[Dixielandjazz] When Giants Walked Among Us

[Stephen G Barbone]

On Apr 10, 2009, at 6:55 PM, Marek Boym wrote:

> Difficult to say what would have happened, but in Down Beat polls he
> was several times named the best jazz singer.

Yes, and you can hear why on the link posted. Also, the story with  
that link explains quite a bit about why and how the record companies  
"packaged" Sinatra. And how old blue eyes parried the angularity of  
Harry Carney's backing notes. IMO, the mark of a good, if not great,  
musician. And, if one believes the Tommy Dorsey band was a jazz band,  
then it would follow that Sinatra was singing jazz.

Though I don't have the record, I vaguely remember Sinatra with Basie  
circa 1970s, on a ballad where he is backed by a breathy sax. After a  
vocal phrase, the sax plays a very sexy fill. Sinatra says on mike,  
"Keep that up and we'll pick out the furniture" or something like  
that.   It happens a second time, and he says something like "There  
you go again". My memory may be faulty on the "There you go again",  
but if it isn't, maybe that's where Ronald Reagan got that line spoken  
during his debate with Jimmy Carter. <grin>

Cheers,
Steve