[Dixielandjazz] Sinatra as conductor

[Ric Giorgi]

Many many thanks for this Tony.
Cheers,
Ric Giorgi 

-----Original Message-----
From: dixielandjazz-bounces at ml.islandnet.com
[mailto:dixielandjazz-bounces at ml.islandnet.com] On Behalf Of
Trumpetom at aol.com
Sent: July-23-10 3:51 PM
To: Ric Giorgi
Cc: Dixieland Jazz Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Sinatra as conductor



In a message dated 7/23/2010 5:25:20 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time,
ricgiorgi at sympatico.ca writes:

Sinatra  as a conductor

Between 1946 and 1983 Sinatra conducted seven albums and  occasionally
conducted live orchestras on stage. His first recordings on  which he
wielded the baton were instigated by producer Mitch Miller, who  approached
Columbia boss Maine Sachs to request that Sinatra conduct some  of the work
of Alec Wilder, later released as Frank Sinatra Conducts The  Music Of Alec
Wilder.
In 1956 Sinatra recorded the first album in the  Capitol Records tower, not
as a vocalist, but as a conductor on the album  Frank Sinatra Conducts Tone
Poems of Color. In 1957 and 1959 he conducted  albums for Peggy Lee - The
Man I Love - and Dean Martin - Sleep Warm - the  latter, charting inside
Billboard's Top 40. A lesser-known project for his  own label, Reprise,
entitled Frank Sinatra Conducts Music from Pictures and  Plays remains
relatively obscure, and it was 20 years before Sinatra  conducted in a
studio again, for Sylvia Syms on the album Syms by Sinatra,  which featured
the final arrangements of Don Costa. The following year  Sinatra conducted
for trumpeter Charles Turner on the album What's New?.  
I called Uan Rasey (trumpet player on most of the Sinatra Capitol and
Reprise recordings). He was as kind as he knew how to be, but he told  me
much of the information on album cover liner notes contains fictionalized
writing, therefore some researched articles are not always accurate.  Uan
has a mind like a steel trap. He remembered playing on the  sessions
outlined above. 
Sinatra could not read music and therefore had little  insight into the
charts. On some of them, Sinatra wasn't even in the building.  Usually Billy
May, or sometimes Nelson Riddle or Don Costa was involved  either as actual
conductor, or directing the session from inside the control  booth. Rasey
pointed out that the session players did quite well on their own  after
someone counted off the tunes. Sinatra's name and his notoriety added some
hype for the record sales (anyone remember Jackie Gleason albums that were
actually Ray Coniff?). Sinatra was noted for having strong opinions, and
frequently Dave Cavanaugh (A & R man) would pay attention to Sinatra's
suggestions. On his recordings, Sinatra  generally wanted to settle  for the
first take on every tune. He was frequently overridden by Cavanaugh. But  as
Sinatra being an actual conductor..interesting fiction for album covers. 
 
Rasey also pointed out Sinatra had a high regard for his session players; he
always treated them with great respect. Want more info on this topic?  
Contact me off list. this topic is a little outside OKOM.
 
Tommy Loeb
_www.hotsytotsyboys.com_ (http://www.hotsytotsyboys.com)
_www.tommyreedorchesra.com_ (http://www.tommyreedorchesra.com) 
 
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