate, romantic, and beautifully listenable record. Master pianist Oscar Peterson works the ivories in typically impressive fashion on this 1959 tribute to Frank Sinatra. Performing with bassist Ray Brown and drummer Ed Thigpen, Peterson runs through 12 instrumental versions of songs made popular by Ol' Blue Eyes, including, naturally, faithful renditions of Sinatra signatures "Witchcraft" and "I Get a Kick Out of You." Though the trio takes a swinging, intensely jazzy approach to these tunes, there is no excessive stretching out here--each cut clocks in at less than four minutes. Likewise, Peterson, Brown, and Thigpen color strictly inside the lines here, keeping things highly melodic, laid-back, and elegant. This is music more appropriate to a candlelit dinner than to a smoky club. But the appeal of A JAZZ PORTRAIT OF FRANK SINATRA is in this very distinction; Peterson and company quite obviously set this date to make an intimate, romantic, and beautifully listenable record.

"Quintessence: New York-Hollywood 1939-1955" (04/18/2006) Jazz Instrument Sinatra, Frank, Fremeaux

"Sings His Greatest Hits" (06/24/1997) Jazz Instrument Sinatra, Frank, Legacy RecordingsPersonnel includes: Frank Sinatra (vocals); Bobby Hackett (cornet); Arthur Baker (clarinet). Includes liner notes by Will Friedwald and Charles L. Granata. Personnel: Frank Sinatra (vocals); Frank Sinatra; Arthur Baker (clarinet); Bobby Hackett (cornet); Jeff Alexander Choir . Liner Note Authors: Charles Granata; Will Friedwald. Recording information: 11/14/1944-06/03/1952. Arrangers: Heine Beau; George Siravo; Sy Oliver; Axel Stordahl. Columbia Records and Sony Music never did too well by their catalog of Frank Sinatra's music, at least in the way of single-disc compilations. There was the 12-CD complete set, of course, and the four-CD best-of that complete set, both from the early '90s, which were aimed at serious, dedicated fans, but except for the very flawed 16 Most Requested Songs, there wasn't a genuinely good single-CD overview for the casual listener to get his first taste of at least the most popular songs from this most underrated phase of Sinatra's career. Sings His Greatest Hits solved that problem and then some. It's a terrific single-disc collection containing 18 of the singer's best-known songs from his time at Columbia, including "April in Paris," "Night and Day," and "Nancy," of which "Body and Soul" and "Laura" are alternate takes. This CD (which also came out in a limited-edition gold CD version) is a great sampler and introduction for the curious listener who doesn't want to invest in any of the more comprehensive sets, although once one gets hooked -- assuming one does -- those bigger sets will seem a logical next step. ~ Bruce Eder & Stephen Thomas Erlewine

"Planet Jazz" (09/07/1998) Jazz Instrument Sinatra, Frank, RCA Victor Records (USA)

"Swing and Dance with Frank Sinatra" (07/16/1996) Jazz Instrument Sinatra, Frank, Columbia/LegacyLiner notes by Charles Granata. Personnel includes : Bobby Hackett (cornet); Billy Butterfield (trumpet); George Arus (trombone); Arthur Baker (clarinet); Babe Russin, Herbie Haymer, Wolf Tanninbaum (tenor saxopone); Ernie Caceres (baritone saxophone); Ken Lane (piano); The Pastels, The Whippoorwills. Arrangements by George Sivaro. All tracks have been digitally remastered. Personnel: Frank Sinatra (vocals); Frank Sinatra; Arthur Baker (clarinet); Artie Baker (clarinet); Herbie Haymer, Babe Russin, Wolfe Taninbaum (tenor saxophone); Ernie Caceres (baritone saxophone); Billy Butterfield (trumpet); Bobby Hackett (cornet); George Arus (trombone); Ken Lane (piano); Harry James & His Orchestra, Skylarks. Liner Note Author: Charles Granata. Recording information: 12/01/1944-07/19/1951. Author: Frank Sinatra. Directors: George Siravo; Harry James; Axel Stordahl; Hugo Winterhalter. Photographer: Charles Granata. Unknown Contributor Roles: Skylarks; Matt Cavaluzzo; Larry Keyes; The Whippoorwills. Arranger: George Siravo. Of the nearly 300 tunes Sinatra recorded for Columbia in the 1940s, suprisingly few were "swing" or rhythm numbers. By 1950, his career faltering, the still-striving singer was looking for a new start. Columbia had just brought out their new Long Playing (LP) record format and an extended recording session was scheduled, featuring up-tempo arrangements by specialist George Sirvano. Sinatra's voice was in such bad shape from neglect, however, that producer Mitch Miller simply turned off the vocal mike and recorded just the orchestra which the singer later tracked in secret session (such practices being against union rules). No matter. The resulting eight-song LP was originally issued as SING AND DANCE WITH FRANK SINATRA, a new musical direction further developed only when the singer signed with Capitol Records a full three years later. This meticulously restored collection expands upon the original LP with 10 other Sirvano arrangements from the Columbia years, including the always fresh "I've Got A Crush on You" as well as "The Hucklebuck," derived" from Charlie Parker's "Now's the Time" and about as close to rock & roll as Frank Sinatra (or Charlie Parker) would ever get.

"The Fabulous Frank Sinatra and Tommy Dorsey" (10/12/1999) Jazz Instrument Sinatra, Frank, RCA Victor Records (USA)Personnel includes: Frank Sinatra (vocals); Tommy Dorsey (trombone); Axel Stordahl, Sy Oliver (arranger); Connie Haynes (vocals); The Pied Pipers (background vocals). Recorded in Hollywood, California & New York, New York between February 1940 & July 1942. Digitally remastered by Paul Williams, William Lacy & Jim Crotty. Audio Remasterers: Paul Williams ; William Lacey; Jim Crotty; Marian Conaty. Recording information: Hollywood, CA; New York, NY. The Dorsey/Sinatra collaboration was fortuitous for both men: Dorsey got a young, romantic star to boost his image and Sinatra learned about phrasing and professionalism from Dorsey. This is a solid, 15-song collection of some of their greatest hits, all recorded between 1940 and 1942. The collection is beautifully remastered and includes gems like "Night and Day," "Stardust," and "I'll Be Seeing You." The young Sinatra mesmerizes on many numbers, and on tunes like "The Lamplighter's Serenade" he makes it sound as if pop songs were made for him to sing. The Dorsey band is consummately professional--great arrangements, great playing, great balance. And when Dorsey takes a warm trombone solo, the whole era comes back clearly. A few tracks also feature Connie Haines & The Pied Pipers.

"Stardust" (02/11/1992) Jazz Instrument Sinatra, Frank, Bluebird RCA (USA)Recorded from February 26, 1940 to July 1, 1942. Digitally mastered at BMG Recording Studios, New York in September 1991. Personnel: Tommy Dorsey (trombone). Recording information: 02/26/1940-07/01/1942. Photographer: Frank Driggs. Unknown Contributor Role: The Pied Pipers. In 1939, Frank Sinatra scored his very first success, "All Or Nothing At All," with trumpeter Harry James' Orchestra. The following year the young singer began an extraordinary two year apprenticeship with the much classier Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, a regimen which taught him everything he needed to know about musical taste and judgement if not popular adulation. Make no mistake, however; from the beginning, through sheer dint of will, Sinatra managed to make his time with the master trombonist and bandleader a collaboration of musical equals. Milestone recordings like "Stardust," "I'll Be Seeing You," "I'll Never Smile Again," "Everything Happens To Me" et al are both big band classics and the beginning of a new age of romantic popular singing. No male singer had ever gone as far as Sinatra did in exploring the tender feelings expressed in these songs, in identifying so completely with a given song's meaning. It was a revolution in popular sensibility that we are still living through several decades later.

"The Columbia Years (1943-1952): The Complete Recordings [Box]" (09/14/1993) Jazz Instrument Sinatra, Frank, Legacy RecordingsTHE COLUMBIA YEARS: THE COMPLETE RECORDINGS: 1943-1952 contains 285 songs including 25 previously unreleased tracks. The set comes in a handmade maple wood box with a 144-page cloth-bound book. TRACK LISTING CONTINUED: DISC 11 (Con't): Peachtree (with Rosemary Clooney) Should (I Reveal) You Do Something To Me (from "Fifty Million Frenchmen") Lover (from "Love Me Tonight") When You're Smiling (The Whole World Smiles With You) (from "Meet Danny Wilson") It's Only A Paper Moon (from "Take A Chance") My Blue Heaven Continental, The (from "The Gay Divorcee") Goodnight Irene Dear Little Boy Of Mine (with the Mitch Miller Singers) Life Is So Peculiar (from "Mr. Music") (with Helen Carroll & The Swantones) Accidents Will Happen (from "Mr. Music") One Finger Melody (with The Whippoorwills) Remember Me In Your Dreams (with The Whippoorwills) If Only She'd Looked My Way London By Night Meet Me At The Copa - (previously unreleased) (with The Whippoorwills) Come Back To Sorrento (Torna A Surriento) (from "Paramount On Parade") April In Paris (from "Walk A Little Faster") I Guess I'll Have To Dream The Rest (with The Whippoorwills) Nevertheless (I'm In Love With You) Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! (with the B. Swanson Quartet) Take My Love I Am Loved (from "Out Of This World") You Don't Remind Me (from "Out Of This World") Love Means Love Cherry Pies Ought To Be You (from "Out Of This World") DISC 12: Faithful (with The Skylarks) You're The One (with The Skylarks) There's Something Missing (with The Skylarks) Hello, Young Lovers (from "The King And I") We Kiss In A Shadow (from "The King And I") I Whistle A Happy Tune (from "The King And I") I'm A Fool To Want You (with the Ray Charles Singers) Love Me Mama Will Bark (with Dagmar) It's A Long Way (From Your House To My House) Castle Rock Farewell, Farewell To Love Deep Night (with Harry James and his orchestra) Good Man Is Hard To Find, A - (previously unreleased) (from "Meet Danny Wilson") (with Shelley Winters) I Could Write A Book (from "Pal Joey") (with the Jeff Alexander Choir) I Hear A Rhapsody (with the Jeff Alexander Choir) Walking In The Sunshine My Girl Feet Of Clay Don't Ever Be Afraid To Go Home Luna Rossa (Blushing Moon) (with The Norman Luboff Choir) Birth Of The Blues, The (from "George White's Scandals") Azure-Te (Paris Blues) Tennessee Newsboy (The Newsboy Blues) Bim Bam Baby Why Try To Change Me Now When it comes to Sinatra, you don't get much more comprehensive or essential than this twelve-disc box, which contains the singer's entire recorded output for Columbia. Elaborately packaged, with a plate-glass etching of a young Sinatra and a booklet containing exhaustively researched annotations of the sessions, this set is a real treat for the serious Sinatraphile. Much of the material here falls on the romantic ballad side of the fence, and Sinatra's voice, still in its early crooning mode much of the time, is supported by billowing string orchestrations that underscore the longing in his voice. One of the treats of this box set is the way it enables the listener to witness Sinatra's growth during his Columbia tenure. From one disc to the next, we can hear his voice growing deeper and richer, ever more emotive. Towards the end of his Columbia career, Sinatra clashed frequently with producer Mitch Miller, often over song selection, and the singer's ventures into blues and even country-tinged material (Speedy West appears on one cut!) represent the straw that broke Sinatra's back, but make for fascinating listening nonetheless. This is a priceless collection, chronicling the career of a man once referred to as a "realistic romantic."