[Dixielandjazz] Nelson Riddle + Frank Sinatra = Magic

[Steve barbone]

Ed O'Brien, one of the leading experts on the recordings of Frank Sinatra,
posted this on a Sinatra List today. Many opine that Sinatra and Riddle were
not jazz musicians. Makes no difference because they both had soul.

Cheers,
Steve
 
Fifty years ago this evening Frank Sinatra entered Capitol's KHJ Studios  on
Vine St. and from 8 to 11:30 proceeded to record 4 songs. Three of the
tunes were done for "Songs for Swingin' Lovers" and one, "Flowers Mean
Forgiveness," was laid down for a single release. The session was arranged
and conducted by Nelson Riddle.

A thirty-four piece orchestra and a chorus of four male singers had been
contracted for the evening. The first two tracks done were "It Happened In
Monterey" and "Swingin' Down  the Lane." The penultimate song was the
single ditty with chorus . . . and then Cole Porter's tune "I've Got You
Under My Skin" completed the session.

During the afternoon rehearsal the musicians gave Riddle a standing ovation
after running down the "Skin" chart. Even today  it is difficult to fully
comprehend the importance of that moment so long ago  now. Sinatra and
Riddle created a sound that evening destined to be imitated  by scores of
singers. The urban ethos "Skin" would personify became the  single
most identifiable Sinatra sound.  There were 22 takes done  before Frank and
Nelson reached the level of excellence that would become the  legendary
recording.

Here is guitarist Bob Bain's recollection of that  evening:

BB: I  was sitting right next to Milt  Bernhart. Milt was just  terrified.
The work was so demanding. And they would say we¹ve got to do another  one.
He would look at me and  say, ³ I don¹t have another one left.² The take
they finally took was the best solo he did all  night.

EOB. There were 22 takes. I should  mention the date was  1-12-56

BB.   There was a lot of tension building up. Nelson was getting impatient.
Frank was getting  impatient. Milt had to play that solo on top of the
brass. He had to really blow hard.

EOB. Do you remember anything else about that session ? It was really a
historic session.

BB.   This is what  I remember: I was very close to Doreen  Riddle, Nelson¹s
first wife. A few days after the sessions, Frank invited Nelson and Doreen
down to Palm Springs. The evening they were there at Frank¹s house, he just
kept playing ³I¹ve Got  You Under My Skin² over and over and over again. He
kept saying, ³You mother, you really wrote your ass off on this one.² He
just kept  making  comments to them on how  great the arrangement was.
Doreen told me she got sick of listening to the song. He would play it and
then go play it again. And play it again.

EOB.  I think it is without question his single greatest  recording.

BB.   Yes, it is.

George Roberts,  bass trombonist, had some  fascinating background.

EOB:  Can you give me some  background on the recording of  ³I¹ve Got You
Under My  Skin?²

GR:   The song was a big, big thing for me.  The  Afro-Cuban  rhythmical
piece  in the center of the song. He called me up about a month or month and
a half in front of that session. He said that Frank wanted a long crescendo
in the middle. Nelson did it with trombones. It set up a pattern of five
different contrapella lines going at the same time. And it started with bass
trombone. Being on that tune, it was just about the biggest single record
Nelson ever did, really opened things up for me.

Sinatra sang the songs thousands of times in concert and often told his
audience it was Nelson Riddle's finest hour.