Search - Steve Tyrell :: Songs of Sinatra

Strikingly Awesome!

Rebecca*rhapsodyinblue* | CA USA | 11/09/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

""The Songs of Sinatra are like members of my family. Growing up in our Italian family, my Mom and Dad idolized and constantly played the recordings of Frank Sinatra. Since I was a little boy, they have played an important role in my life and always fill my heart with warmth and affection." ~ Steve Tyrell ~



I could relate to Steve Tyrell and like him, I grew up hearing Frank Sinatra's music from my late father's collection and learned to appreciate his music at an early age. This is one of the best Frank Sinatra tributes ever recorded. I'm so ecstatic about the sweet renaissance of standards that has been taking place in the music scene now. It's so nice to hear fresh interpretations of these evergreens with new flair, style and arrangements. My appreciation to Steve Tyrell for being one of the key figures in bringing back these standards made popular by the legendary Entertainer of the Century, Frank Sinatra. What a way to pay tribute to the most-loved singer of all-time.



I was with a group of friends at a dinner/concert of Steve Tyrell at the Catalina Jazz Club two weekends ago and totally enjoyed his performances. One of my friends who hadn't heard of Steve Tyrell became an 'instant fan' saying - "I fell in love with his voice and his style of singing" and she thanked me for introducing Mr. Tyrell's music to her. After the awesome concert, we all were happy-campers knowing that we had "samples" of some of the songs included in 'yet-to-be-released' album at that time. He performed to perfection with a terrific back-up band the very best of Sinatra songs such as Alan and Marilyn Bergman's "Nice 'N' Easy," Cole Porter's "I Concentrate On You," "I've Got You Under My Skin" and "I Get A Kick Out Of You," Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart's "Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered" and Bob Hilliard and David Mann's "In The Wee Small Hours." In between his performances, he shared some interesting anecdotes about him and his music. He also acknowledged the presence of Tina Sinatra and thanked her for being one of the people responsible for making this superb recording possible.



This album delights us with fourteen of my all-time favorite Sinatra staples. My personal favorites include "Fly Me To The Moon," featuring the fantastic trumpet of Clark Terry and arranged by Quincy Jones based on Sinatra's original recording. The second track "I Concentrate On You," featuring Hillary Kole on background vocals has the loveliest Bossa Nova arrangement by Bob Mann and the string section was arranged and conducted by Alan Broadbent. His performances on "All The Way," "Night And Day" and "All Of Me" are simply breathtaking.



The fabulous duets with Frank Sinatra, Jr. "The One I Love Belongs To Somebody Else," and with his daughter, Lauryn Tyrell "Something Stupid" are two of the highlights of this recording.



I would single out "You Go To My Head" as my absolute favorite from this collection. With his gentle and retire-the-trophy treatment of this gem by J. Fred Coots and Haven Gillespie and featuring Roy Hargrove on flugelhorn, this track could easily be my all-time favorite version.



"You go to my head

And you linger like a haunting refrain

And I find you spinning 'round in my brain

Like the bubbles in a glass of champagne. . .



. . . You go to my head

With a smile that makes my temperature rise

Like a summer with a thousand Julys

You intoxicate my soul with your eyes."



Listening to all these beautiful standards with stunning interpretations and arrangements has left me wishing that he would record some more of my all-time favorite Sinatra songs such as Glenn Miller/Mitchell Parish classic "Moonlight Serenade," Bud Green/Michael Edwards "Once In A While," Johnny Mandel/Paul Webster "The Shadow Of Your Smile" and Mack Gordon/Edmund Goulding "Mam'selle," to suggest a few. "Songs of Sinatra, Volume II" coming up?



I highly recommend this strikingly awesome CD for your listening pleasure always and forever!



* * * * *TEN STARS* * * * *

"

"has the stuff stars are made of...crowd pleaser ~ Steve Tyr

J. Lovins | Missouri-USA | 11/10/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Pop vocalist of the millennium is Steve Tyrell, the crooner with sensitivity in his delivery and his latest Hollywood Records release "Songs of Sinatra" [enhanced], arriving near the eve of our Holiday Season with some vintage Irving Berlin, Alan & Marilyn Bergman, Cy Coleman, Gus Kahn, Sammy Cahn, Jimmy Van Heusen, Cole Porter, Rodgers & Hart standards...featuring an unforgettable signature style that takes you back to the '40s, '50s and '60s...listening to every tune on this album brings back memories of Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby, Bobby Darin, Dean Martin and of course Chairman of the Board Mr.Frank Sinatra as they were crooning favorite standards of the day...Tyrell has the style and ability of Frank Sinatra...the uncanny ability to nail each track with his relaxing style and making it his own.



Sit back and let's take a listen to the selections on this guaranteed winner..."I GET A KICK OUT OF YOU" and "I CONCENTRATE ON YOU" (featuring Hillary Kole), wonderful arrangement by Bob Mann and Alan Broadbent, as Steve sings mixed with orchestrated strings ..."FLY ME TO THE MOON", great arrangement by Quincy Jones on this classic tune, swingin' big band is here and alive..."WITCHCRAFT", very big song for Frank, but Steve's interpretation is right on....."IN THE WEE SMALL HOURS", this arrangements hits home with Alan Broadbent's touching arrangement..."THE ONE I LOVE BELONGS TO SOMEBODY ELSE", featuring a dynamic duet between Steven and Frank Jr., I predict this will be the most requested song from this album on the airwaves..."I'VE GOT YOU UNDER MY SKIN", classic Cole Porter with a jazzy arrangement by Bob Mann and Alan Broadbent, more than a toe-tapper, as Steve pours out his heart with a vengence..."BEWITCHED BOTHERED AND BEWILDERED", wonderful verse to this standard and Steve hits the mark with a perfect bullseye and you're loving every minute of it..."NIGHT AND DAY", with a foxtrot tempo this Fred Astaire original has a classic arrangement, take note Steve is having a ball..."ALL THE WAY", dim the lights and pour your favorite beverage, with your favorite partner this is a lush arrangement by once again Mann and Broadbent, the lyrics tell the whole story..."NICE 'N' EASY", the classic title album hit from yesteryear with a soft swingin' performance provides Steve to make his entrance and groove on the Bergman tune..."SOMETHNG STUPID", the great Ernie Freeman arrangement featuring Lauryn Tyrell is a rare track between father and daughter, takes you back to the original by Nancy and Frank Sr..."ALL OF ME", look out Ole Blues Eyes, cause Steve's on the loose with the one and only arrangement orchestrated by Sammy Nestico not bad company for Tyrell to be in..."YOU GO TO MY HEAD", featuring Roy Hargrove brings a tear to your eye as Steve pours his heart out along with heartfelt lyrics, just listen quietly and see if you don't agree.



My wife and I were fortunate enough to see Steve in a St. Louis concert, met him back stage...might add this gentleman made a very positive impression on all who attended that night's show...he's a first class guy and has everything going for him...couldn't happen to a nicer person...it's like second nature with his natural ability to vocalize and be a crowd pleaser is pure magic...shows why Tyrell has the the stuff stars are made of...he's the hottest property in the genre of "The American Standard"..climb aboard and enjoy the brillance of each tune he puts his stamp on, you'll never regret it...Good Luck, Steve!



Total Time: 49:00 on 14 Tracks ~ Hollywood Records 162550 ~ (11/08/2005)"

The New Chairman of the Board......

Old Legend Lover | Central Indiana | 11/15/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I bought this CD as soon as it was available...I own every wonderful CD Steve Tyrell has ever recorded, and I will continue to grab them off the shelf...as long as I have a dime and he has a voice! Long ago I wrote a "Listmania" compilation for Amazon called "The Best Men...MUSICALLY SPEAKING," and I did not hesitate to add Tyrell to my list, right along with Frank Sinatra, Bobby Darin, and Tony Bennett. Well, maybe Steve should have lead that list. He is definitely the most unique and ingenious song stylist in the world today, and it seems appropriate that he pays homage in this CD to the 'original' Chairman, Francis Albert Sinatra. And if Ol' Blue Eyes were around today, I know he would be paying homage to Steve Tyrell.



"Nice & Easy" and "All the Way" are probably my favorite songs from this collection...oh, except for "In the Wee Small Hours" and "I Concentrate on You"...ooops, I mean "I Get a Kick Out of You" and "Fly Me to the Moon" and...oh, hell, ALL of 'em are instant classics, ok?



I don't write many reviews for Amazon anymore. The last one was probably two years ago, and it was a heartfelt, very personal review of...guess who?...Steve Tyrell (and his current CD at that time, "This Guy's in Love.") I am writing again now not only because Steve's latest CD has me excited, but also to respond to a question asked in an earlier review: "After you've covered Frank, who's left?" I can answer that!



I had the pleasure of meeting Steve Tyrell recently between shows at 'The Jazz Kitchen' in Indianapolis. I told him then that I was going to send him an old vinyl album by a great (although, sadly, mostly forgotten by now) singer and nightclub star from the 50's and 60's...Roberta Sherwood. The album I had in mind is called "Show Stoppers," and contains a torch song called "A Woman Ages Quicker Than a Man." The minute I first heard Steve tyrell singing, I knew he would be the only male in the music industry who could possibly handle...translate in a masculine style...the lyrics of what had exclusively been considered a 'woman's song.' So...how about a follow-up to the Sinatra CD with one that pays tribute to the great LADIES of American music? Roberta Sherwood's "A Woman Ages Quicker Than a Man" or "Tears Don't Care Who Cries Them"; "His Eye is on The Sparrow" to honor the legendary Ethel Waters (or Della Reese, who sang such a haunting version of it many years later); songs such as "Cabin in the Sky" and "Rain Sometimes"; Liza Minnelli's "Maybe This Time" or "But the World Goes Round"; and not what you would 'expect' for Garland ("Over the Rainbow," "The Man That Got Away") but rather one of her little, sad gems..."It Never Was You" or "It's a New World."



Steve, you have already created magic on an earlier CD with "Why Was I Born," which, until I heard you singing it, I could only associate with a famous female torch singer, Helen Morgan (or Polly Bergen, brilliantly portraying Morgan in later years). With your very masculine, raspy, emotional voice you could bring new meaning and new depth to beautiful lyrics previously 'owned' by so many legendary ladies...Peggy Lee, Lena Horne, Blossom Dearie, Dinah Washington, Rosemary Clooney, Nina Simone, Carmen MacRae, Pearl Bailey, Billie Holiday...and you could breathe new life into the 'forgotten' Roberta Sherwoods of show business history. A great 'intro song' (or even album title for the collection) would be Peter Allen's "Quiet Please...There's a Lady on Stage."



I firmly believe Steve Tyrell can bring musical perfection to ANYTHING...so come on, Steve, do it ALL!

"