Search - Frank Sinatra :: Man & His Music

Sentimental, Supplemental Sinatra Scrapbook

Anthony G Pizza | FL | 03/06/2000

(3 out of 5 stars)

"At first glance, "A Man and His Music" would seem a Sinatra vanity project: released for his 50th birthday: his best known songs chronologically, his (allegedly) self-serving comments on them. Thankfully, this is not the case. This 2CD set won't stand with essential Sinatra, but it's a retrospective on his unique personality and the music poured through it. His comments, heavy on hipster lingo, thank the right people: "my best friend in heaven, (arranger) Axel Stordahl," Tommy Dorsey ("He could blow for a week on one tank of air") the disc jockeys who "give me a spin in Beatleland," the musical "dreamers and doers," to which Frank asks, "Why don't I take you all out for a pizza lunch sometime?" And the USA itself, which "lets me sing for my supper and pays me for the food I eat," as an introduction to "The House I Live In."Parts of the Sinatra mystique are revealed that you rarely (commercially) get: snippets from his Oscar-winning "From Here To Eternity," and from his "Rat Pack" concerts with Sammy & Dino. Sinatra was still near prime voice in 1965, so his remakes either outdo ("Witchcraft," most of the early Dorsey and Columbia material) or fall just under ("Wee Small Hours" here lacks the original's stark drama). And the early Reprise hits are here, too, including the (then) new "September of My Years." While that album treated advancing age wistfully with touches of regret, "A Man And His Music" cheerfully shares a scrapbook of musical memories and some of their inspirations. Recommended as part of, but not first among, a Sinatra collection."

Quite Possibly The Finest Sinatra Compilation.

Anthony Nasti | Staten Island, New York United States | 07/09/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

""A Man And His Music" was originally released as a 2 lp set in 1965 to commemorate Frank Sinatra's 50th birthday, and was transferred onto CD around 1990. It is a collection that is unique for several reasons. For starters, it featured (then) new recordings of Sinatra classics dating as far back as the Tommy Dorsey days, but more importantly, the cd was narrated by Frank himself, navigating us through the first 30 years.



For that latter reason alone, "A Man And His Music" may well be the finest Sinatra compilation on the market. Frank clearly enjoys telling the tale of his long and happy career, paying tribute to the many great arrangers, composers and musicians who got him where is as well as many times over thanking his fans who were always there with him. The setting is so relaxed and intimate that are times when you feel Frank is actually in the room with you, talking to you personally.



The song selection is far from concise, but offers a solid cross section of each period of Frank's career. As mentioned, the majority of the songs here are re-recordings of his Capitol and Columbia material (the excpetions being the Vegas bits and the songs originally done at Reprise). However, considering Frank's voice was still in fine shape at this point, most of the songs equal or better the originals. This can be said especially for the Dorsey / Columbia material and the pumped up versions of "Come Fly With Me", "(How Little It Matters) How Little We Know" and "Witchcraft".



The Vegas bit "The Summit", with Frank, Dean and Sammy clowning around is hilarious, while the performance the "Guys And Doll" number with Dino and Bing Crosby is a treat.



While it may not be the concise or complete Frank collection, "A Man And His Music" is an absolute must because of its historical value and the fact that you get to hear the Frank Sinatra story as told by the man who knows it best."

High quality High class

Peter Ingemi | Worcester County, Massachusetts United States | 12/21/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"In addititon to many Sinatra classics we get a bit of backround, (from Sinatra's perspective of course)on his career.The songs are all of high quality and the little bit of comedy with Davis and Martin make it even better.This isn't likely the best Sinatra collection but it is my favorite and in my opinion the one to start with."