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| DETROIT FREE PRESS REVIEWS SINATRA/JOBIM |
 Antonio Carlos Jobim and Frank Sinatra in the recording studio in the late '60s. (ED THRASHER) Sinatra swings with the bossa nova king BY MARK STRYKER FREE PRESS CLASSICAL AND JAZZ CRITIC A version of this story appears on page 4J of the Sunday, June 13, 2010, print edition of the Detroit Free Press. It should never have taken this long, but more than 25 years into the CD era -- and more than 40 years since the two collaborations between Frank Sinatra and Antonio Carlos Jobim were recorded in 1967 and '69 -- we finally have all the material issued on one elegant disc, "The Complete Reprise Recordings" (FOUR STARS out of four stars, Concord). Mediocre bossa nova albums multiplied like rabbits in the '60s. But the initial pairing of Sinatra with Jobim, an architect of the form and a composer of Keats-like lyricism, produced an undisputed highpoint in the discography of both men, "Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim." Despite just 10 songs lasting only 28 minutes, it remains for me the last true Sinatra masterpiece -- the final album that deserves an unqualified place in the pantheon with Sinatra's classic Capitol concept LPs from the '50s and the best of the Reprise albums from earlier in the '60s. The magic comes from a lot of places. Sinatra was still able to summon the full measure of his breath control and command of vocal color and shading in 1967; the expressive restraint and taste that he brings to the material perfectly captures the lazy afternoon zephyr of Jobim's aesthetic. Sinatra also catches the cool-jazz lilt at the heart of the bossa nova rhythm. Then there's the material: "Dindi," "Corcovado," "Meditation," "Once I Loved" and others are melodic-harmonic miracles, enhanced by Claus Ogerman's beautifully modulated, transparent orchestrations. Never did Sinatra sing so softly and seductively as on "Dindi" ("GIN-gee"), where he mines Ray Gilbert's English lyric for every last drop of poignant longing, floating on the cloud of Jobim's guitar, strings and flutes. On the "Girl from Ipanema," Sinatra trades phrases with Jobim's wispy Portuguese to charming effect. Three American songbook standards are given definitive interpretations -- a smoldering "I Concentrate on You," a slyly shuffling "Baubles, Bangles and Beads," and a heartbreaking "Change Partners" that ranks a close second to "Dindi" as the album's best of the best. The follow-up, "Sinatra-Jobim," arranged by Eumir Deodato, is far less consistent, and Sinatra pulled the record on the brink of release. He was unhappy with his performances on "Bonita," "Desafinado" and "The Song of the Sabia." The seven other tunes found a home as the only worthwhile material on "Sinatra & Company." By now, the Voice is beginning to fray, but the best performances match the standard of the earlier LP, including a sassy "Aqua de Beber," a sweet "Triste" and a spirited "Wave," where Sinatra reaches down on the last syllable of the word "together" for one of the lowest notes in his recorded canon; he nails it every time in unison with the bass trombone. Oh, man, what a musician he was. Order Album Here Discuss Album Here |
| Posted by: Nancy Jun 16, 2010 2:22 PM |
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News Comments |
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Now, that's someone who truly knows music and the BEST of it! |
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Posted by: BobR Jun 17, 2010 3:54 AM |
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"Oh, Man, what a musician he was." Amen to that. |
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Posted by: Nancy Jun 17, 2010 6:56 AM |
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From one "Mark" to another: That's one of the best Sinatra reviews I have ever read. At a time when "Detroit" is a synonym for "loss," I would say to the "Free Press," don't lose your "classical & jazz critic," Mr. Stryker. Mark Blackburn Winnipeg Manitoba Canada |
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Posted by: Mark Blackburn Jun 17, 2010 7:40 AM |
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It's magical! Sinatra and Jobim! |
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Posted by: Lourdes Jun 17, 2010 8:27 AM |
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What a musician, indeed! And thanks to the time when he lived, his art is still alive, adding to the almost daily pleasures of many of us who are willing to share our love and passion for anyone who would listen. |
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Posted by: Rich K Jun 18, 2010 2:30 PM |
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