Customer Reviews

Dear Mr Sinatra

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2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Every singer ends up attempting Sinatra eventually, but few manage so well....
John Pizzarelli has been playing jazz guitar with his legendary father, Bucky, since he was 6 years old.
John's latest album is Dear Mr. Sinatra, on which he plays songs written for Ol' Blue Eyes....
The crooner is noted for his sensitive phrasing and powerful interpretative voice, which recall the relaxed stylings of Nat "King" Cole and Chet Baker, as well as for his fluid, inventive guitar playing.
On this album of covers of songs made famous by Frank Sinatra, John Pizzarelli wisely avoids the pitfalls of Ol' Blue Eyes imitations in favor of his own intimate approach, best heard on the set's more relaxed arrangements.
My highlights are the tracks "I've Got You Under My Skin", "Nice and Easy" and "You Make Me Feel So Young".
Both attention-grabbing and supportive, his expertly arranged big band accompaniment likewise evokes the ring-a-ding-ding of the Rat Pack era while steering clear of mere pastiche.
With a total time just under 40 minutes, the program is a little short by CD standards, but the performances by John Pizzarelli and the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra in this warm tribute to Frank Sinatra are consistently of high caliber and hit the mark every time.

As a longtime Sinatra fan who was fortunate enought to see Sinatra in concert many times, I feel I am qualified to say that John Pizzarelli's new CD, DEAR MR SINATRA, is a truly outstanding and accomplished work. John Pizzarelli captures the essence of everything that was Sinatra: swing style, powerful lyrics and impeccable taste for music. Of all the young musicians of today that have taken on a Sinatra projects -- and there are many -- none have done it close to this well. Kudos to John for giving us something wonderful.

I just purchased John Pizzarelli's new CD, DEAR MR SINATRA, and absolutely love it. If John ever reads this I want him to know that it is his best record yet. Of all the artists that have made Sinatra records in recent times, this one, by far, figured out how to interpret one of our greatest singers with class, style and incredible musicality. I highly recommend this CD for Pizzarelli fans, Sinatra fans, music fans and anyone who just wants to hears something special.

After listening to this CD on three separate CD players, I'm convinced that this CD was poorly recorded -- Pizzarelli is crooning along so quietly that in order to hear him, the volume has to be increased -- and then, you guessed it, the band overtakes and blasts so loud that the volume has to be turned down. This happened throughout the CD. After the hype from the three reviews I read before purchasing, its an understatement to say that I am disappointed in the quality.

I buy alot of jazz and mostly of from the Great American Songbook genre. My CD (and LP!) collection covers from Nat, Bing, Rosie and Frank; to Satchmo, Benny and Duke; to the current crop of living interpreters -- young and old -- like Tony, Diana, Jane, Michael Feinstein and, of course, John Pizzarelli. John's new CD, DEAR MR. SINATRA, captures the essence of where the Songbook came from and provides listeners all they need to know to understand why it is still so alive today. This is a superb CD that I love and know you will too.

I'm a big fan of both Sinatra & John Pizzarelli. I greatly enjoy the interpretations of Sinatra standards, but have to agree with one of the other reviewers who noted how annoying it is to have to constantly adjust the volume up and down. It's too bad, because John P. does a very nice job on a number of these tunes.

I have heard it argued that a singer can't be a real musician, that vocal jazz isn't really jazz at all. I disagree.

John Pizzarelli probably gets a pass, even among the no-vocals crowd: He's an excellent instrumentalist, following in the footsteps of his legendary father, Bucky Pizzarelli, as a master of the seven-string guitar. But it's his distinctive vocal stylings that have carved out a niche for him in the top tier of performing musicians.

His discography includes tributes to Nat "King" Cole, Antonio Carlos Jobim and The Beatles, but even though it's always been obvious that Frank Sinatra was a major influence, he hadn't found the right opportunity for such an homage. His new CD, Dear Mr. Sinatra, was worth the wait. It's his best outing yet.

Much of the credit goes to the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, one of those rarities in contemporary music, a working big band. The joyful sound of real horns working their way through first-class arrangements provides a refreshing surrounding for Pizzarelli's understated vocal subtlety.

The singer says in the liner notes that he "wanted the foundation of the album to be songs that were written for Frank," not just songs that he happened to record. To that end, he opens the show with the rarely heard "Ring-a-Ding-Ding," written by Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen to immortalize one of Sinatra's catch phrases. It's a swingin' start that sets an upbeat tone for the album that follows.

Well known classics get new life in surprising settings--"I've Got You Under My Skin" going mellow with flutes and bass clarinet, "Witchcraft" sounding like a page torn straight out of the Basie playbook, "You Make Me Feel So Young" loping along with laidback casualness. The band catches fire on "How About You," then sits out a lowkey "Can't We Be Friends?" with papa Bucky (who played with Ol' Blue Eyes himself) providing tasteful guitar accompaniment.

The slow building "Nice `n' Easy" features slightly expanded lyrics and leads into a gorgeous medley starting out with the singer alone with his guitar on "I See Your Face Before Me" segueing into a striking band arrangement of "In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning."

Those who have seen John Pizzarelli live know what a superb entertainer he is. With Dear Mr. Sinatra, he's captured some of that performing magic on disc while producing one of the best jazz albums of the year.

Originally published in Port Folio Weekly, 8/1/06.
Copyright 2006 Jim Newsom/Port Folio Weekly. All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission.

Wow, what a great surprise this CD is! I expected the usual Frank Sinatra/Nelson Riddle treatment (one of the greatest arranger-singer combinations, ever) of these tunes and John Clayton has put his own stamp onto these Sinatra "mainstreamer's". Everything about these tunes centers on a very laid-back singer and Clayton's great band & "charts."

I still cannot get over how beautiful and "hip" the sans rhythm section treatment of "If I Had You" is. John singing is superb as is the writing for the 4 clarinets and bass clarinet.

"You Make Me Feel So Young" is also a favorite, with the pyramids in the horns and the great bucket-mute sounds of the trumpet/trombones.

John's great singing reminds me of another favorite of mine.......the late Chet Baker. On the ballads, John has had to have listened to a lot of Chet's ballad singing, like "I've Got You Under My Skin". John Clayton has also crafted some very unusual and beautiful tone-colors under this great Sinatra favorite.

This is some great singing, arranging and playing!

this is just a well made record of great songs. i have had it with the "the mix is bad" argument or "he doesn't do sinatra right". its just mr. pizzarelli's take on the music. mr. clayton's arrangements are fresh and dynamic. this is not a cd you put on for dinner. it has highs and lows. its wonderful and i like it!

"I realized the best way to present these songs, so etched in everyone's mind, was to take them out of their skin and start over. The arranging skills of John Clayton (along with contributions from Don Sebesky, Dick Lieb and Quincy Jones) and the sound of the unique group he writes for, were just what the doctor ordered. I have been a huge fan of the CEO for many years and have spent many terrific hours on and off the bandstand with John Clayton, Jeff Clayton, and Hammer. To say, it thrills me to be able to make this CD with them is an understatement." ~ John Pizzarelli ~

It's so nice to listen to fresh and brand-new interpretations of standards made popular by the Chairman of the Board, the legendary Francis Albert Sinatra and this recording is by far my absolute favorite from my John Pizzarelli collection, which includes "Dear Mr. Cole," "Bossa Nova," "After Hours," a terrific collaboration with pianist George Shearing "The Rare Delight of You," "All Of Me," "Our Love Is Here To Stay," a 2-CD set "Live At Birdland" and a splendid collaboration with his Dad, Bucky Pizzarelli, "Passionate Guitars." Thank you Mr. Pizzarelli for being one of the greatest interpreters of timeless standards from the Great American Songbook. Keep on recording great standards and we'll keep the music playing in our hearts now and forever.

Supported by the fabulous Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra conducted by a fine arranger, John Clayton, this tribute starts off the swingiest version of "Ring-A-Ding-Ding" followed by a more relaxed "You Make Me Feel So Young" and ends as "the orchestra is yawning and playing the last song" from this collection, "The Last Dance." I especially love his awesome renditions with superb arrangements of "How About You," ("I like a Gershwin tune, how about you?"), "Nice 'n' Easy" (with added lyrics), "Witchcraft" and "I've Got You Under My Skin." The medley of "I See Your Face Before Me" and "In The Wee Small Hours of the Morning" is also a highlight.

My number one choice from this collection of great Sinatra songs is "If I Had You," words and music by Ted Shapiro, Jimmy Campbell & Reginald Connelly and was originally recorded by Frank Sinatra in 1947 with Axel Stordahl and for the second time in 1956 with Nelson Riddle and again in 1962 with Robert Farnon. His interpetation is so refined and elegant and its arrangement by John Clayton is just grand! Listen closely to its piano solo by Tamil Henderman and let your ears catch the beauty of his piano playing.

"I could show the world how to smile
I could be glad all the while
I could change the gray skies to blue
If I had you

I could leave the old days behind
Leave all my pals, I'd never mind
I could start my life all anew
If I had you

I could climb a snow-capped mountains
Sail the mighty ocean-wide
I could cross the burning desert
If I had you by my side

I could be a queen, dear, uncrowned,
Humble or poor, rich or renowned
There is nothing I couldn't do
If I had you"

"Dear Mr. Sinatra" has already found a special spot on the top shelf of my CD collection, side by side with my other Frank Sinatra CDs.

This is a great tribute to the legendary Entertainer of the Century. Very highly recommended.

Have a happy listening experience!