Track Listing

1. Goody Goody
2. They Can't Take That Away from Me
3. At Long Last Love
4. I'm Beginning to See the Light
5. Don'cha Go 'Way Mad
6. I Get a Kick Out of You
7. Tangerine
8. Love Is Just Around the Corner
9. Ain't She Sweet
10. Serenade in Blue
11. I Love You
12. Pick Yourself Up

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #93716 in Music
• Released on: 1998-09-08
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered

Amazon.com
This 1962 album was arranged and conducted by Neil Hefti, and the biff-bang-pow nature of the music will come as no surprise to those who recall that Hefti also scored the Batman TV series. In truth, the record is far more rambunctious than it needs to be. An arrogant-sounding Sinatra teams up with a relentless horn section to bulldoze their way through the likes of "I Get a Kick Out of You," "They Can't Take That Away From Me," and "Tangerine;" it's fun, but only in a clenched-teeth sort of way. As a bonus track, the CD includes the gruesome novelty "Everybody's Twistin'," which is really more of a sociological artifact than an actual "bonus." --Dan Epstein

Customer Reviews

Sinatra and Hefti's One-Off
Sinatra and Swingin' Brass has its moments -- Hefti was known for upbeat, feisty arrangements (his Atomic Basie album, arranged for/performed by Count Basie, is excellent) -- and if you enjoy the faster, hipper style of the early 1960s this album is very satisfying.

Apart from 'Goody Goody', which was an old Big Band era song that wasn't so great even back then, most of the songs are solid Sinatra material -- many are remakes. 'I Get A Kick Out of You' appeared on the classic Songs For Young Lovers album of 1953, 'At Long Last Love' and 'They Can't Take That Away from Me' are also remade, but with new arrangements these are like old friends with a new angle. The risk with remaking Sinatra songs (such as 'You Brought a New Kind of Love to Me' on the original CD release) is that the originals were usually definitive and defy improvement. Hefti's brass arrangements make up in excitement what they lack in subtlety, but it's a different experience.

'Tangerine' and 'Love is Just Around the Corner' are new on this album (for FS) and work perfectly with the Hefti approach, as does 'Pick Yourself Up'. 'At Long Last Love' is nicely updated.

On the original CD release, Reprise included 'Everybody's Twistin' -- an embarassment -- as well as 'Nothing But the Best' and 'You Brought a New Kind of Love to Me', these last two tracks worthy of a listen. I have not traded my original CD for the remastered release because of this, but either way Sinatra and Swingin' Brass is a fast romp, Sinatra's closest effort to a jazz album. Recommended.

fine album that proves why he was The Chairman...
Sinatra and Swingin' Brass may have a few critics out there but I for one enjoyed this album immensely. Franks sings very well on this CD and just one listen proves it amply! The quality of the sound is excellent and the artwork reflects very good judgment and forethought. This is a must-have CD for Frank Sinatra fans.

"Goody, Goody" features a strong performance from The Chairman Of The Board; he handles this like the champ he always was and that impresses me. Frank's rendition plays with the melody somewhat to make this piece his own; there are a few good key and tempo changes to make this number sound fresh and new as well. Great! "They Can't Take That Away From Me" has Frank singing so well; he singing joyously of the thrills of true love and this makes Frank's rendition THE definitive rendition of this classic ballad. Frank's voice never sounded better, either! There's also "At Long Last Love;" "At Long Last Love" has a swell brass section and the percussion marks the beat in the background as Frank belts this one straight out of the ballpark!

"I'm Beginning To See The Light" was always one of my favorite classic pop songs; and I absolutely love Frank's interpretation of this ballad. The orchestral accompaniment fits in perfectly with Frank's vocals and he delivers this way beyond my expectations--even for him! "I'm Beginning To See The Light" is clearly a major highlight of this CD.

"I Get A Kick Out Of You" showcases Frank front and center--and that's great in my book! Frank sings this as he swings brightly to make this number his own. The tempo changes enhance the beauty of this tune and that brass section again complements Frank's singing very well. "I Get A Kick Out Of You" is another major highlight of this album. "Tangerine" is another one of my favorite tunes; Frank gives this his all and he delivers this with heart and soul--beautiful! "Tangerine" is one of those numbers that make people worship Frank for his excellent vocal talents. There's no wonder as to why!

"Ain't She Sweet?" has Frank doing a fine cover of this very old song; but he delivers it with panache and all the elegance of a finely tuned singer and recording artist. "Ain't She Sweet?" is a cute number; and "I Love You" gets a royal treatment from Frank who makes this sound like "the song of songs;" I'm sure you'll like this one very much. The album also ends very strong with Sinatra singing "Pick Yourself Up;" "Pick Yourself Up" is a splendid classic number that Frank makes timeless with his treatment of it and the brass section along with the rest of the band work wonders for this ballad.

Frank Sinatra sang so beautifully I don't know if we'll ever see another male singer quite like him ever again. This album is terrific for his fans and it makes a sine starter CD for newcomers to Frank's artistry. I also recommend this CD for people who enjoy classic pop vocals.

Thank you, Frank! We will never forget you!

An album beyond rating by the underrated one.
I know that calling Sinatra "underrated" may surprise some, but until the man reached 80 I found Sinatra haters more the rule than the exception. Didn't matter if they were Beatles contemporaries such as myself, Sinatra contemporaries and members of Brokaw's greatest generation, self-proclaimed classical music and opera experts, or in some cases fans of Broadway and the Great American Songbook who viewed Sinatra as some sort of vulgar "deviation." All I remember is years of arguing about and defending the musician and artist who was not only the supreme pop culture entertainer of the 20th century but the last interpreter, in fact, of the "repertory" of Porter, Berlin, Kern, Gershwin, Rodgers&Hart/Hammerstein, Arlen, Van Heusen, Styne, Young to a mass popular audience. If any further evidence of Sinatra's underappreciated artistry is needed, it's the fact that his 2 worst albums--Duets I and II--were his biggest sellers ever.

So enormous is Sinatra's artistry and recorded ouevre that it's all too easy to overlook this rarely mentioned title. It's one of his best. No special surprises--just scintillating, felicitous, inspired Sinatra all the way. He's more tenor than baritone on this album. In fact, I detect a playful, "boyish" quality in his melodic alterations as well as the timbre of his voice that's not present on the other early Reprise sessions.

Listen to "Love Is Just Around the Corner" and the "twinkle in his throat" at "when I'm around you." Or compare this version of "Serenade in Blue" to the more perfunctory version on "I Remember Tommy." And what better moment for Sinatra to pull out, let alone pull off, a perfectly charming version of a potentially lethal period piece, "Ain't She Sweet?"

But my favorite selection on the whole album is "Don'Cha Go 'Way Mad" which, despite tricky arpeggiated chords moving up chromatically, is executed with such finesse you almost forget to mention that the album also contains "the" definitive recorded version of "I Get a Kick Out of You." Sinatra's legacy is so overwhelming that underestimating or overlooking parts of it is probably forgivable and should be viewed, in fact, as a compliment to the man's towering genius.