A BEAUTIFUL ALBUM...

This album ranks as my favorite ballad album from the CAPITOL era. Although recorded in 1960, it still very much ties in with the series of concept albums recorded by Sinatra at CAPITOL records.

The songs are beautiful and tender (the title song really was just a commercial and fun success and stands on his own)and Nelson Riddle's arrangements are as supportive as ever and very very intimate.

This not an album to go to sleep over but one that underneath a surface of being nice'n easy has a lot of emotions and depth.

Great standards, great arrangements, great singing: buy it!

Sinatra is the last word in taste when it comes to popular music, so when FS and Nelson Riddle (arranger) teamed up for Nice 'N' Easy it was bound to be a success and in fact became one of the top-selling albums of Sinatra's career.

This is the first of several albums in which Sinatra landed a hit (in this case the title track) and the record company built an album around it. Unlike some of the later Reprise efforts ('That's Life' being an example), Sinatra and Riddle backed the title track -- which is perfectly fine on its own -- with a generous selection of classics from Johnny Mercer, Irving Berlin and other legendary composers. The result is a wonderful update on some of the great ballads of the Columbia years (1943-52).

'I've Got a Crush on You' is forever associated with Sinatra, are are Mercer's 'Dream' and Berlin's remarkable 'How Deep is the Ocean?' While the Columbia recordings are treasurable, Sinatra may have been an even better vocalist by 1960, and the emotion in 'How Deep', in particular, has always seemed more effective than the creamy vocals of the 1940s performance. 'Fools Rush In', another great standard, is arguably more convincing, because by this time Sinatra was a bit more worldly when it came to falling in love and getting hurt.

Listeners looking for the hip swing of 1950s Sinatra will probably enjoy several of the Capitol concept albums (Songs for Swingin' Lovers and Come Dance with Me) more, but if you enjoy stunning performances of some of the ballad standards, Nice 'N' Easy is an easy selection to add to your collection.

Within several years after Nice 'N' Easy, FS would move on to a period of one-off's, some of which succeeded beyond measure, others which have good and bad moments. The present album is securely among the masterworks of Sinatra's astounding run at Capitol Records.

The regular issue CD seems to be unavailable (!), but it is certainly worth it to buy the import to own this classic recording.

SINATRA and RIDDLE: the perfect match

"NICE N EASY" is yet another of the masterpieces from the Capitol era, recorded in early March of 1960 during the same period of time that Sinatra was working at the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas with Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr, Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop (the filming of "Ocean's 11" was also occurring). NICE N EASY was made as part of the ( not so happy ) contractual agreement that Sinatra made with Capitol in exchange for leaving that company and starting his own ( Reprise ). However strained the relations between artist and company may have been, the results in this case were sublime. Although the title track ( and indeed the title of the album itself ) were apparently late changes ( the original title and song, "The Nearness of You", was dropped from the 1960 LP release but the song has been restored to the CD release ), the laid back swing is actually an effective prelude to the collection of standards from the golden era of songwriters. In effect, the title tune invites you to take a seat on the coach, preferably while drinking a nice glass of red wine ( with any luck, sharing this experience with another person ) . The overall mood is relaxed and romantic, unlike the "suicide" ( Sinatra's terminology ) lps "ONLY THE LONELY" and "IN THE WEE SMALL HOURS". But take note; Sinatra's version of "relaxed", in a version of a song like "You Go to My Head" or "Fools Rush In", is an overwhelming emotional experience! Many have gone on and on describing Sinatra's musical talent: his habit of emphasizing and prolonging certain words ( dynamics and rubato ) in a surprising and dramatically effective manner. His uncanny rhythmic sense ( recognized by many of the world's greatest jazz musicians ). His ability to live the lyric and seem to speak personally to each and every listener. Lastly, the sheer quality of his voice, particularly from the "Capitol Years"- that happy combination of the still strong, middle-aged vocal cords coupled with the gains in maturity and wisdom ( in life as much as music ).

But another point about Sinatra's success needs to be re-emphasized. That is the crucial role played by his musical "partners". His best arranger, Nelson Riddle, has on NICE N EASY written another group of arrangements that can be described in no other manner than as works of genius. It would be misplaced and ludicrous to point out Nelson didn't write concertos or other "extended" classical forms- the man worked in the popular music world which at that time ( 1950's and early 60's ) still had strong ties to jazz and big band traditions. These traditions produced musicians of such high quality that many could easily have pursued careers as members of classical orchestras, chamber music groups or as "concert" soloists in their own right. In fact, you will hear many of these great musicians ( whose contribution to the Sinatra legacy should never be forgotten ) gracing the albums Sinatra cut during the Capitol and early Reprise eras. Nelson Riddle received some training from classical composers and played trombone in big bands while learning the arranging craft from the ground up. His ability to mix complex and subtle nuances of instrumental "shading" shows the strong influence ( which he freely admitted to ) of the French master composer Claude Debussy ( listen to "La Mer" or "Nocturnes" ) . The sensuous refinement and attention to detail Nelson Riddle displays in his arrangements for Sinatra's Capitol albums stand as monuments of the greatest partnership popular music has produced. A few examples from "NICE N EASY"- the simple yet achingly effective arpeggiated pattern doubled by the harp and celesta in "Fools Rush In" or his trademark deployment of bass trombone ( "How Deep is the Ocean?" ). One could go on and on ( Charles Granata's recent book, "SESSIONS WITH SINATRA", is fantastic in describing Sinatra's achievements ). Sinatra and Riddle were the perfect match. Their artistry will no doubt continue to inspire people for a long, long time to come.

Needless to say, I highly recommend all of the Sinatra-Riddle Capitol work, but their greatest moments for me would have to be on the ballad albums; "IN THE WEE SMALL HOURS", "ONLY THE LONELY", "NICE N EASY" and a lesser known masterpiece from 1956, "CLOSE TO YOU", which, incredibly enough, is still not in print as a single CD (a situation hopefully remedied in the not too distant future).