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

ANTONIO CARLOS JOBIM - The Wonderful World Of Antonio Carlos Jobim (1965-2002) RM / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Unlike his debut, Jobim's second LP for the American market was strictly a pop album, with the composer himself singing, while the arranging/conducting chores were placed in the capable hands of Nelson Riddle. What promises to be an excellent collaboration, however, doesn't quite turn out, and the results are much more bland than could be expected from such distinct talents. To begin with, Riddle's charts are surprisingly safe, quite a disappointment from the man whose work with Frank Sinatra raised the bar for the art of arranging. Jobim's contributions are less than expected also, limited for the most part to his quavering vocals (Warner Bros. seems to have been positioning him as a pop star) and a set of compositions inferior to his first album (only "Agua de Beber" is repeated here). Jobim's is the voice of a composer, though, and what he lacks in tonal quality and strength he does make up for with delivery and subtlety of interpretation, especially on contemplative material like "Dindi" and "A Felicidade." It's not all Brazilian ennui; the instrumental "Surfboard" has a playful edge, with a rush of strings bringing on the collapse of each wave, and "She's a Carioca" (with English lyrics by Ray Gilbert) is a cheerful sequel to "The Girl From Ipanema."  by John Bush  
Tracklist:
1    She's a Carioca 2:38
Ray Gilbert / Antônio Carlos Jobim / Vinícius de Moraes
2    Agua de Beber 2:29
Antônio Carlos Jobim
3    Surfboard 2:24
Antônio Carlos Jobim
4    Useless Landscape 2:18
Ray Gilbert / Antônio Carlos Jobim / Aloysio Oliveira
5    So' Tinha de Ser Com Você 2:29
Antônio Carlos Jobim / Aloysio Oliveira
6    A Felicidade 2:07
Antônio Carlos Jobim / Vinícius de Moraes
7    Bonita 2:09
Ray Gilbert / Antônio Carlos Jobim        
8    Favela 2:37
Antônio Carlos Jobim / Vinícius de Moraes
9    Valsa de Pôrto das Caixas
Antônio Carlos Jobim
10    Samba Do Aviâo 2:13
Antônio Carlos Jobim
11    Por Toda a Minha Vida 1:51
Antônio Carlos Jobim / Vinícius de Moraes
12    Dindi 2:35
Ray Gilbert / Antônio Carlos Jobim / Aloysio Oliveira
Credits:
Arranged By, Conductor – Nelson Riddle
Dom Um Romão – Drums
Antônio Carlos Jobim – Composer, Main Personnel, Performer

KEELY SMITH - Little Girl Blue / Little Girl New (1963-2017) 24bits-96hz / FLAC (tracks), lossless

Following her split with husband and creative partner Louis Prima, vocalist Keely Smith signed with Frank Sinatra's Reprise Records for a series of finely curated and well-received albums designed to showcase her voice and relaunch her career. The first of these, 1963's Little Girl Blue/Little Girl New, featured arrangements by Sinatra's longtime collaborator, the illustrious Nelson Riddle, and was conceptualized in two parts with Side A, "Little Girl Blue," featuring ballads and Side B, "Little Girl New," focusing on more upbeat numbers. The result was a tour de force of an album that presented Smith as the solo star she deserved to be -- and which Sinatra had known she could be for many years prior. Thankfully, as per all of Sinatra's Reprise contracts, the artists kept the rights to the master recordings, which is where they remained until Smith struck her own deal with Real Gone Music for a series of reissues, including this 2017 expanded edition of Little Girl Blue/Little Girl New. Though she had recorded solo albums for Dot during her years with Prima, she had been somewhat overshadowed by the kitschy, flamboyant tone (and Grammy-winning success) of their performances, which often found her playing the cheeky straight man to her trumpeter husband's swing-era clown. Afforded far greater freedom on Sinatra's label, she was presented on Little Girl Blue/Little Girl New as an urbanely sophisticated hipster and a clarion diva in the mold of such similarly inclined contemporaries as June Christy, Anita O'Day, and Kay Starr. Cuts like her yearning take on "Here's That Rainy Day" and her languorously sensual reading of "I'll Never Be the Same Again" reveal her as a mature and knowing performer in contrast to the lighter, more comedic tone of her work with Prima. That said, she can still knock 'em dead as she does on the latter half of the album, her highly resonant voice slicing through uptempo swinger's like "I'm Gonna Live 'til I Die" and "I've Got a Lot of Livin' to Do." Ultimately, listening to Smith and her pointed yet dusky, golden-toned voice pouring out of Riddle's shimmering, sky-blue arrangements, one can easily see why Sinatra jumped at the chance to work with her.  by Matt Collar  
Tracklist:
1 Little Girl Blue  3:56
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
2      Here's That Rainy Day  3:20
Johnny Burke / James Van Heusen
3 Gone With the Wind  3:13
Herbert Magidson / Allie Wrubel
4 Willow Weep for Me  3:51
Ann Ronell
5 I'll Never Be the Same  3:09
Gus Kahn / Matty Malneck
6 Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out to Dry  2:57
Gus Kahn / Jule Styne
 7 I'm Gonna Live Till I Die  2:16
Al Hoffman / Walter Kent
8 It's Good to Be Alive  2:38
Bob Merrill
9 A Lot of Livin' to Do  2:15
Lee Adams / Charles Strouse
10 Once in a Lifetime  2:44
Leslie Bricusse / Anthony Newley
11 New Sun in the Sky  1:43
Howard Dietz / Arthur Schwartz
12 Blue Skies  2:27
Irving Berlin
13 Going Through the Motions  3:00
Bob Brass / Al Kooper / Al Levine / Irwin Levine
14 When You Cry  3:06
Ray Allen / Wandra Merrell
Credits
Arranged & Conductor – Nelson Riddle

 

NELSON RIDDLE - Sea of Dreams [1958] Capitol / LP / US [24-96] FLAC

Riddle was known as one of the best arranger for singers, and backed many of Capitol's vocalists, including Margaret Whiting, Dean Martin, Peggy Lee, and Frank Sinatra on his swinging albums ("Songs for Swingin' Lovers," "A Swingin' Affair," "Sinatra's Swing' Session") and others. Sinatra said, "Nelson had a fresh approach to orchestration and I made myself fit into what he was doing." Many consider these albums each man's best work. Riddle's own recordings from this period aimed for the same audience as Jackie Gleason, and other "mood music" artists, with titles like "Love Tide," "Sea of Dreams," and "Hey, Let Yourself Go."

♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪

1. Out Of The Night

2. My Isle Of Golden Dreams

3. Tangi Tahiti

4. Dream

5. There's No You

6. Drifting And Dreaming

7. Easter Isle

8. Let's Fall In Love

9. Polka Dots And Moonbeams

10. Put Your Dreams Away (For Another Day)

11. Autumn Leaves

12. Sea Of Dreams

NELSON RIDDLE - Sea of Dreams 

[1958] Capitol / LP / US [24bit-96khz] FLAC / scans

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