Seriously FrankCelebrating the 100th Birthday of Frank Sinatra.
Arranged and conducted by Patrick Williams.
Also with Dave Grusin on piano

Track listings:

1. Teach Me Tonight
2. Please Be Kind
3. For Once In My Life
4. The Best Is Yet To Come
5. I Guess I’ll Hang My Tears Out To Dry
6. Drinking Again
7. Only The Lonely
8. That’s Life
9. When The World Was Young
10. The Lady Is A Tramp
11. It Was A Very Good Year
12. All Or Nothing At All
13. The Singer – Epilogue

Album Info:

Seriously Frank: two simple words that aptly describe this new album from Jack Jones. December 12th marks the one hundredth anniversary of the birth of Francis Albert Sinatra, and through its release, Jack celebrates the life of a man whom he not only deeply admired, but with whom he developed a close and long-lasting friendship.

The program Jack presents to us on this recording, comprises a collection of songs, selected by him, which he feels accurately reflect the life, times, and career of Frank Sinatra. All thirteen tracks were brilliantly arranged by acclaimed musician and composer Patrick Williams, and they so perfectly fit the inimitable Jones-style. A long-time wish of Jack’s has been for a working reunion with Patrick – a dream now fulfilled through the creation of this album.

Listen to the fingers that dance so nimbly across the keys. They belong to Academy and Grammy Award winner Dave Grusin of whom Jack says: “Dave is so perceptive. He just knows when I am going to breathe or hold a phrase over into the next bar. It’s what it must be like to accompany yourself. Together we make good music.” And so they do!

Backed by a superb twenty-two piece band – a welcome step back in time for some, a new experience for others –- Jack commences with two Sammy Cahn songs: the powerful Teach Me Tonight and Please Be Kind, and takes us on a journey through the Sinatra Era. We pause for the shoulder-shrugging That’s Life, wiping away a tear or two at the oh-so-melancholy lyric by Johnny Mercer, When the World Was Young, and finally arriving at the touching ‘It Was a Very Good Year. ‘
By subtly changing that song’s message from the first to the third person, i.e. substituting He for its original I, Jack in essence transforms Ervin Drake’s lyrics into a very moving Ballad of Frank.’The album is capped by All Or Nothing At All, Sinatra’s philosophy.
For the program’s epilogue, Jack delivers a soulful and very reflective ‘The Singer.’ Originally composed by Vincent Falcone and Joe Cocuzzo, as a Sinatra eulogy, Jack feels that the song’s penetrating lyrics fully epitomize the person he knew and much admired: Frank; – the man, the singer.

Lovers of the big-band era, and Sinatra aficionados in particular, will no doubt be very familiar with the songs in this album. But their presentation here will provide
a completely new experience. Jack Jones, an artist who creates, as distinct from the painter who simply fills in the blocks or colors by numbers, has consistently proven himself to be a master at seeing beyond the composer’s notes and lyrics. Thus he discovers and interprets the real message behind each composition, subsequently revealing all to his audience.

Jack Jones, born in Hollywood, California, formed an association and long-standing relationship with the entire Sinatra family through his friendship with fellow high-school student Nancy Sinatra. The meeting with her father turned out to be a defining moment as he pondered his future.
His singing career blossomed, and – establishing a reputation for unique and very personal song interpretations — he swiftly rose to the top, cementing his place amongst the greatest singers of our time.
Along the way Jack collected two Grammy Awards and five Grammy Nominations.
From his peers, such compliments as “A Singer’s Singer” and “He pours his heart into every song – there is an obvious joy in every performance” are commonplace.
But two accolades remain very dear to his heart:

From Frank Sr.:

‘’One of the major singers of our time.”

And from son, Frank Jr:

‘’He has the best voice, and the best use of that voice. Jack is probably the best of us.”

Enough said – enjoy!

ALAN LONDON

Credits:

Engineer: Al Schmitt
Executive Producer: Paul Lowden
Producer: Jack Jones
Cover Design: Jorg Dubin
Concept: Eleonora Jones & Jack Jones
Cover Photo: Ed Foster
Mixdowns: Jack Jones

Cavalry Productions in association with Aspen Records

Arranged and conducted by Patrick Williams.

The Players, through the courtesy of Joe Soldo:
Piano: Dave Grusin
Bass: Kevin Axt
Drums: Gregg Field
Guitar: Dean Parks
French Horns: Jim Atkinson, Paul Klintworth, Danielle Ondarza, Dillon Hart
Tuba: Fred Green
1st Alto Sax: Dan Higgins
Alto Sax: Don Shelton
Tenor Sax: Bob Sheppard
Tenor Sax: Jeff Driskill
Baritone Sax: Gene Cipriano
Trumpets: Wayne Bergeron, Don Fornero, Mike Stever, Gary Grant
Trombones: Charlie Loper, Andy Martin, Bob McChesnew, Craig Gosnell

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Merchandising links:

Also available for download on iTunes!