Customer Reviews

The Essential Frank Sinatra with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra (2CD)

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In 1940, Sinatra left The Harry James Band to join the more successful Tommy Dorsey. What initially seemed to be an opportunity for broader exposure (and perhaps larger paychecks) turned into a three year graduate course in many of music's fine-points. Not only did Sinatra refine his trombone-like phrasing and note slides (either as a product of Dorsey's influence, or simply as a fellow traveler), but he also learned the keys that would fuel his later solo career: great songs, top-notch musicians, and arrangements that fit both. Sinatra's later professional style - bullheaded perfectionism, and loyalty to those who served him -- were both an artifact of Dorsey's own temperament.

Listeners weaned on Sinatra's Capitol-era solo records may find these arrangements low-key and the vocals lilting and restrained. His young voice had yet to develop into the rich musical instrument that would make its indelible mark, and he sings atop arrangements that were written more for the band than the singer. As daughter Nancy's liner notes point out, there was little improvising, lest the vocalist bump into the carefully choreographed instrumentation. The result is that, like a lot of big-band music of the swing era, the vocals don't swing nearly as much as the band.

Even without the swing, the pre-bobbysoxer Sinatra possessed a voice and a style that were highly sophisticated, and his animation of a song's lyric, whether written especially for him ("I'll Never Smile Again") or available ("Stardust" "Street of Dreams"), created certified pop standards. Singing with the perfectionist Dorsey taught Sinatra how to fit his voice into the context of a big band, something he'd refine on later solo recordings with arrangers like Axel Stordahl (who, as a trumpeter for Dorsey, provide many of the band's arrangements), Nelson Riddle and Billy May.

These forty-four sides represent the source from which Sinatra's solo success at Columbia, Capitol and Reprise would spring. The band's outstanding musicianship (particularly noting these are all live takes with no overdubbing) is matched by lively charts and exceptional material. The nostalgic tone of these early WWII years is unavoidable, but the heavy shadow of Sinatra's later solo success leaves this material fresh to most listeners' ears. Collectors might want to opt for the 5-CD, 120-track "The Song is You," but for most, this 2-CD helping is an excellent fit. [©2005 hyperbolium dot com]

This album is great...I could use dozens of words to describe it-but it all comes down to being classified as great. Even at the beginning of his career, Frank Sinatra made sure that it was known that he had talent. Even if you're not a fan-you can't deny that he has talent. Personally, I think that Tommy Dorsey was at his finest here...with his orchestra & Sinatra's vocals-it was a match made in heaven. There were a few box sets available that contained the majority of the music Sinatra & Dorsey recorded together-if not all, but it's easier to get this collection. The 2-disc set contains the best tracks that they've done together, and it's true. If you really are a Frank Sinatra fan-buy this cd...you'll enjoy it tremendously.

"As you enjoy these recordings, remember that there were no retakes, no overdubs and no special effects. What you hear is what happened on the spot. As live performances, they offer us combined lessons in music and history. Like the photos that Dad sent back from the road, they're snapshots of a man working hard to fulfill his dream of becoming the greatest singer of all-time." ~ Nancy Sinatra, July 2005 ~

"Why are these recordings essential? First, they possess a charm that's rooted in the old-fashioned sound of their arrangements, the brilliance of their performances and the warm optimism they communicated during the early days of the Second World War. Then, they're crucial to understanding the development of the Big Band idiom, and to tracing the origins of an artist who for fifty years shaped, reshaped and ultimately defined the essence of American popular music. Need there be a better reason to listen?" ~ Charles Granata ~

Indeed, and I totally agree with Nancy Sinatra that her Dad reached the pinnacle of his dream and probably far exceeded his expectations. He was above par and truly one-of-a-kind singer. Every Sinatra fan knows that he left his first mentor, Harry James, to join Tommy Dorsey's band for monetary reasons. And the rest is history. His rise to stardom was unprecedented and his extraordinary artistry is incredible.

Having influenced greatly by my late father's taste in music, I've grown to love the sound of Big Band music and this 2-CD-set is nothing but the best Big Band vocal collection of 44 Sinatra/Dorsey classics of all-time and produced by Charles Granata, author of "Sessions With Sinatra: The Art of Recording." His co-producers on this wonderful compilation are Didier Deutsch and Mark Wilder. Aside from the tastefully-chosen repertoire, this set offers a comprehensive source of information in the early days of Frank Sinatra's musical career on Liner Notes written by Nancy Sinatra and Charles Granata.

This fascinating set consists of forty-four songs with arrangements mostly by Axel Stordahl, some by Sy Oliver and Paul Weston. You'll be delighted with the nostalgic sounds that these songs convey to the listeners from the first track on Disc One "I'll Be Seeing You" to the last track on Disc Two "Light A Candle In The Chapel."

My personal choices on Disc One are "Say It" (Over and over again, ever and ever so sweet, just like an old Valentine), perennial favorites "I'll Be Seeing You," "Polka Dots And Moonbeams," "Fools Rush In," "East of the Sun and West of the Moon," "It's Always You" and the ultimate love song of all-time, "Stardust," which features Jo Stafford as the female vocalist of The Pied Pipers. On Disc Two my top favorites are "I Think of You," a song adapted from the melody of a beautiful classical piece, Rachmaninoff's "Piano Concerto No. 2," "Blue Skies," "How About You?" and my number one choice from Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II "The Song Is You," with partial lyrics here.

"I alone have heard this lovely strain
I alone have heard this glad refrain
Must it be forever inside of me?
Why can't I let it go?

Why can't I let you know
The song my heart would sing?
That beautiful rhapsody
Of love and youth and spring
The music is sweet
The words are true
The song is you."

This 2-CD-set is one of the best compilations ever produced and included in some of my most-cherished CDs of all-time. Give it a listen and have a sentimental journey to the Big Band Era and experience the young, affectionate, delicate vocals of Frank Sinatra and the great sound of Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra.

With my heartfelt recommendation to any Sinatra buff.

P.S. Thanks so kindly, Mr. Granata, for this wonderful set of compilation CDs. It's much appreciated!

...you've really loved 'em all really well,...er... or something...Forget how that goes...Anyways, masterful, swinging stuff from the salad days of the Chairman, the cat of all cats, back when he was making the bobbysoxers scream...The Frankster was slightly restrained here, given that he was not encouraged to improvise, but it makes no nevermind - the arrangements and vocals are still just impeccable...

This was my parent's music. Being a child of Rock n Roll, may have kept me from really enjoying it at the time but I have returned. Timeless, is an over used word but what else can be applied to this set? The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra is a giant in this era. They had a faultless sound that has stood the test of time and still sounds fresh and new. The addition of Frank Sinatra produced music that is unique and wonderful. This is pure talent showcased in the days before sound equipment could make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. This two CD set contains over forty songs not one which is less than excellent.

If I close my eyes, I swear Dad is humming in the background.

An excellent compillation of many songs and sounds of a very young Frank. Fantastic assortment of the Dorsey Orchestra intermixed with the smooth crooning of Frank make this a jazzy and relaxing set. It has it all and is loaded with good tunes. A great set and a perfect addition to any Sintra collection. This is Sinatra in the beginning of his career, sweet, smooth, silky sounds. I Highly recommend the set.

The Dorsey Orchestra and Sinatra at his best...a match made in heaven. It has never been any better than this...and never will be!

I witnessed this "duet" in 1942 when I was a student at Indiana Univ. It was a late afternoon session in the auditorium and the Junior Prom dance in the evening. Superb performance which I'll never forget. "Without a Song" was so powerful in the auditoruim that Sinatra had to back off from the mike. I met him during the dance at stage-side; my date was the prion year's junior prom queen. Frank was gracious. After shaking hands with him I've decline to wash it ever since!!

Bob Cusack

I grew up listening to Frank Sinatra and till this day enjoy his music mixed with the big band sound of Tommy Dorsey.

I would recommend this CD (2) for anyone who likes the old sounds and is a fan of Dorsey and Sinatra

These recordings are a tremendous joy to have. Here is where you will hear Frank Sinatra, God's Gift To Music, perfecting his craft, learning his trademark style from the best teacher an aspiring singer could hope to have, Tommy Dorsey.

It is true that these recordings are nearly 70 years old, and that they lack the edge and energy of Frank's later recordings. They are reflective of a much more simpler, conservative time in music, so a great deal of patience is needed to sit through them and it is understandable if one becomes somewhat bored with the music.

However, once you've managed to conjure up that patience, you will be exposed to music history. Frank was still growing at this point. He had just left Harry James as he felt Tommy Dorsey will give him a bigger opportunity to stretch over into the mainstream. From Tommy, Frank learned everything he needed to know about his phrasing and breath control techniques. He studied Tommy's techniques with these on the trombone intently, and he transferred them into his own singing skills, and him and Tommy became a winning force. Frank and Tommy play off each other that at tiems it seems that Tommy is duetting with Frank rather than giving him instrumental backing.

The songs here are songs of a simpler times. Most of them would be deemed corny by today's standards (especially "Polka Dots And Moonbeams", which is still a great song), but they hold such great artistic and historical value that you can easily overlook their lack of meter.

Many of these songs ("Polka Dots And Moonbeams", "I'll Never Smile Again", "The One I Love Belongs To Somebody Else", "Oh! Look At Me Now", "How About You", "The Song Is You", "Street Of Dreams", "There Are Such Things") would be perfected during later recordings at Capitol and Reprise, but without these early blueprints, those latter day masterpieces would not have existed. Frank's voice had not developed into the rich, manly baritone it would become, but to hear his voice this vulnerable and pure is a dream.

The sound quality and packaging are absolutely excellent, and this cd is a must have for all music fans.