Sinatra - Jobim Complete Reprise Recordings

For people who think we're complaining too much, I'd be willing to bet that there's a remarkable improvement in the next Concord re-issue (September) as a result of this extensive tirade.

 

Ironically the industry is responsible for that. People, used to inferior vinyl playback, radio static and hissy tape etc, never cared about that until basically advised by the industry to listen for it; promotional copy seeking to justify the then-premium-priced CD to the wary public in the early days made a point of its lack of "hiss" and noises as a key indicator of its superior quality. Then that "information" circulated around some of the public with the usual effects. No surprise if some took it to mean that if you heard noise the disc was inferior or defective and they should get their money back. But they're few and it is believed most folks simply didn't and don't care about sound as audiophiles are constantly reminded; for most it would be better for their involvement and thus possible further sales to present the greater musical vitality of sound. Since noise reduction and such processing compromises that vitality of sound, that line of logic does seem to indicate that it is preferable not to use it on professional recordings of music.

 

Can we talk about the cover of Sinatra/Jobim?

I did not realize that in essence this cover was, to borrow a modern phrase, photo-shopped. Is or was there a logic behind FS leaning against a bus...then moving said bus into the jungle?

As the first FAS/ACJ album cover reeks class, the 1969 cover simply reeks.

 

You do realize that's not the cover of the new release? This image disappeared with the old thread, but it's very classy:

​

 

No...the original, planned 1969 release.

The new cover is beyond incredible.

I first saw the 1969 cover in the book "The Sinatra Treasures" and thought it odd but didn't know much of the backstory.

 

I doubt that would have anything to do with it. I'll bet they are already mixed, remastered, pressed, packaged and ready for the release date.

 

I was looking at the untouched photo yesterday and wondered how that picture even came about. "Hey Frank, let's get one of you behind this Greyhound we got parked out here...oh don't worry about this guy walking by, we'll crop him out and throw in some...rainforest or something." Maybe the scenery was supposed to suggest Brazil, but the bus?

(Actually I like that cover -- just can't figure it out.)

 

Poster-size worthy for framing.

 

Bob, I think you might know this. Was the bus shot a part of the same Ed Thrasher photo shoot used for the My Way cover?

 

I think it's safe to say that they just don't care what a small percentage of buyers think.

If you really want to make your voice heard, return your copy of the CD to where you bought it, and then write a snail-mail letter to them explaining why you did so.

 

WHAT????!!!!!!!

 

I believe so. Sinatra is wearing the same clothes, and both photos appear at MPTV Images as part of a series with sequential numbers and similar captions:

http://www.mptvimages.com/cgi-bin/i...ve_S_thru_U/Frank_Sinatra&image=0337-2062.jpg
http://www.mptvimages.com/cgi-bin/i...ve_S_thru_U/Frank_Sinatra&image=0337-2063.jpg
http://www.mptvimages.com/cgi-bin/i...ve_S_thru_U/Frank_Sinatra&image=0337-2064.jpg
http://www.mptvimages.com/cgi-bin/i...ve_S_thru_U/Frank_Sinatra&image=0337-2065.jpg
http://www.mptvimages.com/cgi-bin/i...ds/updates_2009/Reuploads&image=0337_2066.jpg
http://www.mptvimages.com/cgi-bin/i...ve_S_thru_U/Frank_Sinatra&image=0337-2067.jpg
http://www.mptvimages.com/cgi-bin/i...ve_S_thru_U/Frank_Sinatra&image=0337-2068.jpg​

 

(You beat me to it, Bob!)

Looking this up at mptv images, it turns out the bus photo was taken during a 1968 rehearsal in Los Angeles for an upcoming Caesars Palace engagement. (The cover shot from My Way came from this same photo shoot with Ed Thrasher.) Considering the photo was taken a year before the 1969 Jobim sessions, it's highly unlikely that particular bus shot was meant specifically for the album and therefor have any real significance to it.

The picture was cropped to eliminate the studio lot background (and passerby). But why it was decided to combine that image with jungle scenery is unclear. Is it supposed to be a Brazilian rainforest? Even if it is, what is a bus doing in the middle of it? Weird.

Here are some pics from the '68 photo shoot, including the jungle bus:

http://www.mptvimages.com/cgi-bin/imageFolio.cgi?search=sinatra%20thrasher&img=96&cat=Licensed/Non-Restricted&bool=and

 

oh I thought you meant 5 percent...

 

Note that MPTV captions are notoriously inaccurate, but assuming these are correct: This would be Sinatra's first appearance at Caesars Palace, which ran from November 26 through December 19, 1968. So that would probably date these photos as November '68, about the time he was recording for CYCLES. "My Way" (the song) would not be recorded until December 30th, and the Jobim-Deodato sessions took place the following February '69.

 

Yeah, I just started to notice that with some of them.

I also noticed that the pictures I asked you about with Jobim wearing the white turtleneck are captioned 1969. Going by Mr. Sinatra's hairpiece, I think that date is probably accurate. (You can almost set your watch to some of Sinatra's toupees.) It's nice because I never thought there were any pictures of the '69 follow-up floating around.

From the jungle bus sessions:

 

You know what Bob, I'm just happy to know that he stopped by and is probably at least reading about everybody's feelings on these new CONCORD reissues. I appreciate the fact that he might not be able to comment, whether or not it is his own doing or for the reasons you mentioned, but at least SOMEBODY important in the FSE food chain, is now, at the very least, listening. Larry has proven that he is capable of delivering the goods when it comes to Sinatra. I can only guess that he might not have the last word with the "sound" on these CONCORD reissues?

At any rate, I totally look forward to the "September Of My Years" disc in September. GOD knows that the "Entertainer Of The Century" version is not worthy of being used as a drink coaster. I mean, did ANYBODY actually listen to that version, before it was released?

Chris C

 

Well said.

 

Nancy reads, she quoted something I personally wrote here in March on the Family forum. Matt was forced to take his audio bits down, they, are reading...

everybody...say hello...

 

Here's some backstory from Phill Sawyer, the guy at United who placed that on the microphone (from page 24 of the Vegas box set book):