Yesterday, we discussed CD prices, focusing on The Who.
Elliot was less than entertained, declaring: "I like Sinatra."
OK, for you music fans who perhaps prefer more classic songwriting and singing, consider this collection of Frank Sinatra CDs under $10.
These are listed in order of fabulousness (I dont have — but already ordered — Sinatra & Jobim)
Sinatra on CD? What are you, nuts? Sinatra should be heard only on vinyl, nothing else.
I’ve never understood Sinatra. What is it that people love? What am I missing?
Vinyl? Pfft! Far better to hear Sinatra on the original wax cylinders.
Makes you wonder how much deflation was tied up in the lack of technology that allowed distribution cartels.
Same timeframe but hipper: Anita O’Day. Best jazz singer ever. There’s a bit of her on youtube.
I trust you meant increasing order of fabulousness – “FAS & ACJ” is one of the best albums in any genre ever! Mind you, “Come Dance With Me” is pretty awesome too.
Oh Man, got em’ on vinyl. John is right.
I go for any Frank but I really like the stuff with Nelson Riddle. Killer horns and percussion. Great arrangements with a Great American vocalist.
Reminds me of Mom in the old days. She loved Frank.
Franks greatest hit was offering to have Woody Allen’s legs broken when he was found to be having an affair with Mia’s adopted daughter.
If you dig Jobim, by all means listen to what may be the greatest jazz album ever, Getz, Jobim and Jaoa Gilberto together in Brazil, with the galvanic last-minute in-studio addition of Gilberto’s non-professisonal wife, Astrud, because Getz thought a femme voice would go good with his sax on Ipanema and she said she knew the lyrics in English. Amazon CD has the longer version of this timeless song, including Jaoa’s Spanish vocal not used on the Top-of-the-Charts 1963 single. The “Corcovado” cut is exquisite. Amazon has remastered Verve CD.
Brian, right on re Anita O’Day, will check out YouTube.
Gotta include the live Sinatra cd with Count Basie’s Orchestra….a favorite moment – quote….”how’d all these people get in my room?!”
If we really want to start an argument, we can start discussing what is the greatest Jazz album ever.
Getz/Gilberto is definitely near the top of the list; Here’s a few others:
Dave Brubeck Time Out
John Coltrane Giant Steps (or A Love Supreme)
Thelonious Monk Monk’s Music (or Brilliant Corners)
Charlie Parker Jazz ‘Round Midnight
Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong Ella & Louis
Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool (or Kind of Blue or Bitches Brew)
Ella Fitzgerald: too many to list
(Same for Sinatra)
Billie Holiday Lady Day (or Billies Blues)
Charlie Parker Jazz ‘Round Midnight (Town Hall, New York City, June 22, 1945 or Yardbird Suite or Diz n Bird at Carnegie Hall)
Sonny Rollins Saxophone Colossus
Charles Mingus Mingus Ah Um
Thelonious Monk & John Coltrane Thelonious Monk w/ John Coltrane
Duke Ellington & His Orchestra Ellington At Newport
Wes Montgomery The Incredible Jazz Guitar
Gerry Mulligan Quartet
Chet Baker My Funny Valentine
Ornette Coleman The Shape Of Jazz To Come
Joe Pass Virtuoso
Louis Armstrong Hot Fives And Sevens
And I am sure I am overlooking many others
For those of you who want to get into Jazz, check out the links here: Recommended Jazz Recordings
Great list, Barry. May I add one more — Charlie Byrd’s Bossa Nova Years. (Love that samba.) And Jaoa’s vocal with Getz was, of course, in Portuguese.
One of the good thing about the CD has been the ability to recompile recordings and, if you’ve got the cash, there are great box sets that have all the essentials and more. E.g., Miles Davis/Gil Evans, Miles Davis/John Coltrane, John Coltrane Atlantic Years, etc., etc.
get over yourselves with the ‘only on vinyl’ crap – sheesh.
And Barry, if I understood you to rate ‘Who By Numbers’ and ‘Who Are You’ over ‘Live at Leeds’ you are out of your flippin’ mind – stick to Sinatra and leave rock ‘n roll to people that know something about it…
Best jazz album I ever heard:
Fill Your Head With Jazz, Columbia, 1971, 2 vinyls.
Includes Lambert, Hendricks and Ross’ “Moanin'”, Miles Davis “Seven Steps to Heaven” and Mose Allison “Baby Please Don’t Go.”
Among many others.
Love all the recs above– would also through out Jack Sheldon [Playing for Change] as a dark horse–great trumpet–pick it up, won’t be disappointed.-
while we are on the subject– did anyone pick up on Dylan’s recent comments on “music has been crap in last 20 years”?
I’ve heard the whole interview in context and he’s mainly [if I may be so bold as to interpret Dylan] was talking about the loss of warmth from analog/vinyl to digital/cd [hotly debated topic], but as far as I’m concerned, more importantly was commenting on the lack of original production– producers are lemmings now–no nuance etc in the recordings-well, maybe it’s because the material/”talent” is largely garbage too– all thumbing bass and no melody IMHO.
Big band –with it’s woodwind and brass and varied time signatures, gave way to R and R with its 4/4 timing electric guitar/bass and drum [later keyboards as well], and now we have sampled computer produced rubbish that any pimple faced kid with a Mac and garageband software can belch out.
“Times they are a changin’”
where’s “Revolution” when you need it???
“the loss of warmth from analog/vinyl to digital/cd”
…that’s NOTHING compared to the crap format of Mp3…a compression format that sucks the life out of any music. Get more storage and ONLY download FLAC, SHN, or 100% “lossless” formats.
Any best recording you know of Sinatra and Joe Pass?