Unless, of course, you are willing to overlook his bullying, his philandering, his whining self-pity when JFK dumped on him in favour of the Republican Crosby, his involvement with Bono, the slew of bad, bad, bad movies he made across his entire career, from 'The Kissing Bandit' to 'Dirty Dingus Magee', his self-indulgence, sexism, boasting of his influence with the mob etc. etc. Oh, yes, and his mistreatment of the divine Mia Farrow.
Growing up in the 60s - trying on my mother's pantyhose as I went - I heard Frankie around the house (he would call in from time to time to sample one of her marmalade cakes), just as I did Satch or Ellington. But I was too busy listening to the Beatles, Millie, Manfred Mann etc. for him to really register. Yes, post-war, he had a very fine voice indeed. Something had happened to it, hadn't it? I also like his clothing. I just don't like the man.
I like his concept album 'Watertown'.
Well is all relative, isn't? Frank was instrumental in getting JFK elected: http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-18560_162-238980.html Later when JFK cut him off (cause of his mafia relations) Sinatra felt used, that's all.
He stood up by his friend Sammy Davis JR. after Vegas threatened to ban him for marring a white/Swedish woman Frank told them No Sammy...No rat Pack. He went out on the limb for black entertainers (he constantly championed Billie Holiday when the press had labeled her a junkie) when he clearly did not have to and let's not forget, many others stayed silent and went along with the status quo...
He stuck up for and stood by Sammy. Frank himself dealt with discrimination himself growing up.. so he knew how it felt...and it was because of him that Sammy was able to not only perform but actually eat and stay in most segregated hotels and restuarants. That's all I need to know.
From an American perspective Frank was the talented comeback kid (hey he won an Oscar for his performance in From Here To Eternity) that never forgot from where he came.
Last edited by senorservo (2012-07-02 12:27:25)
^That is all true, but it didn't stop him from telling borderline racist jokes about Sammy in his stage act.
The JFK events are interesting, as he saw himself as a kingmaker and the link between the mob and the establishment, when it all went pear shaped, the mob were planning to rub-out both Sinatra and Sammy. When JFK declined to stay at his ranch, Sinatra knew he had been snubbed and it was game over.
I love Sinatra's albums, even some of the Reprise ones when his voice was past his prime stand-up, particularly the bossa-nova inspired ones.
^Well worth checking out, 'nice 'n'n easy; a sate of relaxed nonchalance and sprezza.
He's playing at the North Sea Jazz Festival this very Sunday, I will give him ago, so long as his mob friends don't have me rubbed-out for opening my big mouth!
The problem with this kind of festival is that it's that mobbed-out you end up in the beer tent and ethnic food stalls and back again, and seeing not very much of what you planned to see. Hopefully, most of the crowd will have forgotten who Ahmed Jamal and Lee Konitz are and we will be able to get-up close. The last NSJF I went to, the most intriguing sight was some old hippy acid heads coming-up dancing like autistic-nerds to the Mahavishnu Orchestra. I always knew there was something dead wrong with jazz-fusion, and at the moment it was totally clear for the first time that this was a musical and spiritual dead-end.
Last edited by formby (2012-07-07 05:26:35)
^^^^^
With you all the way fella