FRANK SINATRA LIVE FROM LAS VEGAS: GOLDEN NUGGET 1986 (Merged)

Ronald Sarbo · #21 04-26-2005, 06:30 AM

Dean Martin and Bobby Darin CDs also great.

FS, DM, BD and others are also on "Live in Las Vegas" compilation CD.

Watertown · #22 04-26-2005, 09:14 AM

Picked up the disc during lunch. I had the windows down and the live Mack the Knife rendition cranking. I got goose bumps as the song continued to build an unexplainable momentum. Thanks to all those that made this new Frank CD available to us.

I also picked up the new live Dean but haven't listened to it yet.

Set Avatar · #23 04-26-2005, 11:35 AM

The cover of the CD on the web site says there are 19 new cuts, but the list only shows 16. Which is it?

Bob W · #24 04-26-2005, 12:48 PM

Got it today @ Wal-Mart for under $10...Only played 5 tracks thus far BUT the sax solo on "I Get A Kick" is somethin' else...Wow !

Set Avatar · #25 04-26-2005, 12:57 PM

The piano only version of "The Girls I've Never Kissed" made the short hairs on the back of my neck stand up! It is positively stunning.

Set Avatar · #26 04-26-2005, 02:54 PM

Just ordered mine from Amazon. So stoked!

-Stace

Set Avatar · #27 04-26-2005, 06:17 PM

Man, alot of songs gave me goosebumps lol. I tell you, there are some real swinging arrangments on this cd. Mack the Knife is just pure powerful at the end, Ive got the World on a String is just great, Luck be a Lady couldnt of been done better, and whoa, Ive Got You under My Skin is brilliant.

Set Avatar · #28 04-26-2005, 06:56 PM

Well, the day has finally come, and like all the Sinatra-lovers out there, I sauntered over to my local B&N and grabbed a hot little copy of the new CD. I guess I'm happy to be one of the first to own it in my area (although the one copy to be found at my local bullseye-based retail store had only 18 tracks listed, the copy I had ordered from B&N contained all 19), but I'd honestly have to say that I was a little disppointed with the majority of the disc. Yes, there are a few priceless gems - such as "One to a Customer" - but otherwise I would agree with a previous poster who asserted that Mr Sinatra must have been in poor voice on the night of the concert. (Additionally, I assert that this only seems fitting on the last half of the project.)

Sadly, and to the doubtless detriment of my forum popularity, I came away from this experience with several unanswered questions... Perhaps some of our more educated / knowledgable members could enlighten our forum - just be sure to CAREFULLY read my post before editorializing my comments.

Now keep in mind that I haven't had enough time to read every word of the liner notes, but here are my concerns as follows:

-Was this ONE complete concert, or is this a culmination of several performance dates and venues? (The wide, ever-moving pan of Mr Sinatra's speaking-and-singing voice is inconsistent in its depth and tone - which could have been easily remidied in the remixing / mastering sessions - but nonetheless offer cause for question. Also, I am concerned that The Voice seems to change from song to song - i.e. from a "mature" sound to an "aged" tone to a younger, vibrant "swinger." [Yes, I am a voice teacher, so I completely understand the effects of concert exertion on the human voice.])

-Were REAL strings and brass used on this entire recording? (Several songs contain passages that could be loosely indicative of "padded" or "covered" post-production musical additions.)

-Am I crazy, or did I hear the odd ghostly presence of a vocal chorus through passages of "Someone to Watch Over Me"?

While I am sure that I will discover other points about which to have questions with each additional review of this project, I hope that other members of this list will not be readily offended by my query... After all, this IS the place to find the best answers, RIGHT?

Thanking you in advance for your knowledgable assistance,
Bo Sullivan

George Lyons · #29 04-27-2005, 02:14 AM

Hey Bo, all in all the voice in this cd is miked very closely even to the point that the orchestra at times takes a very back seat with FS front and center and prominently listenable...I noted an immediate lack of rasp or hoarseness that is present more so in the Main Event cd from 12 years previous.All in all I am highly impressed with this 71 year old legend sounding fresh and energetic, holding end notes forever on I Have Dreamed and Someone To Watch Over Me and doing a "Tony Bennett" with the coda of "My Way"....his voice is thinner and somewhat tinnier now, but he extrapolates those low rumbling bass notes and wraps around the high ones with a master's breath control...he's a painter doing a masterpiece...enjoy the work, it's very hard, no it's impossible, to find this anymore.

radioman · #30 04-27-2005, 03:36 AM

I may be able to offer a bit of explanation to Bo's post. I did a radio interview with Charlie Pignone this week and he indicated that one of the goals was to present the performance as it sounded at the Golden Nugget. They did not want to add a lot of post production and create an over processed sound. Which is certainly easy to do with today's computer tools.

There are also a couple of spots during the Cd where Frank sounds off microphone. Charlie told me there was a secondary cordless microphone that Frank used at certain points during the show and its sound and Frank's use of it were a little questionable. At one point during his introduction of the band he even tucks it under his arm and goes completely off mic.

I do disagree with Bo's assesment of Frank's voice. Prior to the December shows Frank was very ill in October and even hospitalized. But by the time he returned to Vegas he was in very high spirits and I think it's reflected in his actions on stage. His voice rumbles down to the low notes and seems very strong especially at the end of "Luck Be A Lady", "Mack The Knife" and "Only One To A Customer". Listen closely to "Crush On You" and I think you'll find it very beautiful...At age 71 this man was doing some incredible things as a performer.

All the best,

Dave

Ronald Sarbo · #31 04-27-2005, 05:19 AM

Dave: Thank you for your comments and for sharing the info from your interview with Mr. Pignone.

In my opinion this concert was a "Perfect Marriage" of material and vocal performance from this period of Sinatra's career.

Best, Ron.

JamesDeFrances · #32 04-27-2005, 12:32 PM

The concert is wonderful and the vocals are of course less than they had been 20 years previous or even 5 years previous, but the phrasing and the emotion are there more than ever.

I bought it yesterday and of course I had to buy the "lemon" disc out of the bunch. There were a ton of them at Best Buy and I get the bad one. I listened to nearly the whole disc and then about a quarter of the way through New York, New York it started skipping like crazy. So I took out the disc and noticed an incredibly large and perfectly rectangular scuff mark on the outside of the disc. There is no way I could have scratched it, and done it so symetrically seeing as I simply took it out of the case and put it in the cd player. Anybody else have this problem?

Anyway, I had my father take it and exchange it today on his lunch break at work, so he should bring back a nice new copy today. Hopefully not one with the same problem.

Set Avatar · #33 04-27-2005, 02:50 PM

When he recorded Mack The Knife, which was in the same year, he sounds alot different. Its weird, too werid lol. On the 80th concert cd, he sounds alot better, but not as energetic. on the Vegas cd, this is probably the most vibrant and energetic ive ever heard him.

Wolfy · #34 04-28-2005, 08:25 AM

I just got the CD this morning and even got it at discounted price.

I paid $16.99 as opposed to the listed $18.99.... This happened even though I do not have a membership card in my possession.

Someone was watching over me.......

I always enjoy FS live because he genuinely "LOVED" his fans.
You can hear this, you can hear this.

Happy Listening Folks !!!

Set Avatar · #35 04-29-2005, 04:31 AM

I am Lovin' it! LOL : )

Set Avatar · #36 04-29-2005, 06:03 AM

This is an extraordinary performance: high octane swing and Francis is absolutely cookin' throughout. What a delight!

Many, many thanks to the Sinatra family for this marvellous addition to the Sinatra oeuvre.

-Thomas

ARIES3032 · #37 04-29-2005, 06:47 AM

Las Vegas with Frank is on the it's way to me from Amazon. Can't wait to listen to it. I will keep you up dated.

Chuck Granata · #38 04-29-2005, 07:31 AM

1986 was probably Frank's last great year on the concert stage. The Japan concert from '85 is fabulous: he has tons of energy and is in great voice, as he is on the new Vegas CD. It is really nice to have a document of what Frank sounded like when many of us were going to see him perform in concert, before the signs of age and diminishing vocal power really set in. I'd say that this disc is ESSENTIAL, and everyone on the list should be pleased with its revelations - especially if you didn't have the chance to see Frank in this late great period. FS was far more relaxed in Vegas, and it shows on this performance.

Great job, CP3! Keep up the great work...

Chuck Granata

ARIES3032 · #39 04-29-2005, 12:47 PM

Received my copy today, and I will play it and let you know how I like it.

JamesDeFrances · #40 04-29-2005, 01:14 PM

I have to agree with Chuck that somewhere around 1986 was Frank's last great concert year, but I also have to say there have to have been highlights post 1986.

Those few cuts we have from his birthday concert in 1990 on The Best is Yet to Come video are pretty good, although he seems to have somewhat of a headcold. And also those few live performances from 1994 that were used on the Duets II cd.