Normally around this time of the year I draw up a list of 10 albums I bought during the year that made an impression on me. This year I’m doing something slightly different due to the fact that I bought a box-set that contains 37 albums and 1 DVD.
As you can see from the photo, it’s The Frank Sinatra Collection from the Reprise Records collection. Reprise Records was a record label set up by Frank himself. He wanted to have total control over his own recording career and he also wanted to offer other artists a safe place to record. Some of his first signing were his pal Dean Martin and early influence Bing Crosby. Later additions were Jo Stafford (he sang with her during his Tommy Dorsey days) and Duke Ellington.
This is a fabulous collection and one I’ve wanted to get my hands on for quite a while now. It starts with the “Ring-A-Ding-Ding” album and ends with “L.A. Is My Lady”, produced by Quincy Jones. It’s quite a musical journey, from the swinging Ring-A-Ding-Ding to the more sombre September Of My Years, from the concept Watertown album to the more-experimental Trilogy album. Say what you like about ol’ blue eyes but he certainly covered a lot of ground musically throughout his career.
It would be impossible to post just one track to represent the complete collection so instead I’ll link to a well-known hit but also a life motto – That’s Life