Almost nervous to ask, but.... the best Frank Sinatra CD is...?

[chebby]

I know, I know. Not Iron Maiden or 'Floyd or any of the usual fare discussed on these august fora

sorry.

I spent a very pleasant afternoon flicking around channels in Last.fm and AccuJazz (Matt Munro, Mel Torme, Louis Prima, Satchmo, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Andy Williams etc etc) and was suprised at the positive reaction from the wife (Bowie fan and all things 70's pop) and the kids - who actually knew all the words to 'Moon River' and sang along(!).

I was rather shocked at just how bl##d'in great some of these recordings sounded. (I shouldn't have been, I am into a fair bit of jazz and some of my 1950s and 1960s vinyl jazz LPs are stunning.)

Anyway, after a lot of playing and last.fm surfing I came to the conclusion that - although not posessed of a smooth voice like Munro - Frank Sinatra was the one I played the most and enjoyed the most and kept coming back to. (Could not stand his films though. Weird.)

I could cherry pick a few tracks (and have) from quite a few of the other artists (Louis Prima is a scream!) on iTunes but I think I could really go for a big 'ol CD compilation of Sinatra or some well chosen albums.

Trouble is that I know b$$$$r all about him or his career or what to buy apart from stuff like amazon customer feedback.

I am taking a leap of faith that there are any fans of 'old blue eyes' on this forum but I would appreciate some help here.

Is this a sign I am getting old? I am still in my forties!

Oh yes what was the Matt Munro one at the beginning of 'Italian Job'? (Lamborghini Muira, driving gloves etc) I always forget.

 

[Tear Drop]

'Sinatra at the Sands' is a fantastic album - with Count Basie and arrangements by Quincy Jones, it really is good, and a very well recorded live album to boot.

 

[Anonymous]

I'm told the Frank Sinatra/Nelson Riddle combination is the best. But have a listen to the Bing Crosby/Andrews sisters songs, they're stunning - and neither have any nasty mafia connections.

 

[chebby]

Tarquinh:I'm told the Frank Sinatra/Nelson Riddle combination is the best. But have a listen to the Bing Crosby/Andrews sisters songs, they're stunning - and neither have any nasty mafia connections.

LOL. Not too bothered about the Mafia connections. So long as Lucky Luciano is not duetting

If I stopped listening to everyone who hung out with the Krays in the 1960s then there would not be much left to listen to from that decade.

 

[Anonymous]

Maybe, and I like Sinatra's voice well enough, but sometimes it's not easy to remove the man from the music. Not really sure about the the Kray twins entourage, but I do remember Yusuf Islam's (whose music I like) declarations on the Fatwa and Salman Rushdie, and that certainly did colour my views on his music for many years.

 

[chebby]

I understand.

However, Tony Sirico - the actor who played Paulie 'Walnuts' Gualtieri in The Sopranos - never stopped me thinking that was the best thing produced for television in the last 20 years despite the fact that he was a convicted Mafia 'enforcer' in real life back in the 1970s.

 

[the record spot]

Sinatra Sings For Only the Lonely - stripped down, a mile away from his usual Las Vegas style. I think it was recorded after a marriage or affair split, and it sounds like it. Brilliant album; wouldn't be without it.

 

[Anonymous]

some good records chebby but I,m afraid in my opinion never a great album.

 

[Anonymous]

Chebster,

There are plenty of his albums on Spotify for you to try out first.

I'm just streaming Sinatra At The Sands over to my speakers via Air Foil.

 

[up the music]

Ooh Chebby, you've got me listening now. i've not heard any for a year or two. Good stuff for lazing on a Sunday afternoon.

 

[Anonymous]

...and re: sound quality, the recordings are very good in the first place, which is the key.

My Spotify streams - 160kbps OGG, I believe - are sounding fantastic.

Much better than a lossless copy of a poor recording, for instance.

 

[chebby]

Well I have dipped my toe...

I have just dowloaded a few tracks from Sinatra at the Sands (Basie etc) on iTunes at 256kbps AAC and they sound incredible. If I cannnot find it on CD I will complete the album on iTunes at a later date.

Thanks for the recommendation. I love Basie anyway. (I have the Atomic Basie on CD)

I may go out tomorrow and get the 'Platinum' (sic) compilation and 'Come fly with me' on CD.

I will also see if I can sniff out some vinyl in good nick.

 

[Simon Lucas]

In the Wee Small Hours is a magnificent album. Devastated, hearbroken, bereft... and Nelson Riddle's arrangements are sublime.

It's a bit of a downer, mind.

 

[Anonymous]

And after this afternoon's disastrous showing, I'd imagine that's the last thing you need, isn't it.

 

[chebby]

Andy Kerr:And after this afternoon's disastrous showing, I'd imagine that's the last thing you need, isn't it.

Huh?

 

[Simon Lucas]

Andy Kerr:And after this afternoon's disastrous showing, I'd imagine that's the last thing you need, isn't it.

It's been that and Leonard Cohen since six o'clock.

 

[Anonymous]

chebby:
Andy Kerr:And after this afternoon's disastrous showing, I'd imagine that's the last thing you need, isn't it.

Huh?

My friend Mr Lucas shares my interest in the beautiful game. From our perspective, today did not go well. At all.

 

[Anonymous]

Can't go wrong with his Capitol recordings.

Come fly With Me is a classic, I managed to get an origial pristine vinyl copy from a charity shop last year so it is still possible !

In The Wee Small Hours is also a classic mostly slow ballads

Only The Lonley is similar to the above

My favourite at the moment however is

Sinatra and Jobim on the one album dosen't get much better

one to look out for is She Shot Me Down

probably the last great album and his voice is a shadow of what it was and it makes for a very melancholy album but it is a real grower once you get used to it

Avoid the 90's duets albums like the plague they're cringeworthy

 

[chebby]

Andy Kerr:chebby:
Andy Kerr:And after this afternoon's disastrous showing, I'd imagine that's the last thing you need, isn't it.

Huh?

My friend Mr Lucas shares my interest in the beautiful game. From our perspective, today did not go well. At all.

So you are Villa fans?

 

[Anonymous]

Simon follows the Villa: I maintain a healthy interest, as I've no Premiership team to support (I'm a Forest fan) and we're all Midlanders together. Unless you like Derby. Or Birmingham.

Actually there's also the O'Neill and Robertson connection, too. Oh, and the fact Simon's a mate.

 

[Simon Lucas]

chebby:So you are Villa fans?

I am, as previous posts will attest. Mr Kerr's got it even worse...

 

[Simon Lucas]

But enough of football-based misery, back to Francis Albert.

Overlook the howling syntax of the title and Frank Sinatra Sings For Only The Lonely is a melancholic corker too.

 

[survivor]

In The Wee Small Hours

Sings For Only The Lonely

Point Of No Return

Swing Easy/Songs For Young Lovers Available as a 2 on 1 cd.

If you just want a compilation then `My Way - The Best Of Frank Sinatra` is a very good 2 cd collection which I believe you can pick up for silly money if you shop around.

 

[Anonymous]

Oh, and the second part of your original question - the Matt Munro song from The Italian Job is 'On Days Like These'. Enjoy!

 

[Anonymous]

THE BEST Frank Sinatra album of ALL TIME IS "nice and Easy" 1960 recordinng with Neson Riddle orchestra, Unbelievable recording too