5 comments about Frank Sinatra ~ The V-Discs ~ Years: 1943-1947 ~ Columbia ~ Two Volume Set.

1. Frank Sinatra - The V-Discs - Years: 1943-1947 is a wonderful two CD set of songs recorded by Frank Sinatra to be shipped overseas to the fighting men and the women primarily during the Second World War and a couple of years thereafter. The quality of the sound is rather good but there is some degree of surface noise on these older recordings; but I say they're still very much "worth it." The artwork is also very nicely done.
   
   The first CD starts with Frank singing "I Only Have Eyes For You." I'm sure this brought many a happy memory of the men overseas as they heard this tune and thought of their sweethearts back home in the states! Frank aces this easily and it's even a major highlight of this two CD set. "(There'll Be A) Hot Time In The Town Of Berlin" held out hopes for the soldiers that they were going to win the war--it was only a mater of time. The big band arrangement works wonders for this ballad. Listen also for "You've Got A Hold On Me;" Frank massages the lyrics to this song and it sounds fresh and new even today! Great! In addition, Frank Sinatra does an excellent job on "Long Ago And Far Away;" the surface noise doesn't bother me because this number is so beautiful and it probably doesn't have many alternate takes for us to choose from because this was recorded so many years ago.
   
   "All Of Me" gets the royal treatment from Frank; he swings brightly to make this number shine like silver and gold combined! The horns work well in the big band arrangement and Frank never sounded better! "Falling In Love With Love" also gets a fine interpretation from The Chairman Of The Board; and if you haven't heard this early rendition of this song by Frank I think you're going to like it!
   
   "If You Are But A Dream" on the second CD starts with a wonderful musical flourish; and when Frank comes in this number takes off like a jet! "Ol' Man River" also impresses me as Frank sings this to perfection--and beyond! "I'll Never Smile Again" is a tune that Frank sings with panache and the backup vocalists enhance the natural beauty of this fine ballad. Similarly, "Was The Last Time I Saw You" charms me with its beauty and Frank makes this into a masterpiece that only he could sing this well. Frank also sings Judy Garland's signature song, "Over The Rainbow;" Frank delivers this with ease and he handles the complicated tempo and key changes like the pro he always was and still remains! "My Romance" features Frank front and center--and that's OK by me! There's also Frank doing a fine interpretation of "They Say It's Wonderful;" "They Say It's Wonderful" is another stunningly beautiful ballad that I'm sure the soldiers loved to hear. "Come Rain Or Come Shine" gets a somewhat slower tempo than I'm used to but it all works very well; and the second CD ends well with Frank Sinatra singing "Stormy Weather." "Stormy Weather" was a famous song when Lena Horne sang it; and Frank's version would have made Lena very proud!
   
   Overall, this two CD set is an excellent one for Sinatra fans and people who enjoy music from the era of World War Two will love this two CD set as well.



2. What should have been a momentous occasion, that of Frank Sinatra's signing to Columbia and striking out on a solo career after fronting for Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, was nearly silent due to a commercial recording ban enforced by the Musicians Union from mid-1942 to 1944. Because the ban affected instrumental musicians, vocal-only recordings were allowed, meaning that Sinatra and Axel Stordahl had to come up with alternate vocal-backed arrangements that may not have ordinarily been chosen. The second loophole was that instrumentals were allowed on V-Discs, free recordings for the sole use of GIs overseas that were supposed to be destroyed when the war ended (the Library of Congress was allowed to keep one of each disc for posterity).
   
   Sinatra's V-Disc material encompasses 53 songs on two CDs, including material from airchecks as well as studio performances. There are many well-known Sinatra Columbia tunes such as All of Me, Nancy with the Laughing Face, Close to You, Ol' Man River, All the Things You Are, and She's Funny That Way, but many of the brightest gems are songs that Sinatra never got around to recording commercially for Columbia, such as Long Ago and Far Away, You've Got a Hold On Me, Hot Time in the Town of Berlin, Just Close Your Eyes, Come Rain or Come Shine and Noel Coward's I'll Follow My Secret Heart.
   
   Guests include Dinah Shore, The Pied Pipers and Tommy Dorsey. The remastering and clean-up of these decades-old songs is flawless, and Sinatra's charm is as fresh as ever. His transition from boy singer to teen idol shows him singing with remarkable poise and confidence, and Axel Stordahl's touch is unmistakable. The liner notes are courtesy of George Simon, Roy Hemming, and Will Friedwald. Amazingly, none of these 53 recordings are represented on Columbia's massive (and out-of-print) 12-CD Sinatra box set. This is absolutely essential listening for fans of Sinatra and 1940s popular music.



3. The 1994 edition of FRANK SINATRA * THE V-DISCS is the original long box format that would get an inferior redesign four years later. If you're interested at all in early Sinatra, the one that has a cover close-up of Frank with an NBC mike is the keeper. The reason: that long box album accomodates a gorgeous thirty page book, while the scaled back 1998 reissue sacrifices much of what was in that booklet.
   
   Sound quality of these rare early '40s V-Discs is darn good, and young Frank really turned out some fine sides for our fighting men overseas. Guest stars include Dinah Shore, Tommy Dorsey and the Pied Pipers. Contains six previously unreleased tracks-- this is the complete V-Discs sessions! If you love Frank, THE V-DISCS is essential to your collection. Highest recommendation.
   
   TOTAL RUNNING TIMES --
   DISC ONE --
   DISC TWO -- 74:26



4. Sinatra still has detractors who, whatever their actual reasons, choose to impugn his vocal quality. But more disturbing are the Sinatra defenders who casually accept and dismiss criticisms of the voice, insisting that phrasing and emotion are what count. In a way, they're right, but the sum effect is regrettable if Old Blue's singing comes to be seen as all about "attitude" rather than vocal production.

   If any one has doubts about the quality of his instrument, listen to "If You Are But a Dream"--or better yet, "Where Is My Bess." Both are all-out, impassioned performances in which nothing can be held back or covered up. The musical weight is entirely on the quality of that "bel canto" voice and the forcefulness of its underlying breath stream. Even Caruso and Pavarotti would have to stand back.




5. I am one of a very few who do not particularly care for Sinatra's work with Columbia, Reprise and such. My favorite Sinatra is the music he made with The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra from 1940 - 1942 (See "The Song is You" boxed set). I also love the first recordings that Frank made in 1939 with The Harry James Orchestra (also available on disc). However, the material on this cd is beautiful. It is a wonderful bridge between Frank with Tommy Dorsey and the Frank Sinatra that is mostly played on radio. This collection is obviously historic for it features songs that Frank would never record again (with the exception of one or two). It is also historic in the fact that these recordings were not meant for the public. They were part of special albums that were shipped to our service men and women overseas, so, for the first time in over 50 years these recordings are for public consumption. I would advise any Sinatra fan -- casual or serious -- or any collector of war era music to get this collection.

4 comments about American Comedy Box 1915-1994: But Seriously....

1. This box set is supposed to encapsulate the history of American comedy on records. Undertaking such a task is probably foolhardy, because you couldn't possibly include everything. So a number of things were bound to get left out, leaving the assemblers open to criticism. The most obvious ommision to me is Bob Newhart, who had the first comedy album to win the Grammy for Album of the Year. And the second (and last) comedy album to win Album of the Year, The First Family by Vaughn Meader, was also left out. There are a number of other worthy performers left out, but I don't want to list all of them. Instead, I'll look at what is actually included here. I would say that all of the performers here are worthy of inclusion, even though some of the material is dated or political correct by today's standards. But the choice of material is often questionable. The Bill Cosby routine (about taking his daughter to a football game), while funny, is not one of his classic bits. On the subject of football, it's weird that three football routines were included on disc three. And there are a number of other performers who aren't represented by their best material. But despite it's shortcomings, this collection provides a good amount of laughs. Just don't expect it to be the "be all and end all" of American comedy collections.



2. RHINO really screwed up with THE AMERICAN COMEDY BOX.
   
   The cover has a raised image in plastic of a pair of Groucho gag eyeglasses (with nose and mustache). But look inside the package-- there's not a Marx Brother to be found anywhere! An excerpt of one of Groucho's many 1940s radio appearances would have been most welcome here. Speaking of radio--
   
   There's -nothing- from Burns & Allen, Jack Benny, Milton Berle, Fred Allen or Fanny Brice-- vaudeville and radio stars all. So what do we get from that great comic medium? A lesser Stan Freberg single, a weak Henry Morgan track and two tepid Bob & Ray routines-- and that's IT. Oh-- and where are Jonathan Winters, Prof. Irwin Corey, Don Rickles, Bob Newhart, Pat Cooper, Rusty Warren, Don Adams and so many others? There's no Firesign Theater or P.D.Q. Bach on this album, either. So, why not???
   
   A further problem are the tracks that ARE here. Smith & Dale were certainly "Pioneers," yet their recording isn't vintage-- it's the last one these old vaudevillians made, from the early 1960s. It seems that in the majority of other cases, better material was available. For instance, why an excerpt of 2000 AND TWO YEAR OLD MAN and not the original classic Brooks & Reiner routine? Why a Tom Lehrer song from 1965, instead of his great earlier stuff, or "Al 'N Yetta" rather than "Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah"? ALL bad bad choices!
   
   The guaranteed-to-disintegrate tabloid-style newspaper liner notes are a poor decision, too-- mine has already yellowed and frayed. Finally, why do the four CDs average only an hour each? For these reasons and more, THE AMERICAN COMEDY BOX could have been so much better! NOT recommended.
   
   TOTAL RUNNING TIMES --
   DISC ONE (Pioneers/Radio & The Movies/Musical Comedy) -- 59:47
   DISC TWO (Political Humor/One-Liners) -- 48:04
   DISC THREE (Storytellers/Sketches) -- 62:26
   DISC FOUR (Characters/Stand-Ups) -- 60:51



3. Four CDs' worth of memorable moments from recorded comedy in the 20th Century. It can't help but be disappointing, at times, considering the breadth of material that could have been included, but one unforgivable flaw is that the CDs are simply not filled to capacity. (One disc is barely fifty minutes long, for example). Considering the asking price ..., this is inexcusable. That said, many great comics are represented (Lenny Bruce, Reiner and Brooks, Tom Lehrer, W.C. Fields, Shelley Berman, Spike Jones, Abbott and Costello, Allan Sherman, Bob and
   Ray, Bill Cosby, George Carlin, the Credibility Gap and Steven Wright), as well as good to middling material from lesser lights. The liner notes (in the form of a mock newspaper--again with the chintz) are OK.



4. I had wanted this pricey CD box set for years. It was frankly, disappointing. Some of the recordings at the beginning, (they're listed chronologically), are of such poor quality that they're difficult to understand. Even though it was truly interesting listening to the individual styles, it's sort of a listen once then file it kind of deal. It's not something I'd listen to repeatedly or bring out at parties. I was also sorry to hear that many of the more recent entries have concepts or words that aren't appropriate for children to listen to, (i.e.Robin Williams' take on Lorena Bobbitt). It's not like Robin Williams has never worked clean and been funny at the same time.

   On the more positive side, I learned a lot, both from the recordings and also from the extensive newspaper-style liner notes that accompany it. It also contains several comedy bits I remember having heard as a child in the 60's, such as those by the Smothers Brothers, Flip Wilson, and the classic "Who's On First" by Abbott & Costello. Okay, all things considered I guess I'm not sorry I bought it. It brought back memories, and allowed me to share some of them with my neice and nephew.

1 comments about Sings Country Favorites.

1. My mom is a Dean Martin fan and a country music fan so this was right up her alley. She's enjoyed all the songs. She heard him singing one day on some TV program and she said..."I didn't realize Dean did country songs."
   
   Well......as fast as you can say Amazon, I ordered this baby and they shipped it right to me. Hey....I made a lot of points with my mom.
   
   Check it out.

No comments about Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man.

5 comments about Concepts.

1. I recently have started to collect Frank's music. I have decided to work backwards from his Reprise years back to his Dorsey days. I saw the price on this set at several retailers for well over 225, but Amazon has an amazing sale on it right now, so my girlfriend bought it for me as a gift.
   
   When I got the set, I remember reading that the set was no longer the 16 individual albums but now in slip cases. Thats what I got. It is a gorgeous set with a very nice hard bound book and the CDs in well made slip cases. My gripe about the set though it that its very hard to get the CD books out of the main box, as they get stuck in there.
   
   The music is too good for words. Sinatra's Reprise years had some great music and some terrible music all mixed up. Not his Capitol recordings, they are all just amazing. Others on Amazon have mentioned that some of the songs overemphasize Sinatra's voice and I can definately see what they mean. When these discs are played on my high-end audio system in the house, this is very noticeable. When played in the car or on the computer, its not as much so. It is a good transfer of the music though, with no major problems.
   
   All in all, well worth the green. If your considering this set (as I was for a while), the current Amazon price is the one to go for!



2. Nothing needs to be said about the artistic quality of these recordings. However, the CONCEPTS box set has been re-released in the spring of 2007 with new packaging and is no longer available in the wooden box described in somee of the older reviews. The new slim, cloth-bound set holds the individual CDs in two small book-like boxes, without jewels cases and separate booklets (it looks exactly like The Complete Reprise Studio Recordings). The accompanying book seems to be the same in terms of contents, if not cover design.



3. I bought this collection of Sinatra for my 90 year old blind father. It has brought back so many memories for him: I have heard stories about the courtship of him and mom, stories of his military service, and many more stories about his life . . . all sparked by hearing "Blue Eyes" sing a certain song. A family friend came over and upon hearing some of the music, told a story of going into NYC on the subway when she was 11 years old to see Sinatra perform live. In reliving some of these memories, I have been able to glean some very key information in my geneology research. I'm so glad I got this set for dad.



4. For me, it began years ago when I bought the abridged, "best of" compilations from each of his label periods. After awhile, what I had wasn't enough, and I have since forked out the cash for his Columbia (wood) box, and now this beauty, "Concepts". For those like me years ago, you simply have no idea what an embarrassment of riches is to be found inside this masterfully crafted box. Disc after disc of amazing work from one of the all-time legends, you will not believe your ears it is all so amazing. Now, I cannot speak to the issue of whether the sound quality is as good as it should be according to some of the other reviews for this, but it seems like a few titles seem to be missing some sonic "ooomph". Overall, I cannot complain too harshly. It's worth every penny. Buy one before they sell out, you won't regret it.



5. If you are a fan of Sinatra's music, this collection is well worth the price. You will not be disappointed; this collection is a musical masterpiece. With arrangements from Nelson Riddle and Billy May, Sinatra's voice has never been better.
   These albums represent what have been referred to as the first "concept albums". Rather than a miscellaneous collection of songs, the albums have been carefully constructed to set a certain "mood". The collection consists of upbeat "swing" albums as well as records featuring the ballad or, in the words of the Chairman, the "saloon" songs. A Christmas album as well as an instrumental album is also featured in this set.
   If you seriously love "the Voice", you'll love this collection.

5 comments about The Complete Reprise Studio Recordings.

1. Of course, the hits speak for themselves. But for me, the best part of this 20-CD set is the inclusion of those rare 45 sides never before on any domestic LP or CD. Many fans today have never heard tracks like "Say Hello," "I Sing The Songs (I Write The Songs)," "Night and Day (Disco Mix)" and "The Only Couple On The Floor" unless they own this collection.



2. Frank Sinatra once sang these immortal lyrics:
   
   "There ain't no love at all
   Without as song!"
   
   If this is true, then this set offers all the love in the world. 450 absolutely magnificent recordings that define popular music as an art form, sung by the medium's Picasso.
   
   This collection features every recorded Frank made at Reprise from 1960 to 1988, in chronological order (those expecting to hear the songs in the same succession as on the original albums will be disappointed) and with excellent sound quality. These songs sound better than ever!
   
   It was at Reprise, in my opinion, that Frank truly grew as an artist. If the Sinatra at Columbia was the young upstart who made bobbysoxers cry themselves to sleep each night, and the one at Capitol a slowly maturing interpreter of adult pop music, than the Sinatra at Reprise is an older statesman of the music world, who knows his craft like the back of his hand, who had seen it all and done it all, and let his reflect in his music.
   
   Furthermore, the techniques that made Frank's vocal stylings so unique and effective - his phrasing, his breaht control, his timing, his range - were all perfected at Reprise. He also began to take more risks with his material. He moved away from the Big Bang / Swing / Jazz - type sound hew was known for and by the late 1960s' he was experimenting with Bossa Nova, R & V, Soul, Folk, Blues, and Rock And Roll (he even got into Disco in the 1970s'). His sources for material also grew to become more diverse, shying away from the showtunes, Great American Songbook standards, and the latest Cahn / Van Huesen numbers that had shaped his catalogue up to that point. Not many artists can sing both Jerome Kern's "Yesterdays" and Lennon & McCartney's "Yesterday" with the same amount of conviction and passion, but Frank makes it seem effortless.
   
   To accurately analyze the 28 year period at Reprise, one has to divide them into three separate stages. The first is from 1960-1966 and is covered on Discs 1-10. This is essentually an extension of his Capitol years. The majority of the songs are either showtunes or from the pens of Great American Songbook laureattes Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, George and Ira Gershwin, Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer, Johnny Burke, Hoagy Charmichael, Rogers & Hart / Hammerstein, Jerome Kern, Dorothy Fields, Carolyn Leigh, Cy Coleman and Jule Styne. He also generally stuck with the same arrangers from the previous period: Nelson Riddle, Gordon Jenkins, and Billy May (by the late 1960s', Don Costa entered the picture and turned this Terrific Trio into The Fantastic Four of Frank's arrangers). Most telling, many of the recordings present on this half are rerecordings of songs he had previously attempted (and more often than not defined) at Capitol.
   
   Not that any of this is a bad thing. Frank attempted many wonderful songs he had never done before: Porter's "You'd Be So Easy To Love," Berlin's "Let's Face The Music And Dance," the classic saloon song "You're Nobody 'Til Somebody To Loves You," Mercer & Arlen's "Come Rain Or Come Shine," Frank Losser's "Luck Be A Lady," Kern & Fields' "The Way You Look Tonight," his turbo charged rendition of Bart Howard's "Fly To Me The Moon," (done with legends Quincy Jones and Count Basie), and his showstopping version of Coleman and Leigh's "The Best Is Yet To Come" (again with Jones and Basie).
   
   Also, the rerecording are all just as good and more often than not better than the Columbia and Capitol renditions. Take, for example, Don Costa's slow, moody, string driven 1961 arrangement of Cole Porter's masterpiece "Night And Day" and compare it to Nelson Riddle's uptempo, swingier, horn driven 1956 arrangement and tells me which one nails the obsessive longing nature of the song better. The answer is quite obvious on first listen, especially when Frank sings the song's rarely heard opening verse: "Like the beat of the tom tom....". The result is an eerie yet beautitful masterwork that ranks as one of Frank's finest achievements.
   
   Similarly, the Reprise versions of "Witchcraft," "(How Little It Matters) How Little We Know," "I've Got You Under My Skin," and "Come Fly With Me" benefit from pumped up, more energetic arrangements that leave previous whitebread renditions in the dirt. His first solo # 1 record, "Oh, What It Seemed To Be," goes from a tender recollection of puppy love to a dusky, almost eerie reflection of a love long gone (intended or not, that's the feel it gives), giving an almost ghostly vibe in which you can picture Frank somberly walking around an empty dance floor thinking of his missing love.
   
   Frank's diversity also begins to show its early stages here, such as his 1962 album "Great Songs From Great Britain," which includes his majestic rendition of "If I Had You" and his definitive recording of "The Very Thought Of You". He experiments a bit with the doo-wop on his great 1965 single "Available," and by the end of Disc 10 is experimenting with 1960s' pyschedelic pop with takes on Burt Bacharach's seductive "Call Me" and his "groovy" cover of Petula Clark's "Downtown".
   
   Discs 11-15 (1966-1971) reflect a period of change. Frank's typical sound was falling more and more out of fashion, and he knew that to keep his star burning brightly, he had to update his sound. That transformation began with "That's Life," a tride and true Sinatra classic that defines his attitude and philosophy. The song is very reflective of the Soul / R & B of the time with its prominent organ, female backing vocals and its horn vamp on the bridge.
   
   While this period marked a commercial dry spot for Frank (save for his # 1 hit with daughter Nancy, "Somethin' Stupid"), it's quite possibly the most intriguing and diverse period of his career. "This Town" and "The World We Knew" are solid attempts at channelling the rock movement, while "My Way Of Life" is Frank at his most powerful and soulful. His 1967 collaboration with Antonio Carlos Jobim and his one-off affair with Duke Ellington the following year marked returns to form for Frank, and rank among his best works, especially the Jobim sessions, which are beautiful from start to finish.
   
   1968 saw Frank experimenting with folk on the album "Cycles," which among other gems includes its pensive and beautiful title track and solid takes on "By The Time I Get To Phoenix," "Gentle On My Mind," and "Both Sides Now." Also of special mention is the song "Star!," which Frank sang at the 1968 Academy Awards Ceremony. It's very much a Sinatra song, a classy swinger with The Voice in fine form and backed by a swaggering Nelson Riddle arrangment.
   
   By 1969 Frank was still very much in control of his powers. It was around this time he recorded his anthem, "My Way," as well as several other classic recordings, including his Jobim reunion "Wave," which illustrates Frank's range as a vocalist quite well.
   
   Frank also took a stab at some of the biggest hits of the day, all of which did justice to their originals: Jimmy Webb's "Didn't We" is given a smoky, after hours treatment that makes a "One For My Baby" - type masterpiece out of a decidedly second rate composition. The Beatles' "Yesterday" is given a hauntingly beautiful treatment, while Frank roars on Ray Charles' "Hallelujah, I Love Her So" and Stevie Wonder's "For Once In My Life," and his version of "Mrs. Robinson" is a gasser!
   
   But by 1970, Frank was beginning to think of throwing in the towel. Good material was running dry, and he had been reduced to second rate material like "I Will Drink The Wine" and "Feelin' Kinda Sunday" that did not do his talent justice. There were some gems present during this time, however: his 1970 concept album, "Watertown" (with songs by Jake Holmes and Four Seasons wizard Bob Gaudio) has some excellent material, and his Billie Holiday tribute "Lady Day" is haunting. "Close To You" is a solid cover of the Carpenters, and Frank even makes the "Sesame "Street" staple "Bein' Green" a powerful and uplifting recording.
   
   By 1971, this period of Frank had come to a close. His voice was worn and he was nearing 60. With this in mind, Frank retired.
   
   This leads to our next period (1973-1988). Frank's retirement was short lived, and by 1973 he was back in the studio with the "Ol' Blue Eye Is Back" album. Frank's voice sounded more powerful than it had in 1970-71, and the material was a lot better, with Sonny Bono's "Bang Bang," Joe Raposo's "You Will Be My Music" and "There Used To Be A Ballpark", Stephen Sondheim's masterful "Send In The Clowns," and Paul Anka's "Let Me Try Again" being among the best material from the album. Also of note are Kris Kristoferson's "Nobody Wins," the haunting "Winners" and the lovely "Dream Away."
   
   However, Frank had a long way ago before he regained his footing. The period of 1973 to 1977 was a period of inactivity for him, and most of the songs recorded then are hardly among his best.
   
   That being said, there are some gems buried throughout these sessions. His 1974 album "Some Nice Things I've Missed" includes the masterpiece "What Are You Doing For The Rest Of Your Life" as well as solid takes on Jim Croce's "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown" and his endearing cover of Stevie Wonder's "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life." "Just As Though You Were Here" is a sad but beautiful number with a flawless reading by Frank. Paul Anka's smooth "Anytime (I'll Be There)," "The Only Couple On The Floor," the Christmas singles "A Baby Just Like You" and "Christmas Memories" and Neil Diamond's bouyant "Stargazer" and powerful "Dry Your Eyes" (the latter one of Frank's most impressive latter day performances) are all solid if second rate Frank recordings.
   
   By 1977, Frank had whipped his voice back into shape and reuinted with Nelson for the ultimately scrapped "Here's To The Ladies" sessions. The 6 songs from the sessions ("I Love My Wife," "Nancy," "Emily," "Linda," "Sweet Lorraine," and "Barbara") find Frank in excellent voice and Riddle's arrangements are in the pocket. It's a shame this album never materialized.
   
   By the time Frank released his 1979 album "Trilogy," he had his voice fully back in force, and he punches out songs like "The Song Is You," "All Of You," "More Than You Know," "They All Laughed," "Let's Face The Music And Dance" and "Street Of Dreams" with the same energy and force as 25 years ago. He imbues a similar amount of force into more contemporary material such as "You And Me (We Wanted It All)," "Summer Me, Winter Me," "That's What God Looks Like To Me," Billy Joel's "Just The Way You Are," a haunting version of The Beatles' "Something," and of course, "New York, New York."
   
   Disc 19 begins with the 6 tracks (in the same order as the original album) from the "Future" section of "Trilogy." These are arguably Frank's most quirkiest set of songs, but his voice is excellent and the orhcestrations are excellent. We then move onto the great 1981 saloon song album "She Shot Me Down." Some absolutely fantastic songs were culled from these sessions, among them "Everything Happens To Me," "I Loved Her," "Bang Bang," (a different recording but essentially the same arrangement of the 1973 version) and "Good Thing Going." But the highlight is the medley of "The Gal That Got Away / It Never Entered My Mind." Frank's final recording with Nelson Riddle, this haunting melody features Frank in perfect voice, bulldozing through two classic saloon songs like a prize fighter, knocking out notes and verses with an edge never heard before or since on any of his records. By the end of the song, you're left breathless.
   
   Disc 20 represents the final years of Frank as an artist. This includes great recordings such as "Searching," the exciting "Here's To The Band," the lovely "It's Sunday" and the gentle "All The Way Home."
   
   We then get to the infamous 1984 album "L.A. Is My Lady," which could've been a masterpiece had Quincy Jones not dressed it up with a bunch of cheesy 1980s' production values. There are, however some excellent recordings, including "Until The Real Thing Comes Along," "It's All Right With Me," and "Stormy Weather." "Mack The Knife" is sadly a wasted opportunity.
   
   We then reach the very end of this collection, as we get the three final official tracks Frank recorded for Reprise. The first two are from October of 1986. Up first is "The Girls I Never Kissed," an excellent reflection of lost youth and regret that suits Frank perfectly. Next comes the triumphant swinger "Only One To A Customer." Frank has a ball here and Bill May's arrangement explodes with joy.
   
   Then comes the closing number for this collection, "My Foolish Heart." This is an utterly fantastic recording. The arrangement bounces along, Frank sounds great and the result is a wholly triumphant and fitting close to a wonderful career.
   
   The packaging for this cd is great, and the accompanying booklet makes for a great read. This may be a bit pricey, but it's an absolute must for any music fan.



3. When it was first released , this was the most expensive box set I had ever purchased...look at the $ now. Would I sell ? NEVER , it is Sinatra after all. The complete Reprise albums (later career). Not a wasted moment on these fantastic recordings....Personal fav from this set : "Ol' Blue Eyes Is Back" , an album that set out to prove exactly what it did prove....Sinatra was STILL the Chairman.



4. I remeber buying this set. It was my biggest purchase ive ever made and ive never regretted it. I listen to the cds once a day and its just a wealth of music. One reviewer hates the fact that songs seem out of place. When you buy a product, read the instructions. The reason for them being out of order is because they release the songs the way they were recorded. While some songs are not his best, the good songs outweigh the bad songs. A good investment for Sinatra fans or music fans in general.



5. like the Charles Mingus Complete Atlantic Recordings, WHY CHANGE THE ORDER OF THE SONGS. these were albums that fit together. what idiot run these companies? do they just put the stuff on random play for the order? i would live to have these because some of these recordings are hard to find. his label, but some of his stuff is hard to find. doesn't make sense, does it?

No comments about Broadway Opening Nights.

1 comments about History of Chess Jazz.

1. I still think Brubeck's Time Out is the best single cd ever, but History of Chess Jazz double cd is the other "must" that all jazz lovers should have. I challenge anyone to come up with another production that has more truly great cuts. In fact this cd could suffice quite well for someone on a budget...someone wishing for just a morsel of quality jazz. This cd has it all; instrumental, voice, fast paced and slow, different styles, etc.

No comments about Only The Best Of The Modernaires (4-CD).

5 comments about A Collector's Sondheim (Musical Compilation).

1. "A Collector's Sondheim" is a good introductory to the man who kept us singing show tunes for years. Three CDs include 54 songs, about 3.5 hours from Sondheim's work prior to 1984:
   
   A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
   Saturday Night
   The Last Resorts
   Evening Primrose
   Anyone Can Whistle
   Company
   Follies
   Stravinsky
   A Little Night Music
   The Frogs
   Pacific Overture
   Merrily We Roll Along
   The Seven Percent Solution
   Sweeney Todd
   
   The songs are performed by a variety of singers from Angela Landsbury to Mandy Patinkin. For the most part, the sound is good but the engineering lacks somewhat--when listening to this whole collection, I have had to change the volume a couple of times to compensate for unevenness in recording.
   
   I'm really hoping someone will do a collection from 1985 on to include some of Sondheim's later works.
   
   Rebecca Kyle, June 2008



2. Just wanted to add that this is one of my favorite Sondheim collections. The liner notes are well written by someone who obviously loves Sondheim. Plus just have to mention Pacific Overtures "Someone in a Tree". Took me awhile but once I listened closely a few times and followed the lyrics (included with CD, a must since his lyrics are so important) I just fell in love with the song. It is one of the best examples of great musical theater.



3. This is the collection that first introduced me to Sondheim. This set includes excerpts from Sondheim's works starting with Forum but unfortunately ending just before Into the Woods, Assassins, Passion, and Dick Tracy. This cd includes a disco version of Sweeny Todd which always makes me giggle like a school girl and songs from several compliation cds and shows such as "Marry Me A Little" and "Side by Side by Sondheim" not to mention others. This cd has wonderful tracks and is a great way to introduce someone to Sondheim!



4. A Collector's Sondheim is a mixed bag, containing a few surprising and effective pieces but, for the most part, consisting of material drawn from one or two revues that contained less than definitive performances. The best surprise is the previously unreleased track of Lee Remick's "There Won't Be Trumpets." She does a wonderful job with this number. Too bad she didn't have an opportunity to do it on Broadway. Her performance on the original cast album of "Anyone Can Whistle" is a delight, often overlooked because of the slam-bang job Angela Lansbury delivers in her first Broadway musical. Less effective in this collector's collection is the version of "I'm Still Here." Yvonne De Carlo's original still is the best. The "Happily Ever After" number cut from Company is interesting as a curiosity but it cannot compare in quality to "Being Alive," which ultimately took its place. So all in all, an interesting if not always satisfying CD.



5. This recording is one of the better ones. The only bad thing is that some of the ter tracks, mainly on the third disc, are taken from the origianl boradway cast recording. Otherwise, the other songs are great. There is an added bonus on the last track of the third disc with Sondheim himself singing "Old Friends" with Angela Landsbury.