[Mark B.]

Listened to Swingin brass for the first time this week.Familiar with a good few numbers i've got on compilation albums but several i've never heard before...
Loved listening to Frank being chased mercilessly by a bank of what sound like saxes(thought a sax was woodwind??) on Tangerine but for me the high point of the whole thing is Love is just around the corner.It starts tamely and literaly explodes into a war of attrition between two sets of equally intentioned instuments...It's great!

This is another fine album by Sinatra. I find "Serenade in Blue" being the real winner of the set. Frank's voice has a bit of wear in his voice but the swagger and the arrangements b Neal Hefti trancend this and with the above listed song, it brings in one of his killer performances of the time.

This is the best swing album Sinatra ever recorded in my opinion. He so snappy yet seductive at the same time! It's wonderful.
I believe this album contains his best versions of They Can't Take That Away From Me and I Get a Kick Out of You.

Tangerine is my favourite track on this album. I just love it.

I also think " You brought a new kind of love to me" is better than his capitol version.

I think this is one of frank's greatest albums but highly underrated.

Melissa

You got that right Melissa!

[Gregory]

My favorite track is "Goody, Goody." Another great Mercer song.

"Great Mercer song" is redundant Greg!

I was out of town when the new month rolled around, so I'm a couple of days late flipping over my Frank Sinatra Official 2006 Calendar to November (Noviembre, Novembre). There's a lot of good stuff happening this month (including Guy Fawkes Night, whatever that is, this weekend), but this album cover is a highlight. Great painting by Jim Jonson of a smiling FS.

(Technical Note: The calendar displays the cover of the original 1992 CD issue, with the legend "Includes Bonus Tracks," as shown in the lead post of this thread. The cover of the remastered version from 1998 is less attractive as artwork, since it's cluttered with all the song titles—not to mention it lacks the bonus tracks.)

[MMM]

But the original cover had the titles noted on it, so they did the right thing in that regard for the CD reissue artwork (though I wish they would have left the STEREO, and other notations from the LP's artwork on there as well).

[alan.murrie]

I've been trying to get a copy of this album for what seems like forever, it's about 3 or 4 years I think. I wanted to get the earlier Reprise CD release as opposed to the 'Entertainer of the Century' one, which is why it's taken me so long to track it down. I got it at Christmas after ending up paying £20 for it, but boy was it worth it!

I already had about 4 of the tracks on Reprise collections but there were a couple I really wanted, including At Long Last Love. After the amount of time it's been on my wish list, it should have had a heck of a job living up to expectations, but it's actually exceeded my expectations and emerged among my very favourite Sinatra albums (no mean feat!). In the same way as Swingin' Lovers or Swingin' Affair, I don't think Swingin' Brass has any weak tracks on it. Difficult to pick favourites but Pick Yourself Up is just such a cracking arrangement and Frank's differing phrasing on Don'cha Go 'Way Mad is a joy to behold.

The bonus tracks are damn good too and really add to what is already a superb package. "You Brought A New Kind Of Love To Me" is without doubt my favourite of these - I loved the song on Swingin' Lovers and this one is the business too. This is the only song on the album not arranged by Neal Hefti, which I think would be apparent to a regular Sinatra listener from the opening as it's pure Riddle. Actually, the arrangement is not that different from the 1956 Capitol version - just faster and with more punch and sparkle. This is probably one of the only Sinatra songs where I'd really struggle to choose a favourite version. Sonically, you can hear the change between this track and the others and it's immediately apparent that they were not from the same sessions. To me, the brass appears to have been mic'd as a group as with Sinatra's Capitol Nelson Riddle collaborations as mentioned by Milt Bernhart recalling his Under My Skin box story.

If you haven't got this album, you really owe it to yourself to add it to your collection ASAP.

[MMM]

"You've Brought a New Kind of Love To Me" was recorded at Goldwyn at one of The Concert Sinatra sessions. Very different sound from the actual Swingin' Brass songs, or pretty much any of the Sinatra/Reprise recordings. Besides the "different" sound to Goldwyn, the multitracks were 35mm magnetic, instead of the usual "normal" tape.

An amazing album, in fact my favorite uptempo album on Reprise. All numbers are absoulte killers, and Frank sounds almost as good as his best Capitol self!

I secured a Japanese import version of this classic a few years ago (though I'm no expert, I can tell it's got great sound quality) and it's got three bonus tracks. #13 and #14 are both sides of the same single ("Everybody's Twistin'" and "Nothing But The Best"), with #15 being "You Brought A New Kind Of Love To Me". My only regret is that they did not include "The Boys' Night Out", which was recorded in the same sessions as the album and truly belongs there (much more so than the terrible "Everybody's Twistin'", one of Frank's weaker songs and certainly one of his lamest efforts to keep up with the music charts of the time—IMHO of course).

By the way, does anyone know for sure whether "Boys..." was arranged by Neal Hefti or by Billy May, as some sources have claimed? I would think that Hefti is the correct answer, as he was already doing the rest of the album's sessions, but this needs confirmation. I'm sure one of the top-notch Sinatraphiles on the forum has the answer. Thanks in advance!

Originally Posted by MercyBowCoup

does anyone know for sure whether "Boys..." was arranged by Neal Hefti or by Billy May

All the sources at my disposal credit Billy May.

By the way, "Boys..." was NOT recorded at the same sessions. The original twelve Swingin' Brass tracks were laid down at two Reprise sessions on consecutive nights, April 10-11, 1962, with orchestra conducted by Neal Hefti.

"The Boys' Night Out" was recorded a full month earlier, at a midnight session which began March 6, 1962, during which Sinatra recorded for both Capitol and Reprise. The session began with Sinatra's last effort for Capitol, "I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues," arranged and conducted by Skip Martin. Then (with the same orchestra personnel), he recorded "Boys..." for Reprise. The track remained unreleased until 1995. (Another Reprise song, "Cathy," was started, but only the orchestra track was completed.)

Also, note that your Japanese import with three bonus tracks is identical to the original USA Reprise CD issued in 1992. The bonus tracks were dropped from the (current) "Entertainer of the Century" remaster in 1998. (These were also not from the original LP sessions.)

[Edwin]

After years of talking with other Sinatra fans and reading posts here and elsewhere, it's obvious that everyone hears Frank Sinatra differently. "Swingin' Brass" is a lot of fun. For me, though, when comparing it with other uptempo FS albums, it's nowhere near the top. Ir is outrageous fun but does not have the innovation and perfectionism and vocal ability to soar that I hear on such as Swingin' Lovers, Swingin' Affair, Swing Easy, Come Dance, Ring A Ding, Ding or Sinatra Swings (Swing Along with Me). Billy May said that Swing Along is the best work he and Sinatra ever did together.

As Bennett pointed out, there is "a bit of wear in his voice." I've noticed that some prefer that "wear" ingredient and the choppier, shorter phrasing with more punch than when he could effortlessly pierce the sky. At least he made it sound as if it was effortless.

On this album, his versions of I Get a Kick, At Long Last Love and They Can't Take that Away from me are excellent, but not in the same league with the matchless Capitol originals. Just listen to the word "terrifically" on the Capitol version which also includes the oh, so important verse. Frank put the verse back in in later perfromances of the song. His At Long Last Love on such in person albums as Australia and Paris and on the 1967 TV special with Ella and Jobim are superior to the version on this album.

"Swingin' Brass" is way ahead of such uptempo albums as Come Swing with Me (comparatively indifferent singing) and LA is My Lady (over arranged, lacked the focus and concentration of his best).

Great stuff but not his greatest.

Edwin, et al...

As far as the wear and tear on the voice, I don't hear that much of it here. But, let's put this cherry on the whipped cream of the sundae that is the making of this LP. It was recorded on the day Dodger Stadium opened in 1962. No doubt, Frank was there to cheer on his beloved Dodgers in their new home. That may have added some "wear" on the chords. (BTW, the Dodgers lost to the Reds that day).

I point this out because if you are familiar at all with the making of "Sinatra-Basie" a few months later, the fact that Frank earlier attended a playoff game @ Dodger Stadium was a MAJOR factor in the "wear and tear" on his vocal chords for that project!

BTW, I just adore "Love is Just Around the Corner" as he never sings those six words the same way during the entire song. It is pure delight!!!!!

Interesting to see how we all appreciate the same music in different ways, you're right! Indeed, "Swing Along..." is one of the uptempo albums I appreciate the least (the others being "Come Swing..."—which I find uninspired— and "Swingin' Session"—probably the choice of material). I count the Qwest album out because it's hard to compare Frank at 50 and Frank at 70, from a pure vocal and technical viewpoint.

You used the right word here : focus. This is exactly what the whole Capitol discography displays so brilliantly, and what is missing from several other projects thereafter. The other key aspect is coherence. All albums until 1964 had thematic, artistic and vocal unity. Then things start to get a little strange, with singles that strayed too far away from the Sinatra style, albums that were assortments of songs rather than concepts (take "Softly..." or "That's Life" for instance, even "Strangers...", whose title track has NOTHING to do with the rest of the album). Fortunately we got great concept albums such as "FAS/ACJ", "Watertown" and "Trilogy" after that, but on the whole, the post-1965 period is much less to my liking.

So, "Swingin' Brass" may not compare with the better Capitol swing albums, but as far as I'm concerned, it's at least ten times better than what most other artists could have put out, and probably also the last decent swing album by Frank through and through.

[Edwin]

[QUOTE=MercyBowCoup;579842]
So, "Swingin' Brass" may not compare with the better Capitol swing albums, but as far as I'm concerned, it's at least ten times better than what most other artists could have put out (QUOTE]

Absolutely !

[MMM]

Pretty much agree with Edwin's post a few above. Good, but not great album. The remakes are fine, but the previous versions Frank did at Capitol are better, IMO. The "new" (to Frank) songs are decent enough, but to me most of them are not the greatest of songs. I love "Don't Cha Go Away Mad" and "Beginning to See the Light" - my two favorites from the album, by far.

I've seen some people pick on the song "Goody Goody" (not necessarily Frank's versions). The version here is OK, but unspectacular, and kinda makes some of the criticisms seem true. However, I love that shorter, faster version Frank does on The Summit (DCC Gold CD). His performance of it there from The Villa Venice is just fantastic, and really brings the song alive. Love it...

Originally Posted by MMM

But the original cover had the titles noted on it

(Image courtesy of Nick in Toronto)

[SinatraFan]

Around this time many great ballad albums were made by Frank: All Alone, Sinatra & Strings, and the great Concert Sinatra, so it’s nice to have a big swingin’ album from this time too.

This is one of my favorite Reprise albums. Frank really shows what he could do with a brass band and he’s in good voice. Neal Hefti’s arrangements are great for the songs and sound real good. While the album isn’t quite on the level of those ballad albums mentioned, it’s an album that puts a smile on your face every time. It would’ve been nice to have a follow up album from Frank and Neal Hefti.

My favorite selections are: Goody Goody, it may not have much to it but it’s a nice swingin' opening to the album. I’m Beginning To See The Light is a nice tune which Frank seems to bounce thru the song, I like the arrangement. Don’cha Go ‘Way Mad is a funny song, makes you laugh everytime you hear the lines “who’d ever dream your cousin... wonder into that restaurant.” You can just picture Frank smiling during this song. I like this slightly faster version of I Get A Kick Out Of You, though the Capitol version is the definitive one. Love Is Just Around The Corner is another fun song on the album which Frank adds his special touch to. One of Frank’s most encouraging songs is Pick Yourself Up and he really swings this song. Of the bonus songs, I like them all. Everybody’s Twistin’ is truly the definition of what a fun song is. It’s hard to believe that Frank would ever sing this song, especially when he started the record company but for some reason I like this song. Nothing But The Best is one of my favorite FS songs, this song really fits Frank perfectly. You Brought A New Kind Of Love, arranged by Riddle, is one of the best songs on the cd and just as good as the Capitol version.