Wednesday, April 20, 2011

#89: Frank Sinatra - Francis Albert SInatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim (1967)


Zack: My dad's second favorite game to play whenever we're out eating, behind I Spy, is name that artist. I just got in the habit of always answering Frank Sinatra since it seemed that as soon as we walked through the door, Ol' Blue Eyes came right on. I may not have recognized what the music was, but I knew that it must be Frank Sinatra whenever my dad started crooning. Unfortunately for my eardrums, that was all too often. Sinatra even managed to sneak into my Christmas, as my dad is the proud owner of The Sinatra Christmas album. Do I begrudge my dad for forcing me to endure so much swing? Not a chance. Frankie is just too smooth not to enjoy. You just have to snap your fingers and enjoy whenever The Chairman of the Board starts singing. The Latin flavor that permeates this particular example just enhances that universal truth.
Favorite Tracks: The Girl From Ipanema; I Concentrate On You; Baubles, Bangles, and Beads

Emily: Two things come to mind when I think of Frank Sinatra. The first is a short story I just wrote an essay about, where the turning point is when Jackie Gleason throws up on Frank's shoes. The other, slightly more pleasant one is the Fridays/Sundays with Frank radio show that's played on my local talk radio station. This show would always be on while eating lunch on Sundays with my family, and my mom and I would always complain to turn it off. As you can see, I'm not much of a Sinatra fan. However, this album has (slightly) changed my perspective. He takes standards that sound straight out of a '50s piano bar, typical Sinatra fare, and puts a Latin twist on them. It creates a sound not quite jazz and not quite swing, but something unique that is still uniquely Ol' Blue Eyes.
Favorite Tracks: The Girl From Ipanema; Once I Loved (O Amor En Paz); I Concentrate On You

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