FRANK SINATRA — The Capitol Years (1954-1962) 21CD BOX-SET (1998) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

While Capitol Records issued upgraded, 20-bit remastered editions of eight of Sinatra's key albums in the U.S. in 1998, EMI-U.K. put together this 21-CD box, containing every song that Sinatra authorized for release between 1953 and 1961, remastered in state-of-the-art 20-bit digital audio. Each CD contains an individual Sinatra Capitol LP (including singles compilations), but the bonus tracks from the American versions appear on a separate CD here (The Rare Sinatra), which means that some of these discs run only 30 minutes or so. What will really confuse dedicated fans is that the sound on this box is superior to the American remasters. On Songs for Young Lovers, for example, Sinatra simply sounds much closer than he does on the Capitol CD, and Swing Easy is even better. In the Wee Small Hours is very slightly more uneven, at least the title track, but everything else is superior. Songs for Swingin' Lovers is where the box really departs from the 1998 American remasters -- Sinatra sounds about twice as close, and the sound is significantly richer. A Swingin' Affair blows its American equivalent out of the water. Only the Lonely sets new heights for intimate and vivid sound, which Come Dance With Me matches -- and the U.K. box has the right version of "Day In -- Day Out," in contrast to the American disc. The enveloping, sumptuous texture of Nice 'n' Easy sets the bar still higher, and Come Swing With Me matches that standard. Sinatra's Capitol library will likely never sound better, and the only complaint lies with the packaging -- the booklet, which came with an earlier LP version of this material, is meaningless; still, it's hard to argue with anything that sounds this good.  Bruce Eder

Tracklist :
CD1. Songs For Young Lovers (1954)

CD2: Swing Easy (1954)
CD3. In The Wee Small Hours (1955)
CD4. This is Sinatra (1956)
CD5. Songs For Swingin' Lovers! (1956)
CD6. Close to you (1957)
CD7. A Swingin' Affair (1957)
CD8. Where Are You (1957)
CD9. Come Fly With Me (1958)
CD10. This is Sinatra Volume Two (1958)
CD11. Nice 'N' Easy (1960)
CD12. Come Dance With Me (1959)
CD13. No One Cares (1959)
CD14. Look To Your Heart (1959)
CD15. Only The Lonely (1958)
CD16. Come Swing With Me (1961)
CD17. All The Way (1961)
CD18. Sinatra's Swingin' Session!!! (1961)
CD19. Point Of No Return (1962)
CD20. Sinatra Sings... Of Love And Things (1962)
CD21. The Rare Sinatra (1959)
Notas
The complete CD collection of Sinatra on the Capitol label.
All discs are remastered. Discs do not have individual catalog #'s. Earlier albums in original mono.
Outer spine of discs form a Sinatra photo when placed next to each other in the box . Inner spines have the title.
Segmented lift top box with silver inlay lettering plus 20 page booklet reprinting original LP box liner notes

LOUIS ARMSTRONG – 1951-1952 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1283 (2003) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This series on the Classics label will be of great interest to collectors of classic jazz. The sessions are in chronological order and highlight alternate takes and radio broadcasts of historic jazz. 1951-19522 contains 23 tracks on a single disc including versions of "Big Butter and Egg Man," "When It's Sleepy Time Down South," "Takes Two to Tango," and " Indian Love Call." While the disc is definitely directed toward collectors, anyone with an interest in this period of jazz will also enjoy it. Al Campbell   Tracklist + Credits :

LOUIS ARMSTRONG – 1954 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1402 (2005) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This 22nd volume in Classics Records' chronological survey of the complete recordings of Louis Armstrong is a bit of a transitional one. It features Armstrong's last recordings for Decca Records, opening with a handful of studio versions of songs that were featured in the movie The Glenn Miller Story (including yet another take on "Basin Street Blues") and moves on to a pair of novelty songs, the utterly goofy "Spooks?" and a completely unnecessary rendition of Joyce Kilmer's poem "Trees" turned into a song. The miracle is that Armstrong's vocal almost -- almost -- makes "Trees" work as a legitimate song, but in the end a boat won't float if its design prevents it from doing so, and "Trees" just leaves one shaking one's head. What makes this installment worthwhile, though, is that it closes out with nine of the 11 songs that were featured on Armstrong's marvelous 1954 Louis Armstrong Plays W.C. Handy LP from Columbia Records, including fine versions of "Ole Miss," "Beale Street Blues," "Loveless Love," and what may well be the definitive version of "St. Louis Blues," which comes in at just under nine minutes in length. The remaining two tracks from the 1954 Handy sessions, "Yellow Dog Blues" and "Sing 'Em Low," will presumably open Classics' 23rd installment of Armstrong's musical biography. The only truly essential tracks here are the Handy tunes, which have been reissued by Columbia anyway, complete with a full track listing and a couple of alternate takes, so unless you're collecting the complete Classics Armstrong series, this installment isn't particularly vital, although thanks to the Handy sides, it's a solid listen. Steve Leggett   Tracklist + Credits :  

ELLA FITZGERALD – 1949 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1153 (1999) FLAC (tracks), lossless

In her live performances of 1949, Ella Fitzgerald (who turned 33 that year) often showed the influence of bebop in her phrasing and improvising. However, her studio recordings for Decca (all 21 selections that she cut that year on are on this CD) are surprisingly absent of bebop, instead alternating ballads and bluish pieces with a few swing-oriented numbers. Fitzgerald sounds typically wonderful and cheerful, but the arrangements (for the orchestras of Sy Oliver, Gordwillon Jenkins, and Sonny Burke) are often closer to middle-of-the-road pop music than to jazz. Fitzgerald sounds in fine form on such numbers as "Old Mother Hubbard," "Happy Talk," "Black Coffee," "In the Evening," and "I Hadn't Anyone Till You," imitating Louis Armstrong a bit on "Basin Street Blues." In addition, there are two numbers with Louis Jordan's Tympany Five (including "Baby It's Cold Outside") and two forgettable selections with the Mills Brothers. This CD is a real gap-filler (few of these selections are ever reissued), but not essential. Scott Yanow
Tracklist + Credits :

ELLA FITZGERALD – 1953-1954 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1404 (2005) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The 14th installment in the Classics Ella Fitzgerald chronology examines a trail of Decca recordings made between February 13, 1953, and March 30, 1954. Aside from a pair of sentimental numbers sweetened by the Ray Charles Singers, Fitzgerald spent most of the year 1953 making records with Sy Oliver's orchestra. "Somebody Bad Stole de Wedding Bell" is yet another chapter in Fitzgerald's ongoing involvement with West Indian or calypso-styled repertoire; earlier Caribbean manifestations were "Stone Cold Dead in the Market" and "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean." Ella closed out the year by recording with a string-laden orchestra led by John Scott Trotter, then famous for his work with Bing Crosby. Her next three studio sessions occurred toward the end of March 1954. The first of these involved the dreaded Gordon Jenkins string orchestra and chorus. Although few singers could have withstood the avalanche of refined white sugar represented by Jenkins and his soporific ensemble, Fitzgerald stood her ground and sounded great. At the beginning of the following week she made her second collaborative series of recordings with pianist Ellis Larkins; their first studio duets had taken place in September of 1950 (see Classics 1195). These beautiful performances benefit from the sort of professional autonomy and artistic integrity that Ella Fitzgerald would soon enjoy after ditching Decca and signing on with Norman Granz. arwulf arwulf
Tracklist :

ARTIE SHAW AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1950 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1397 (2005) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist + Credits

JUDY GARLAND – Alone (1957-1989) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Judy Garland's Alone was released in 1957. The LP was her third for Capitol Records. Garland teams up with arranger-conductor Gordon Jenkins, who adds three different backgrounds to the album: strings, orchestra alone, and orchestra with voices. Alone is a collection of tender and heartbreaking ballads centering around solitude and the blues. It is a moody album not recommended for fans of Judy Garland's more upbeat material. JT Griffith
Tracklist :
1 I Gotta Right to Sing the Blues
Harold Arlen
2 Mean to Me
Fred E. Ahlert / Roy Turk
3 Me and My Shadow
Dave Dreyer / Al Jolson
4 By Myself
Howard Dietz / Arthur Schwartz
5 Little Girl Blue
T. B. Harms / Richard Rodgers
6 Among My Souvenirs
Horatio Nicholls
7 I Get the Blues When It Rains
Marc Klauber / Harry Stoddard
8 How About Me
Irving Berlin
9 Just a Memory
10 Blue Prelude
Joe Bishop / Gordon Jenkins
11 Happy New Year
Chuck Collins
– BONUS TRACKS –
12 Then You've Never Been Blue
Credits
Conductor – Gordon Jenkins