Frank Sinatra - Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim

Multitalented Brazilian musician Jobim's talent was revealed to a larger world in 1959 by his and Luis Bonfa's score for the film Orfeu Negro (Black Orpheus) in 1959. Songs such as "A Felicidade" and "Desafinado" generated the bossa nova movement of the early '60s that inspired the likes of Stan Getz, Charlie Byrd, and Miles Davis. This 1967 album features Jobim sharing vocals with Sinatra on "The Girl from Ipanema" and "How Insensitive." Three standards--"Change Partners" by Irving Berlin; "I Concentrate on You" by Cole Porter; and Robert Wright, George Forrest, and Alexander Borodin's "Baubles, Bangles, and Beads"--round out the program of seven Jobim tunes. This is a lovely taste of Latin melody and rhythm from two masters of relaxed swing. --Stanley Booth Amazon.com essential recording

Sinatra & Jobim are like milk & honey

I bought this album (33 rom) in 1969 or 70. It always touched my heart when I needed to hear something absolutely beautiful but soothing! Now I listen to Sinatra & Jobim on a CD and still feel it is one of Sinatra's best works. There were so many really superior male and female vocalists during Sinatra's heyday but this album was a unique project for him. I recently tried to find a copy for a friend who still says he was the best, but I found it has been discontinued and is no longer available. I do depend on Amazon having what I want always, though, and found there are some used copies for sale. Wish me luck as my friend's 82nd birthday is coming and I can think of nothing she would like more, Sinatra & Jobim was a pairing made for me!!! November 8, 2008

Soft as a breeze on Corcovado

Sometimes the stars align for a recording date, and something inexplicably perfect and right and synchronous occurs. On the evidence, that appears to have happened when Frank Sinatra, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Claus Ogerman, and a small orchestra assembled one day in a recording studio to play the songs of Jobim and a few other American classic tunes given a similar "bossa nova with strings" re-working.

For virtually the entire album, the focus is on softness and controlled intensity, which is very difficult for musicians, especially vocalists and woodwinds. On this stereo remix of the four-track original tape you hear orchestra left, orchestra right (with drum kit). In the middle, slightly to the right, is Frank himself. In the middle, slightly to the left, we hear the constant syncopation of Jobim's nylon-string guitar, and his Portuguese and Portuguese-accented English vocal contributions, which contribute to the atmosphere, but do not markedly steer the spotlight from Sinatra. The instrumental and vocal tone is rich, liquid, with a sense of acoustic space around the instruments. The sound of the strings is sweet, and everything has warm, gorgeous tonal qualities.

Also, this is essentially a live-in-the-studio recording. All the musicians were playing and being recorded at the same time. Sinatra was able to truly feed off what his players were doing in the moment. I believe this adds to the holistic "rightness" of the performance. (The vocals on Corcovado have a different sonic character. This vocal just might have been an overdub recorded after the backing tracks, but I cannot say with certainty.)

The songs should be known by all lovers of the classic songbook and classic bossa nova. Ogerman's arrangements complement Frank's restrained gliding vocal lines, never calling undue attention to themselves. This is not an album that will make you want to twitch about or jump up and dance (unless it's a slow dance). This album is as distinctly American as Sinatra himself, at the same time incorporating the classic elements of bossa nova, even down to the "happy sadness" of the mood. In other words, the sadness of a song is presented with the lightest touch. That girl from Ipanema, "she just doesn't see, she doesn't see me." But it's a line that makes you smile, thinking that the guy will just sigh and shrug it off, not veer into obsession or depression.

Picture yourself on a beach, under the shade of a palm. You have a cool drink. Temperature is a perfect 75. The gentlest of breezes kiss the shore. And this short Sinatra-Jobim album is the soundtrack best fitting that scene. At 28 minutes, it is too short. But would you rather have 50 minutes of mediocre? Or 28 minutes of Sinatra-Jobim perfection? October 7, 2008

Wow!

I heard these on the reprise box set. These are outstanding! An incredible collection. Classics. Sinatra and Jobim is a match made in heaven, and this is a subtly outstanding collection! Wow! August 31, 2008

Francis Albert Sinatra and Antonio Carlos Jobim

What a combination! Smooth Frankie and the romantic latin of Jobim. Meltingly romantic as well as elegant, sophisticated and seductive. Just add champagne, candlelight and a loved one. February 18, 2008

Fashionable for the sixties.. dreary for the oughties

I bought this record in the sixties when I thought Sinatra could do no wrong. I hadn't heard it for decades until I bought the cd fron Amazon- big mistake! The older I get, the more I realise Sinatra's best recording years by far were at Capitol. Even if the song or arrangement were second rate, you still got the honey dripping warmth in The Voice. This is a prime example of FS in the sixties- floundering about, not certain of his material in the face of rock and roll. These were the years of recording Rod Mckuen, Winchester Cathedral,Watertown etc. ending with the execrable Duets. The man couldn't not record and subsequently we have lots of records with a much diminished voice. The Jobim albums are badly dated- his whispering voice has no distinguishing qualities and the arrangments are horrible(excepting the three non-Jobim tracks). On some tracks,Ogerman has the orchestra just stop playing. No drama, no Riddle-esque style. Apart from Ring a Ding Ding, Sinatra and Strings (far and away his best Reprise album), Concert Sinatra, the first Basie album and Sinatra and Swingin' Brass, nothing else is worth buying from his Reprise years, and the Jobim effort is among the worst. January 28, 2008

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