Search - Frank Sinatra :: Classic Sinatra

Paul R. from HOLLYWOOD, FL
Reviewed on 2/13/2016...

This disc contains many of the best and greatest song arrangements and performances Sinatra ever recorded including "One for My Baby" (perhaps the greatest song he did) and "The Lady is a Tramp." The sound is excellent, and even though some may not care for the big band style arrangements (personally, I'd prefer a solo piano for more intimacy), Sinatra manages to put all of these classics across in a completely masterly way. Bob Dylan's most recent cd is actually a tribute to this material, which he says he always liked. I'm with him; it's great stuff.

Remastering some of the best of Sinatra's Fifties songs

Lawrance M. Bernabo | The Zenith City, Duluth, Minnesota | 02/13/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"First, kudos to Bob Norberg for his great job of remastering the twenty songs collected on "Classic Sinatra." I rarely notice the quality of recordings when I listen to them, so if I actually sit up and pay attention to the crisp clarity of these classic recordings then you know they have to be pretty good. This 2000 collection is one of the albums in the running for the title of the best one-disc compilation covering Sinatra's Capitol period (1953-1960). With the music arranged and conducted by Nelson Riddle, these are songs that reflect the period when Sinatra cemented his reputation as one of the greatest singers of the 20th century (I have no problem with handing him the top spot, but enjoy friendly debate).Most of these songs represent Sinatra with singing songs including Cole Porter's "I Get a Kick Out of You," "You Make Me Feel So Young," Rodgers & Hart's "The Lady is a Tramp," and "Come Fly With Me." But as great as Sinatra is at swing, his mastery is best displayed in his saloon songs. "My Funny Valentine" is recorded at a perfect tempo that takes full advantage of Sinata's unparalleled phrasing and makes this the definitive recording of the Rodgers & Hart tune. Equally great is his superb "In the Wee Small Hours," the title track from his first LP where he captured the sense of heartbreak and loneliness that we have all assumed came out of his breakup with Ava Gardner. Again, Riddle comes up with the perfect arrangement to set the stage for the devastating vocals. Add "One for My Baby (And One More for the Road)" and you have the three crown jewels of Sinatra as the ultimate saloon singer.Even though this is a collection of Sinatra tunes pulled from various albums "Classic Sinatra" still serves as a reminder that to really enjoy Sinatra you have to listen to his concept albums. This is not really a Sinatra "hits" collection, at least not by Billboard standards. Only a few of these songs charted as singles: "All the Way" (#2), "Witchcraft" (#6), "Nice 'n' Easy" (#60). That was because when Sinatra released an LP in the Fifties you were supposed to listen to the whole thing and he put out most of his greatest albums in that decade. The other thing to be aware of is that a lot of what you hear here is not necessarily the definitive Sinatra version of these songs because Sinatra kept working at these songs over the rest of his career. There are a couple of live versions of "The Lady is a Tramp" that are even better than what you have here, and every Sinatra fan will be able to point other tracks here where they can find a version they like better. But even if you want to make an argument that these songs just establish ground level for Sinatra, his bottom floor is way higher than the ceilings of the fast majority of vocalists who ever recorded in the 20th century."

At the Top of His Game

Ben Alba | Chicago, IL | 05/01/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I came of age musically in the 1970s, which is when I first became acquainted with Frank Sinatra. By this time, his voice had long been in decline, and he was experimenting with questionable contemporary material like "It's Not Easy Being Green" and that hideous disco version of "Night and Day." I did like him then, but he sounded tired bellowing his way through latter-day concert versions of his 1950s-era hits. Yes, he sang as if he had lived his songs, but I still wondered why his longtime fans consistently used superlatives to describe him.Acquiring this CD and listening to The Voice upclose and personal finally awakened me to the genius that everybody has been applauding for generations. The Capitol-era Sinatra possessed a rare combination of subtlety, control, spontaneity, and swagger that are evident on these classic '50s sides. I can feel the lilt in his step on "I've Got the World on a String" and the fragility and heartbreak in "One for My Baby." His phrasing of "Come Dance with Me" and "I Get a Kick Out of You" ("It would bore me terriFFFFFFFF - ic'ly too") is delightfully playful and inspired. It is now obvious to me why so many regard Sinatra as the quintessential American pop singer.If you're new to Sinatra and overwhelmed by the avalanche of CDs to choose from, you'll have no regrets buying this one first."