FRANK SINATRA — A Swingin' Affair! (review)

FRANK SINATRA — A Swingin' Affair! album cover Album · 1957 · Vocal Jazz Buy this album from MMA partners
5/5 ·
Matt
Arranged and conducted by "Nelson Riddle" who had done the classic album"Songs For Swingin" Lovers with Frank Sinatra and why not stay with the same formula as the old saying goes',"If it works why fix it" and it sure works here with this album released in 1957 but recorded late November 1956 in just four days over two weeks which just shows what a professional Frank Sinatra was. Do you know they dropped the song "Lady is a Tramp from these sessions and replaced it with "No One Ever Tells You" with no effect on the albums quality. "Lady is a Tramp was kept for Frank's film "Pal Joey". He could sing anything with perfect timing, beautiful diction and with the relaxed delivery of his vocals he really is the template for popular music.I could go on about "Cranky Franky' for pages so maybe it is just best to get to the music on "A Swingin' Affair"

Swing is precisely what you get with the album opener "Night and Day"a "Cole Porter" song, with the band kicking in and with Frank's delivery you will be singing along with this classic in no time."I Wish I Were in Love Again" written by "Rodgers and Hart" is relaxed with the band gradually picking up throughout with some great singing from Frank. There are fifteen swinging songs contained within this album and not a poor version is sung by Frank on any. The songs are written by some famous names in music these days, Four of the songs are written by "Cole Porter" with two from the "Gershwins" also "Hammerstein", "Rodgers and Hart" and Ellington are included and with this material Nelson Riddle produced some beautiful music for Frank's vocals. "Nice Work if You Can Get It", "Stars From Alabama", "You'd be so Nice to Come Home To", "At Long Last Love" and "I Won't Dance" are just some of the selections made for this recording. All delivered with the Sinatra panache and style at Capitol Records. Swing and more swing were the ingredients.

Essential "Chairman of the Board" and that really is what Frank was and still is. No one will ever come close with style and this album has plenty of that. Just another masterpiece for Frank Sinatra.
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