Frank Sinatra 1953-09-??
NBC Studios - "To Be Perfectly Frank", Hollywood, CA
Set 1
This Love of Mine
Someone to Watch over Me
Blue Moon
Try a Little Tenderness
Autumn in New York
As Time Goes By
The Most Blues
You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To
Love Is Here to Stay
September Song
My Funny Valentine
I've Got a Crush on You
She's Funny That Way
Everything Happens to Me
Where or When
I've Got the World on a String
If I Had You
Should I?
Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams (And Dream Your Troubles Away)
Love Is Just Around the Corner
My Blue Heaven
Just One of Those Things
The One I Love (Belongs to Somebody Else)
An 18 Karat Girl
It All Depends on You
They Can't Take That Away from Me
It's Only a Paper Moon
S'posin'
I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm
All of Me
I Can't Believe That You're in Love With Me
You Do Something to Me
That Old Black Magic
Someone to Watch over Me
Blue Moon
Try a Little Tenderness
Autumn in New York
As Time Goes By
The Most Blues
You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To
Love Is Here to Stay
September Song
My Funny Valentine
I've Got a Crush on You
She's Funny That Way
Everything Happens to Me
Where or When
I've Got the World on a String
If I Had You
Should I?
Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams (And Dream Your Troubles Away)
Love Is Just Around the Corner
My Blue Heaven
Just One of Those Things
The One I Love (Belongs to Somebody Else)
An 18 Karat Girl
It All Depends on You
They Can't Take That Away from Me
It's Only a Paper Moon
S'posin'
I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm
All of Me
I Can't Believe That You're in Love With Me
You Do Something to Me
That Old Black Magic
Set 2
This Can't Be Love
Nevertheless
What Can I Say After I Say I'm Sorry
Hello, Young Lovers
Love Me Or Leave Me
I'll String Along With You
You Took Advantage Of Me
Just You, Just Me
Let's Fall In Love
Them There Eyes
Come Rain Or Come Shine
Somebody Loves Me
I'm In The Mood For Love
On The Sunnyside Of The Street
S'wonderful
Under A Blanket Of Blue
I Don't Know Why
Sometimes I'm Happy
Don'T Blame Me
Thou Swell
I'm Confessin'
Out of Nowhere
One Hundred Years From Today
Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea
Tenderly
You Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby
Taking a Chance on Love
Hands Across The Table
What Is This Thing Called Love
If I Could Be With You
Night and Day
Nevertheless
What Can I Say After I Say I'm Sorry
Hello, Young Lovers
Love Me Or Leave Me
I'll String Along With You
You Took Advantage Of Me
Just You, Just Me
Let's Fall In Love
Them There Eyes
Come Rain Or Come Shine
Somebody Loves Me
I'm In The Mood For Love
On The Sunnyside Of The Street
S'wonderful
Under A Blanket Of Blue
I Don't Know Why
Sometimes I'm Happy
Don'T Blame Me
Thou Swell
I'm Confessin'
Out of Nowhere
One Hundred Years From Today
Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea
Tenderly
You Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby
Taking a Chance on Love
Hands Across The Table
What Is This Thing Called Love
If I Could Be With You
Night and Day
Set 3
Comment
1 - FS AFTER HOURS, WITH BILL MILLER AT THE PIANO
2 - TO BE PERFECTLY FRANK
Sinatra is on fire in TO BE PERFECTLY FRANK, a 15-minute program that aired
on NBC radio Tuesday and Friday nights from 8:15 to 8:30 p.m. The 70
episodes ran 35 weeks from November 3, 1953 to July 2, 1954. It was entirely
pre-recorded at NBC in Hollywood. The program opened (and closed) with the
theme "Walking and Whistlin' Blues" by Les Paul followed by announcer Eddie
King's introduction (and closing). Sinatra serves as DJ, introducing popular
hits (mostly Capitol records) and concluding each episode with one or perhaps
two of his own performances recorded at NBC specifically for the program.
Why are these songs a milestone in Sinatra's career? Several reasons. Fans
have always wanted to hear Sinatra front a small jazz combo. Well, this is
it. Two-thirds of the 60+ songs were recorded with "The Sinatra Symphonette"
a quintet consisting of piano, drums, bass, guitar, and reeds / flute.
Sinatra sings the other third of the songs with only Bill Miller's piano
for accompaniment. Sinatra serves as his own arranger with some of the
tightest, snappiest arrangements in his ouevre. The program allows Sinatra
to experiment with vocal styles and arrangements and to nail songs he never
got to do right at Columbia. The number of recording sessions at NBC have
not been documented, but there appears to be at least three to four sessions
which occur in-between the sessions for SONGS FOR YOUNG LOVERS (1953) and
IN THE WEE SMALL HOURS (1955) down the street at Capitol Records. The
elastic baritone you hear on those defining masterpieces is the same voice
you hear on TO BE PERFECTLY FRANK. These lost songs reveal Sinatra as the
brilliant, innovative jazz vocalist his fans always suspected he could be.
In addition to Bill Miller, other musicians may have been:
Piano: Graham Forbes
Drums: Johnny Blowers, Alvin Stoller
Bass: John Ryan, Joe Comfort
Guitar: Tony Mattola, Alan Reuss
Reeds and Flute: Sonny Salad, Abe Most
Among the 60-plus songs are over two dozen that he never recorded before or
after in the studio, including amazing versions of standards like -- This
Can't Be Love, Love Me Or Leave Me, I'll String Along With You, You Took
Advantage Of Me, Just You Just Me, Them There Eyes, Somebody Loves Me, I'm
In The Mood For Love, S'Wonderful, Under A Blanket Of Blue, Sometimes I'm
Happy, Don't Blame Me, Thou Swell, I'm Confessin', Out Of Nowhere, Between
The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea, Tenderly, You Must Have Been A Beautiful
Baby, Hands Across The Table, and If I Could Be With You. A personal
favorite of mine is "Love Is Here To Stay" with Sinatra fronting the rhythm
section and a celeste. Some of the up-tempo numbers he would soon re-record
at Capitol for the "swing" albums and would become his biggest hits, but
these earlier versions are different, and just as memorable.
The Armed Forces Radio Network received TO BE PERFECTLY FRANK on
transcription platters for airplay overseas, where they would be played for
years to come. These platters are probably the source of the surviving
episodes that circulate among collectors. Songs from the episodes have never
been restored nor officially released, but were pressed on first vinyl
and then CD by public domain labels. Today the platters are impossible to
obtain and the P.D.'s are oop, extremely scarce, and pricey if you find them.
Most of the songs recorded for TO BE PERFECTLY FRANK are preserved here in
clear, bright sound. Sinatraphiles consider these songs among Sinatra's finest
performances, period. Persistent demand over the decades by fans and industry-
pros alike for an official release has met with stony silence.
2 - TO BE PERFECTLY FRANK
Sinatra is on fire in TO BE PERFECTLY FRANK, a 15-minute program that aired
on NBC radio Tuesday and Friday nights from 8:15 to 8:30 p.m. The 70
episodes ran 35 weeks from November 3, 1953 to July 2, 1954. It was entirely
pre-recorded at NBC in Hollywood. The program opened (and closed) with the
theme "Walking and Whistlin' Blues" by Les Paul followed by announcer Eddie
King's introduction (and closing). Sinatra serves as DJ, introducing popular
hits (mostly Capitol records) and concluding each episode with one or perhaps
two of his own performances recorded at NBC specifically for the program.
Why are these songs a milestone in Sinatra's career? Several reasons. Fans
have always wanted to hear Sinatra front a small jazz combo. Well, this is
it. Two-thirds of the 60+ songs were recorded with "The Sinatra Symphonette"
a quintet consisting of piano, drums, bass, guitar, and reeds / flute.
Sinatra sings the other third of the songs with only Bill Miller's piano
for accompaniment. Sinatra serves as his own arranger with some of the
tightest, snappiest arrangements in his ouevre. The program allows Sinatra
to experiment with vocal styles and arrangements and to nail songs he never
got to do right at Columbia. The number of recording sessions at NBC have
not been documented, but there appears to be at least three to four sessions
which occur in-between the sessions for SONGS FOR YOUNG LOVERS (1953) and
IN THE WEE SMALL HOURS (1955) down the street at Capitol Records. The
elastic baritone you hear on those defining masterpieces is the same voice
you hear on TO BE PERFECTLY FRANK. These lost songs reveal Sinatra as the
brilliant, innovative jazz vocalist his fans always suspected he could be.
In addition to Bill Miller, other musicians may have been:
Piano: Graham Forbes
Drums: Johnny Blowers, Alvin Stoller
Bass: John Ryan, Joe Comfort
Guitar: Tony Mattola, Alan Reuss
Reeds and Flute: Sonny Salad, Abe Most
Among the 60-plus songs are over two dozen that he never recorded before or
after in the studio, including amazing versions of standards like -- This
Can't Be Love, Love Me Or Leave Me, I'll String Along With You, You Took
Advantage Of Me, Just You Just Me, Them There Eyes, Somebody Loves Me, I'm
In The Mood For Love, S'Wonderful, Under A Blanket Of Blue, Sometimes I'm
Happy, Don't Blame Me, Thou Swell, I'm Confessin', Out Of Nowhere, Between
The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea, Tenderly, You Must Have Been A Beautiful
Baby, Hands Across The Table, and If I Could Be With You. A personal
favorite of mine is "Love Is Here To Stay" with Sinatra fronting the rhythm
section and a celeste. Some of the up-tempo numbers he would soon re-record
at Capitol for the "swing" albums and would become his biggest hits, but
these earlier versions are different, and just as memorable.
The Armed Forces Radio Network received TO BE PERFECTLY FRANK on
transcription platters for airplay overseas, where they would be played for
years to come. These platters are probably the source of the surviving
episodes that circulate among collectors. Songs from the episodes have never
been restored nor officially released, but were pressed on first vinyl
and then CD by public domain labels. Today the platters are impossible to
obtain and the P.D.'s are oop, extremely scarce, and pricey if you find them.
Most of the songs recorded for TO BE PERFECTLY FRANK are preserved here in
clear, bright sound. Sinatraphiles consider these songs among Sinatra's finest
performances, period. Persistent demand over the decades by fans and industry-
pros alike for an official release has met with stony silence.
Sources
| SHNID | Date | Venue | City | State | Archive Identifier |
|---|
Created At
Wed Dec 02 2009 14:09:30 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
Updated At
Mon Nov 30 2009 00:40:23 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
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