Sinatra - Recommendations for Good Quality Remaster Downloads

As I posted in another thread...

Franco-American philosophy

I do therefore I be:   Descartes
I be therefore I do:   Sartre
Do be do be do:       Sinatra

Mike,

I have the old DVD-A of Sinatra at the Sands and have the 24bit/192kHz 2 channel mix on WAV files, and it's a great sounding recording as well as a stellar performance. I'd imagine that any hi-res download would be the same thing, so highly recommended. 

Most of my other hi-res Sintra files are my own 24/96 recordings of pre-recorded Reprise 4 track reels, so not really applicable to anything widely available for download.

Thanks for the feedback Richard.    I'm suspicious of remastered old recordings as I'm not really sure what can be done with an original 1950's master without messing up the feel of the original.   I've dipped my toe in the pond & bought a 24/192 WAV of my all time favourite  "In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning"   ( @ £10 from HDTracks, whats to loose )  It's a nice recording, it is slightly different with a lightly touched enhancement in detail & sound mix without loosing the 'feel' of the original.   I will probably just get one or two more of the better albums & leave the rest; unfortunately a lot Sinatra's recordings are a mixed bag e.g.  the album "My Kind of Broadway"  sounds like each track recorded in a different place & have no connection.  Its really a shame as it contains the magnificent "Luck be a Lady"  & that is one helluva stand out track in Sinatra's all time top ten.

Mike, Sinatra at the Sands is a must - it's my "save from the fire" Sinatra record. I have the original LPs and find that the 24/192 remaster is excellent.

One of the best sounding original 4 track Reprise reels is All Alone.  If the tape held up well then any hi-res reissue could well be worth checking out.

Richard,  I have to admit I haven't heard this one,  I really am astounded about that,  the orchestra is Count Basie,  even more astounded.  The track listing alone & its got 'Luck be a Lady' make it a must have.    I'm on a mission to get a copy or better still a download, unfortunately no HiRes are listed that I can find.  More later hopefully with a   

Richard Dane posted:

Mike,

I have the old DVD-A of Sinatra at the Sands and have the 24bit/192kHz 2 channel mix on WAV files, and it's a great sounding recording as well as a stellar performance. I'd imagine that any hi-res download would be the same thing, so highly recommended. 

Most of my other hi-res Sintra files are my own 24/96 recordings of pre-recorded Reprise 4 track reels, so not really applicable to anything widely available for download.

Although not the download I have this on vinyl and it is indeed a great performance , Count Basie Orchestra and Sinatra produced by a young Quincy Jones a window onto that grat era of Vegas shows.

Mike, even the standard CD is excellent here, so go for that for a just a few quid first.  The DVD-A appears to be rather expensive secondhand...

Yer right,  it looks like CD or the same resolution download at +50% £.  Annoyingly the 'Luck be a Lady' track is a bonus track on a specific CD release & the DVD.  But Luck is a Lady & she's found me a CD with the bonus track on the big river in USA.    I'll keep looking for a while longer.

Only the Lonely, his best album,? on Qobus sounds good.

 http://www.qobuz.com/es-en/alb...hestra/3610154823065

Richard Dane posted:

Mike, Sinatra at the Sands is a must - it's my "save from the fire" Sinatra record. I have the original LPs and find that the 24/192 remaster is excellent.

One of the best sounding original 4 track Reprise reels is All Alone.  If the tape held up well then any hi-res reissue could well be worth checking out.

+1

and Frank was never happier than when in the company of the Count and his superb swinging machine!

migo posted:

Richard Dane posted:

Mike, Sinatra at the Sands is a must - it's my "save from the fire" Sinatra record. I have the original LPs and find that the 24/192 remaster is excellent.

+1       and Frank was never happier than when in the company of the Count and his superb swinging machine!

 

Agreed about happy to be with the Count

Beware of the 24/192 releases,  they are only 11 tracks & 35 mins.    The 16/44 release is 21 tracks & 1hr 11m

I got a 21 track 16/44 & mixed in the 'Luck Be A Lady' track from my old pirate copy 

So my 'new' (replaced) albums are 'Sinatra at the Sands',  'In The Wee Small Hours' & the magnificent  'Songs For Swingin' Lovers'  

Mike, my faves:

agree Sinatra at the Sands, but not necessarily for the absolute best version of any of the tracks, just a fabulous recording of a a very live recording of one of the greatest artists on a 'normal' night at the peak of his career. Fascinating document.

3 other faves with great sounding 'standard' CD's:

Just love Sinatra for his incredibly rare ability ( in his later years ) to sing other writers songs and lyrics like he wrote and lived them himself. Such a rare ability. Some love the purity of his early recordings which are indeed 'purer' and more sonorous than his later recordings, but to my ears are just candyfloss against his 60's recordings which wear the experience of life and impart it clearly and directly to the listener. The John Mayer of his generation! 

Agree + in addition to my "new" (replacements actually)  I also have 'September of My Years' & although diametrically opposed I also agree that " .... 60's recordings .... (50's more so) .... wear the experience of life and impart it clearly and directly to the listener"  eloquently put.   

I must tell the story/reason why I'm so keen on 'Luck Be A Lady'.   In 2014 we went on a 4 weeks road trip around southwest USA,  it included a 2 night stay in Vegas.  I'm not into gambling & Vegas is all about the show & romance,  anyhow we walked down the strip to experience it all & to see the 'strip' shows & especially the superb fountain show at  Bellagio's.  One of those show fountain sequences is to the music of  'Luck Be A Lady',  very impressed as only that show can be.    We then went into Bellagio's & - long story short - a few hours later came out with a lot of money - a big lot of money - & the fountain show was playing .............  guess what ???.    

I second Richard's "Sinatra at the Sands" recommendation. It's top shelf in both SQ and performance.

Another fun one is "Sinatra and Sextet - Live In Paris" (1994, Reprise Records ‎– 9 45487-2).

Plenty of that unique confidence and playfulness in this one.

This one has had very good press on SACD, DSD, Vinyl cuts, and HD download reviews.

Thanks for those who recommended Live at the Sands. It feels like a proper album unlike the compilation thingees.

Ray

I know this is not 'download' but, for 'Songs for Swingin' Lovers', 'A Swingin' Affair' and 'Where Are You', simply buy the Mobile Fidelity issues - beautiful