Search - Tommy Dorsey, Frank Sinatra :: All Time Greatest Hits, Vol. 1

Wish I Would Have Been Around in 1940!

Jon Warshawsky | San Diego, CA USA | 05/07/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"We'll get the bad news out of the way first: the packaging of this collection is ridiculously skimpy, with cursory notes and an RCA/BMG promo page. Sound quality is mediocre, but excusable for early 1940s recordings.That said, this is a marvelous collection of the Tommy Dorsey/Frank Sinatra songs that presaged the greatest singer of the century. Even with the often muddy sound, Dorsey's trombone and Sinatra's (too?) smooth vocals are some indication of what all the hysteria was about. 'Fools Rush In', 'Imagination' and 'I'll Be Seeing You' are landmark songs that FS would revisit later in his career, and you can appreciate the band as much as the vocalist.'Let's Get Away from It All' and 'Blue Skies' are fun 60 years later, extremely listenable and showcase Dorsey's legendary players as well as his new 'boy singer'. WARNING: If you are not accustomed to 1940s big band recordings the monaural sound and arrangements will sound like -- well, the 1940s. Still, it makes you appreciate the tremendous quality of the music during the war years and take a more critical ear to today's fare. This isn't the swinging Sinatra of the Capitol years, but The Voice is always worth a listen. Here he comes in on the second or third verse, supporting Dorsey's band, but the result is satisfying in a retro sort of way.The Volume I album is probably the best of the three, but there are worthwhile tracks on all. If you are looking for a sample of the Dorsey-Sinatra years, this is a good place to start. Will Friedwald gives these issues low marks for sound quality, but I am a serious Sinatra collector and have yet to hear significantly better from the 1940-42 period.Recommended."

Chic and sugarfree

Zed Franklin | TX | 11/18/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"for a saccharin-free, suave, chic, and charismatic rendition of the great "old-tyme" classics pick up (Tommy Dorsey--Frank Sinatra * All Time Greatest Hits, Vol. 1 and 2). Ye will nay be disappointed; Sinatra could sing like he acted in the '40s! Brilliant! Ya can just about taste the martinis and smell the tobacco waft through the misty late nights of Manhattan."

OK

Jon Warshawsky | 10/24/2003

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Frank's singing is great and the band is tight, but at times the vocal backings are kitchsy. The tracks with just Frank and the band are better. :-)"