[Jeffrey Simmons]

This has long been one of my favourite Sinatra swing albums. My favourite tracks are:-

At Long Last Love
I Get A Kick Out Of You
Don'tcha Go Away Mad
Serenade in Blue

Some great solo instrumentals in this fine album. Its a real winner and very often when I watch various TV variety shows and listen to the songs by other singers on the shows I invariably recognise charts which are so obviously copied from this album. I won't address those rights and wrongs here - my views are already well stated - but clearly the charts were so good that they are still being used by bands today.

[Stunatra]

As much as I love this album, I wish Frank had left At Long Last Love alone - the definitive recording was recorded previously on A Swingin' Affair.

[Night Stranger]

Originally Posted by Stunatra

As much as I love this album, I wish Frank had left At Long Last Love alone - the definitive recording was recorded previously on A Swingin' Affair.

I disagree. Maybe it's because I've always been more familliar with the Hefti version, but I've always preferred it over the Riddle version. And Hefti's version was so exciting live.

[SinatraFan]

I like both versions of At Long Last Love. I heard the Riddle recording first but the Hefti arrangement is great, really energizes the song and sounds like something Frank could have recorded with Count Basie.

I love this album one of frank's best I adore tangerine the best on here.

[Jeffrey Simmons]

Steve, I am familiar with both and also love the earlier version too.
In the 1960's at Reprise Frank revisited many of his old favourites with often slightly up-tempo, brighter and more swinging arrangements. Some prefer the earlier period and some prefer this period when Frank's voice was a little more mature and he was riding high in his career. Some I have read have said that his kater versions seemed more of a performance and they prefer the earlier recordings at Capitol. Later in the 70's and early 80's Frank started singing this song quite often in various concerts, but had reverted back to the Nelson Riddle arrangement. Because the 1960's were closer to the time when I was growing up, albeit I was much too young to be aware of this album, I am very partial to Frank's work and voice in the 60's.

[Edwin]

The re-recordings of standards and singles from the Capitol era on Reprise were all quite different than the originals. The originals are superior. His comeback then was still fairly recent and he strived for perfection far more than he did on the re-recordings.

The re-recordings on such as "Sinatra's Sinatra," the first Basie album and "Swingin' Brass" are punchier and more choppy but much less involved. The perfectionism and effort is not as strong as on the Capitol versions. Just one of many examples: listen to the word "love" at the end of both versions of The Tender Trap. On the original, he pierces the sky with that note as written. On the re-recording, he doesn't bother and throws it away.

To put it another way, on such Capitol recordings as Wee Small Hours, I've Got You Under My Skin, I Get a Kick out of You, I Won't Dance, Learnin' the Blues, Come Fly with Me, etc, etc, he's really, well, THERE with his whole body, heart, soul and brain and they are THE definitive performances. Some of the others may be louder, swingier, brassier, but there is nowhere near the depth that is achieved on the originals. His perfectionism and his chops were still there on such Reprise records as "The Concert Sinatra" and "Sinatra-Jobim," but not on the remakes of Capitol originals.

Another point: Frank Sinatra is generally in better voice and has better control on the Capitol originals than on the Reprise remakes.

[Ronald Sarbo]

When we discuss Sinatra's re-recordings we are forgetting that not all of his work was available at the same time as it is today.

Albums from Columbia and Capitol went in and out of print. Albums composed of singles were issued at various intervals.

Apart from the change in record labels the advent of STEREO made re-recording them a necessity as the public wanted the new technology.

The changing times also called for a change in background. He had to contend with the changes in popular music during the 1960's.

[Night Stranger]

I kind of feel guilty for going against the grain and preferring the Reprise rerecordings, but I have my reasons. Partially because of my own personal bias to that era (it was the first era of Frank I was introducted to), and partially because I find the brassier, choppier arrangements more exciting and entertaining. Whether that makes them superior is a matter of opinion.

Originally Posted by Edwin

The re-recordings on such as "Sinatra's Sinatra," the first Basie album and "Swingin' Brass" are punchier and more choppy but much less involved. The perfectionism and effort is not as strong as on the Capitol versions. Just one of many examples: listen to the word "love" at the end of both versions of The Tender Trap. On the original, he pierces the sky with that note as written. On the re-recording, he doesn't bother and throws it away.

I've always been on the fence with which version I prefer, but I give to the edge to the 1962 version. The 1955 version is great and Frank's phrasing and range are on full display (as evident by that amazing High F on "Looooooooooove!"), but the 1962 version has that excellent call-and-response between the horn sections on the intro, and I like's Frank's singing of the song better. On the first version, he sang it straighter, he plays around with his phrasing and improvises a bit to fit with new arrangement. I also liked the sly, more seductive (for lack of a more appropiate word) sound of his voice. As for that last note, the arrangement really didn't allow any room for it, and it would have not gone well within the context of it. And he does make up for it in some ways with that sly "And I'm trapped with yooooooouuuuuuuuuu...."

[Stunatra]

Well put, Anthony.

As much as I prefer the Reprise recordings of many Capitol songs, I am stuck on the Capitol Recording of At Long Last Love, the version displayed here just misses the magic for me.

[SinatraFan]

Originally Posted by Edwin

The re-recordings of standards and singles from the Capitol era on Reprise were all quite different than the originals. The originals are superior. His comeback then was still fairly recent and he strived for perfection far more than he did on the re-recordings.

I agree, Edwin. Most of the time the Capitol recordings are the definitive versions but they're not always my favorite versions... I do find myself listening to the Reprise versions more often. Frank was already very familiar with the songs, so on the re-recordings he had a little fun with them and it shines through, like on the newer versions of Witchcraft (that's my favorite version of the song) and Come Fly With Me.

Originally Posted by Ronald Sarbo

Apart from the change in record labels the advent of STEREO made re-recording them a necessity as the public wanted the new technology.

And it's great to have them in stereo!

[Gary]

Originally Posted by Ronald Sarbo

When we discuss Sinatra's re-recordings we are forgetting that not all of his work was available at the same time as it is today.

Albums from Columbia and Capitol went in and out of print. Albums composed of singles were issued at various intervals.

Apart from the change in record labels the advent of STEREO made re-recording them a necessity as the public wanted the new technology.

The changing times also called for a change in background. He had to contend with the changes in popular music during the 1960's.

Nice perspective Ron. I hadnt really thought of it that way.

[Taylor]

I don't understand why Sarbo doesn't teach this stuff at a college or university. He is more qualified, and knowledgeable than the Professor that taught my "Music Of The 20th Century" class last year.

[Ian Bradley]

Been listening to this on the i-pod this morning on the way to the post office. A great album - a sort of companion piece to Come Swing with Mewith so much of its repertoire being drawm from the big band era. And, of course, there's that great tenor solo from Ben webster no less on Ellington's Beginning to See the Light.
According to the discography I always use, (Nascimento Silva's), Ben was in the reed section throughout these sesions - which I find a little hard to believe. Ben Webster as a section man? (Not that there's anything wrong with session players, indeed! Some of the most awesomely talented musicians in the world). Did he take any of those other sax solos? I know Plas Johnson is in there, too - a great Sinatra session man (That Old Feeling- wow!)and, for example, the solo on I Get a Kick...sounds more Plas- sticky (?) - but anone any more info? Thanks!

Originally Posted by Ian Bradley

Ben Webster as a section man?

This album's 1962 sessions were apparently the only ones in which the great Ben Webster recorded with FS. That may have had something to do with Neal Hefti being the conductor, but it was not unusual for jazz greats to appear as studio men. Harry "Sweets" Edison, a contemporary and friend of Webster, was of course a stalwart of many Sinatra sessions; just two months after these dates, they recorded an album together, Ben and "Sweets". Note that Webster recorded the very first album issued by Reprise Records, The Warm Moods, in February 1961.

Did he take any of those other sax solos?

I think "I'm Beginning To See The Light" was Ben Webster's only solo here. In addition to Plas Johnson on tenor, there are some other well-known jazz musicians on these tracks including trumpet players Pete and Conte Candoli and Gerald Wilson.

At the time of these sessions, Webster was approaching the end of a long career which began in the 1930's. He would leave the US entirely just two years later for Denmark where he resided until his death in 1973.

Originally Posted by Ian Bradley

the solo on I Get a Kick... sounds more Plas- sticky (?) - but anyone any more info?

The sax solo on "I Get A Kick Out Of You" was by Joe Maini, reportedly.

[morrowjs]

When I was younger I liked most of the Reprise remakes. But now I have an even greater apprecation of his Capital sound. As much as I like Swingin Brass, the songs seem to me at least, a bit souless. But he was in great voice. I think I read somewhere that he did most or all of the tracks in two days because he was singing so well.

[Ian Bradley]

Originally Posted by Bob

The sax solo on "I Get A Kick Out Of You" was by Joe Maini, reportedly.

Thanls for that, Bob. Didn't realise the Condoli brothers were in the band as well. It certainly cooks! I have the Sweets Edison/ ben Webster album in - i think - a Mosaic box set of Columbia jazz - but that is on my 'to listen' list. I know Frank really admired Ben Webster - on the notes to the CD re-issue of Webster's album with Gerry Mulligan there is an anecdote there, I think, about this which I will have to dig out.

I've often overlooked Swingin' Brassbecause, i think, there is such an embarrassment of riches at this point in Frank's career but I am really enjoying playing and re-playing (re-prising! It cannot be prised or re-prised from my cluthes at the moment!) this album presently. Wonderful colours - and the way Frank plays on, behind, beneath the beat here - 'and I'm all-around-you.' Great stuff!

[Jeffrey Simmons]

Regarding the re-recording of songs from Capitol to Reprise I think that Edwin above is quite right in what he says, but so too I must say to a fair degree is Anthony in what he says. Ron might jump in here and say they can't both be right and he would be right also.

In my opinion, Frank's most supreme quality vocals, if I can put it that way, appear on those magnificent Capitol recordings. So if we take just two easy examples, Frank's 1955 version of "The Tender Trap" and his 1956 version of "I've Got You Under My Skin" and you listen to Frank's voice on the those recordings and the way he uses it, then yes, these are examples of superior quality singing coupled, very possibly, with Frank's superior quality voice and a time when Frank was vocally at or approaching a vocal peak and with it a perhaps also a peak in his singing creativity.

Remember, Frank's fantastic softer velvet voice of the earlier years, as can be heard on his Columbia recordings and his superb phrasing and breath control - that was something else! But there was something quite different about his singing and vocals when he moved to the Capitol label. There are those who still prefer Frank's voice and approach on those earlier recordings. On the other hand the great majority would, I believe, like me, say that Frank had done his apprenticeship in those earlier years and then he achieved vocal and performance perfection from 1953 at Capitol. Such perfection on those Capitol recordings possibly could never be repeated years later at Reprise and, no doubt, Frank knew that before and better than anyone else. So his approach had to be different and it was. Different and yet still vital and brilliant in its own right, if not quite "vocally" as brilliant as before.

I think that many of Frank's Reprise recordings, especially in the earlier years, (although one can find real gems right up to 1988) are also of outstanding vocal quality and performance, although, as Edwin points out, few of the Reprise re-recordings of the Great Capitol originals actually bear direct comparison.

But here's the strange thing. If you ask someone who was only really familiar with Frank's Reprise versions of songs like "The Tender Trap" and "I've Got You Under My Skin" and they will no doubt rave to you about those recordings in much the same way as someone who was more familiar with the Capitol versions.

So its not all black and white, there are shades of colour and who better than Frank Sinatra to add colour tone to all his vocal recordings!

[Marty]

in memoriam : Neal Hefti