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Concert Reviews: Frank Sinatra, Jr. and His Jazz Orchestra
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Posted by: Adminon Wednesday, January 11, 2006 - 06:24 AM |
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Seminole Hard Rock Hotel, Hollywood, Florida – January 9, 2006
By Edward Blanco
Advertised as a two day engagement at the new five thousand plus seat Hard Rock Live Theatre in the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida, on January 9th Frank Sinatra, Jr. sung up a storm of some great pop and jazz standards including a selection of familiar songs in tribute to his dad “Ole Blue Eyes.” Originally billed as Sinatra, Jr. and his seventeen piece jazz band, that information was factually incorrect. The orchestra was thirty-two pieces plus including a fifteen piece string section of violins and even a harp under the direction of conductor/producer Terry Woodson. The band included some members who had also played for Sinatra senior including pianist Bill Miller who had played for the Chairman as far back as 1955.
The program opened up with a medley of tunes that included “Young At Heart,” “Strangers In The Night,” and “New York, New York” all instrumentals from the orchestra. When Sinatra, Jr. walked on stage he began with the Rodgers & Hart’s “In Love Again” and followed with the Jerome Kerns/Dorothy Fields “The Way You Look Tonight.” Sinatra then chose a classic Gershwin composition to showcase that terrific orchestra when he sang “S’ Wonderful” and after the first verse he tells the audience “meet the orchestra” which the audience did in a rousing big band number. The music slowed down a bit with the next selection, “All The Way”.
When Sinatra, Jr. mentioned to those in attendance that night that this past December would have been his father’s 90th birthday, he changed the direction of the performance in tribute to Frank Sinatra’s music. Starting out with the sounds of the forties he opened the selection with the Altman/Lawrence standard “All Or Nothing At All.” If you closed your eyes you could swear you were hearing Sinatra himself instead of his son. One thing is certain, we all know that Sinatra’s voice was one of a kind, but let me tell you Sinatra, Jr. has a great set of pipes of his own and can really belt out a song with the best of them including his old man. The music of the forties continued with a Matt Dennis ballad and the Jimmy Van Huesen “Imagination.”
After completing the forties set he continued with Sinatra’s music of the fifties which consisted of many slow ballads except the memorable Cole Porter classic “I’ve Got You Under My Skin.” From the fifties to the decade of the sixties where Sinatra remerged as a major star with the help of the Nelson Riddle Orchestra. Sinatra, Jr. blew the house down with his version of “Summer Wind,” “For Once In My Life,” “It Was A Very Good Year” and the immortal “Strangers In The Night.” He completed the set with Cy Coleman’s “The Best Is Yet To Come.”
The concert finished with two Sinatra signature songs “New York, New York” and “My Way.” A truly wonderful two hours plus of beautiful music backed up by a fine orchestra that brought the house down. It was the second visit to the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel in over a year for Sinatra, Jr. and his band. On the horizon, look for a new album by the group scheduled for release by March 2006. If it’s anything like this concert, expect an excellent CD.
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