Sinatra's Second Prime

This is a wonderful, wonderful album, but a word of warning: There are two Basie-Sinatra albums out there. Get this one; do not get the second one. Sinatra's prime was with Tommy Dorsey; this one was at the end of his second prime. The second Sinatra-Basie album starts the beginning of Sinatra's nauseating "Vegas" era (e.g., "Strangers in the Night"). In this one, every tune is tightly arranged and totally swingin'. The set-ender, "I Won't Dance", is not only the best of this album, it's one of the best of its kind of all time. Listen to how Basie builds the bridge--it takes my breath away every time. Not a weak selection at all on this one. Very highly recommended.

swings like big ben

Sinatra's best years (even when some of them are mediocre) - first with Capitol and then with his own label Reprise - can be found between 1957 and 1965. The proof is available on this 1963 pairing with Basie. From a career that wandered through it's trash, this one is orchestration and vocalization extraordinaire. This was Frank's swinging period, the black hat and suit worn to the studio to bring class to his crooning of the ironic Please Be Kind, Pennies From Heaven and Love Is the Tender Trap. Unlike earlier and latter recordings, Sinatra is flawless, a matured and whiskey-voice made God-like courtesy of his newfound genuis for the studio. Strip away the Basie-conducted orchestra and Frank would still sound heaven-sent and vice versa. There's no doubt; these recordings captured the perfection of two masters. Frank's voice is as good as it would ever get and Basie makes his orchestra swing so wide it could knock out lamp posts on a four lane highway. Basie was lucky to be included in these mastermind sessions. Frank was even luckier. But luck wasn't a lady: the Sinatra-Basie sessions prove it was a sly fusion of two men with an appreciation for art, style and cool. Nobody did it better.

An historic musical first

The first Frank Sinatra and Count Basie collaboration resulted in a terrific album. Many of the songs here had been recorded by Sinatra before, but they are given new arrangements here. The Basie big band sound works really well with Sinatra's voice. Sinatra's fans should dig this album.