The February of Frank: A Look Inside Ol' Blue Eyes Part 3

Continuing on with the "Inside Sinatra" series, today we get a glimpse into the recording sessions for the classic album, Moonlight Sinatra. This album was released in 1966 and was worked around the theme that every song on the album had something to do with the moon. There was "Moonlight Becomes You", "I Wished On The Moon", "Moon Love", "Reaching For The Moon" and so on and so forth. The title of the album is a play on Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata". The orchestra was led by the great Nelson Riddle. Here are those recording sessions from November 29 and 30 of 1965. Here is "Inside Moonlight". Enjoy!

Frank Sinatra-Inside Moonlight

The February of Frank: The Lost Tapes Of The Capitol Years

Following yesterday's post featuring a concert from Sinatra's great Capitol era of the late 50s comes today's "lost" tracks from the recording sessions of those albums. "From The Vaults" was a privately circulated release from the mid 90s and only 1000 copies were originally issued. The collection featured mostly out-takes from the Capitol recording sessions from 1955 to 1960 with two tracks from Frank's Reprise era starting in 1960. Trying to find a copy of this album can be quite pricey. But well worth it when you consider that the sound quality on the disc is absoutely masterful and the material includes alternate takes of Same Old Song and Dance, Weep They Will (Tony Bennett's favorite Sinatra recording) and What Is This Thing called Love, featuring a great clarinet solo by Mahlon Clark which was excised from the final release. This collection, much like the "Inside Sinatra" box set, shows Sinatra in complete control of his recording sessions. Here is "From The Vaults, Volume 1". Enjoy!

Frank Sinatra-From The Vaults Volume 1

The February of Frank: Sinatra Riddles Me This

The late 50s found Frank Sinatra releasing such classic albums as "Songs For Swingin' Lovers", "Swing Easy", "Close To You", and" A Swingin' Affair". This was at a time when releasing more than one album a year was normal. Nowadays, it is literally unheard of. Artists of today are lucky if they release an album every two years. The arranger and conductor at the helm of these albums was the great Nelson Riddle. Many people consider this era to be the best era of Sinatra's recorded work. When Sinatra took his act on the road for a quick west coast tour in the summer of 57, Riddle joined him. This was the only time in Frank's performing history when that would happen. And it was amazing! Luckily, one of those great concerts was caught on tape: a performance from June 9, 1957 in Seattle, WA. All of the classics can be found on this recording: You Make Me Feel So Young, The Lady Is A Tramp, One For My Baby, I've Got You Under My Skin, and fourteen other favorites. There is also a five minute monologue where Frank jokes about booze and dames. He is in a giddy mood on this evening, and had the material and the pipes to allow these songs to really cook. Here is "Frank Sinatra Live In Seattle". Enjoy!

Frank Sinatra-Seattle, June 9, 1957