[Freni]

So what are everyone's favorites from this album? Mine are That Old Feeling and Mam'selle...just sorta make you melt, don't you think?

[Marty]

The Columbia recording was one of my favourites from that era, but I recently replaced my old copy of Nice & Easy with the CD that inluded the extra tracks and Riddle's arrangement of "Nearness" is as wonderful if not better.

[vinvictory]

hard to pick just one fav...this is a very intimate album...(real make-out music). and in that vein i guess the real stand-out would be you go to my head.
you go to my head and you linger like a haunting refrain
and i find you spinning round in my brain
like the kicker in a glass of champagne
pretty intense stuff, and the tempo and riddle arrangement paints the rest of the picture.
you go to my head, with a smile that makes my temperature rise
like a summer with a thousand julys
you intoxicate my soul with your eyes.
not your average ditty is it. and in the hands of the master, it soars. who else but FS can convey a lyric like this and get all its emotion out of it while still carrying a melody....(no one).

One other thing. "Nice 'N Easy" has a bit of peak distortion on it. I listened to the master and several copies and it was always present.

This is one of the reasons I like to burn my CDs to my computer and run a program like wavegain on them. This will reduce "clipping" during playback.

I love the music on this album. I agree that it is probably Mr. Sinatra's most romantic album. I think "How Deep is the Ocean" is one of his most romantic songs and his singing is extraordinary.

[Yvonne]

I'm just right now listening to this album, as I only received it the other day and didn't have it before (thanks, Marty!!!! ). The arrangements are wonderful, and I do love How Deep Is The Ocean. However, I happen to prefer some of the earlier recordings, though (You Go To My Head, for example).

This album featured a relatively new song, Nice 'N" Easy, with a bunch of great standards. In my opinion, Nice 'N' Easy is one of the coolest songs ever done. It's just so Frank. And Riddle's arrangement - the best.

"The problem now of course is
To simply hold your horses
To rush would be a crime
'cause - Nice 'N' Easy does it
Nice 'N' Easy does it
Nice 'N' Easy does it every time."

Oh, yeah, listening to that is just pure heaven.

Thank you, Frank, for giving me so much listening pleasure througout the years.

[russkish3]

I received a copy of "Nice "N" Easy" in ia Mobile Fidelity test pressing from the legendary Stan Ricker, who was the man responsible for converting all of the original material to half-speed mastering. Call it one of the fringe benefits of living in the big city. Visited Stan at Mobile Fidelity's sanctum sanctorum while he was working on The Beatles series. He took me to he vaults and gifted me with several titles. "Nice 'N" Easy" remains one of my favorites.

"How Deep is the Ocean" is my favorite track of all. But the entire album is a treasure.

Sadly, Stan Ricker is no longer with us. The man was a dedicated musician and loved Sinatra.

Best regards,

Russell Kishi
Glendale, California

Russell,

Thanks for posting this information on Nice 'N' Easy and Stan Ricker.

Your posts are always full of very valuable information.

You are a great asset to this forum.

A happy and healthy new year to you and your family!

***Sadly, Stan Ricker is no longer with us. The man was a dedicated musician and loved Sinatra.***

Leads a bit astray from the thread topic, but - Russ, I didn't know Stan was gone. When did he pass away?

I cherish his remastering work on Pink Floyd's "Dark Side Of The Moon" and the re-release of Ella Fitzgerald's second album with Armstrong (Ella & Louis Again, on Verve).
Didn't he also master John Coltrane's "Lush Life"?

Bernhard.

[russkish3]

Your praise is both gratifying and humbling. If any of you Sinatraphiles out there have acquired the Mobile Fidelity series on Sinatra, you can thank Stan Ricker for a job very well done. Stan played string bass and cello. He was just as much a musical perfectionist as Mr. Sinatra, and took great pains to do his job right. He did a fantastic job on the entire Capitol/Sinatra catalogue.

While I visited him, Stan played original EMI master tapes and his half-speed masters of "Rubber Soul," which he was working on at the time. There was a noticeable difference for the better, if that is at all possible. I am not inclined to steal, but seeing the original EMI box for the "Rubber Soul" master was a temptation. The box, as you might imagine, was a little frayed at the edges. But the tapes, that's another story.

Best regards,

Russell Kishi
Glendale, California

[russkish3]

I cannot recall exactly when Stan Ricker passed away. If memory serves, it was sometime in the late 90s. To answer your question, Bernhard, yes, Stan Ricker WAS Mobile Fidelity. The business has not been the same since he left. It was his masterful hand that was responsible for all of the fantastic restoration/improvement you might hear in a Mobile Fidelity recording. I believe every title you mentioned was a Stan Ricker project.

I can still see Stan sitting iin his studio playing "Nice 'N" Easy." The smile told you he was experiencing a little bit of heaven on earth. As we all have, I guess, at one time or another. I am not exaggerating when I tell you that he worshipped Frank Sinatra. He used the term "a labor of love" when describing his work on the Capitol/Sinatra series.

Thank you, Bernhard,, for your inquiry. Always a privilege to serve you.

Best regards,

Russell Kishi
Glendale, California

Russell,

I know that the Mobile Fidelity Series is a very fine set of recordings! I have very exciting news! I have bought this set!

It is in mint condition and includes the geo disc. It should arrive within a week. I can hardly wait!
I am very grateful to Stan Ricker! Thanks again Russell for all of your excellent information!

You too Bernhard!

The arrangements are wonderful, and I do love How Deep Is The Ocean.>>

I never thought much about this album one way or the other. Then I was listening to it the other day and realized its one of my favorites. One of these days I have to organize my CD's in a best to worst order, that way I will play the better one's more often..

" I received a copy of "Nice "N" Easy" in ia Mobile Fidelity test"

Russell,

Are these pressings available on CD? I have a MFSL version of "Songs for Swingin Lovers", but I have not heard of these other recordings.

[Ronald Sarbo]

Derek: No, only Swingin Lovers. Happy New Year, Ron.

[russkish3]

I do not recall companion CD titles from Mobile Fidelity. The company agreements with indivvidual labels were for limited use of the master tapes. The complete Mobile Fidelity series was issued circa 1983-84, and I doubt that the company renewed any agreement with Capitol Records for continued rights usage.

I regret now that I diid not add other titles when they were available, but I am not certain they offered any individual titles beyond "Nice 'N' Easy." The Capitol series was issued as a complete set in a custom case and sold for just under $400 in the mid 80s.

Carolyn, you are very lucky indeed to have scored what you did. Sounds like an Ebay purchase to me. Cerrtainly if there were any way to acquire these tites on CD, I would buy it. The sound improvement is worth the ectra cost. I would love to hear, for example, the Reprise "I Remember Tommy" and even "Ring A Ding Ding!" just to hear a half-speed mastering of the material. There is always more to savor in every Sinatra recording.

Thanks, Derek, for your inquiry.

Best regards,

Russell Kish
Glendale, Calfornia

Thanks Ron and Russell!

Happy New Year!

***I can still see Stan sitting iin his studio playing "Nice 'N" Easy." The smile told you he was experiencing a little bit of heaven on earth. As we all have, I guess, at one time or another. I am not exaggerating when I tell you that he worshipped Frank Sinatra. He used the term "a labor of love" when describing his work on the Capitol/Sinatra series.***

Thanks Russell. For sure, the results he achieved were outstanding, the MFSL Sinatra edition is superb. Occasionally the box still pops up second-hand at Ebay or other places.

Bernhard.

I believe with the technology and equipment that is out there, new re-mastering of Frank's albums will be on DVD-A or SACD. If the re-mastering is done properly, these albums will really sound awesome, as is the case with some of the new releases in this format with other artists.

As far as Swingin Lovers album, I have the 21 CD British Capital set & to me, the sound quality is excellent. I've listened to this several times on my home stereo system & on a Sony personal CD player. My tin ears cannot find any fault with any of the songs on this album.

[russkish3]

The comparison, I believe, between a CD copy of "Nice 'N" Easy" and a SACD copy of the same title is probably comparable to the difference between a viintage Capitrol vinyl copy and what Stan Ricker was able to accomplish with his Mobile Fidelity half-speed mastering of the same material. There is just a greater sense of "air" and separation between vocalist and orchestra iin the Mobile Fidelity version. From what I have read, well-transferred SACD titles provide the same type of improvements.

I am a freak. I stil highly value my vinyl collection. Let others decide their preferences among the new technologies. I am quite glad that I have the Sinatra titles that I do in all of my home audio formats -- vinyl and compact disc. I find nothing to complain about in the sound sources I already own.

Best regards,

Russell Kishi
Glendale, California