This four-CD set stands midway between the 12-CD Complete Collection 1943-1952 box (which is worth every cent, for those who can afford it) and the single-CD 15-song Essential Frank Sinatra: The Columbia Years -- in its favor, along with an affordable price, is its thorough and wide-ranging overview of the least well-known part of Frank Sinatra's career. Scholars and listeners with long memories over 70 aside, the chances are that no more than a dozen of its 97 tracks will be known to most of Sinatra's fans. And it does offer a detailed look at the singer's evolution, from a big-band era balladeer into a new breed of vocalist, just inches away from the defining Vegas swinger of his Capitol years -- the 97 songs here cover a significant chunk of that Columbia library (although like the 12-disc box, it doesn't include any of the singer's V-Disc sides that constituted just about his only recorded output for the first year of his solo career, or the radio performances that have been licensed in more recent years to augment his Cole Porter and Rodgers & Hammerstein catalogs); additionally, this set is better for the more casually minded serious fan, in that it avoids the missteps imposed upon Sinatra by Mitch Miller, which require explanation for the uninitiated. The sound is state-of-the-art and the source materials have been treated with exceptional care, thus giving the music its best hearing in history, and certainly since the original 78 rpm releases; indeed, much of what's here never showed up on vinyl, and those that did often didn't get represented long or well. The annotation is superb, and the booklet is well illustrated. The set also exists in two different editions: the original long-box shaped release, a foot tall with the type in large font, and also as a less expensive CD-jewel case-sized set in a slipcase, with smaller print and photos. ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide
Ray Conniff (Arranger), Percy Faith (Arranger), Percy Faith (Conductor), Frank Sinatra (Vocals), Frank Sinatra (Main Performer), Frank Sinatra (Liner Notes), Will Bradley (Trombone), Johnny Hodges (Sax (Alto)), Barney Kessel (Guitar), Yank Lawson (Trumpet), Ted Nash (Saxophone), Buddy Rich (Trumpet), Willie Smith (Saxophone), Charlie Shavers (Trombone), Dave Barbour (Guitar), Lawrence Brown (Trombone), Billy Butterfield (Trumpet), Lee Castle (Trumpet), Ziggy Elman (Trumpet), Johnny Guarnieri (Bass), Johnny Guarnieri (Piano), Johnny Guarnieri (Arranger), Johnny Guarnieri (Celeste), Bob Haggart (Bass), Bernie Leighton (Piano), Bernie Leighton (Celeste), Ray Linn (Trumpet), Buddy Morrow (Trombone), Sy Oliver (Arranger), Babe Russin (Saxophone), Al Caiola (Guitar), George Van Eps (Guitar), Stan Freeman (Piano), Stan Freeman (Celeste), Alec Wilder (Arranger), Alec Wilder (Conductor), Mitch Miller (Director), Mitch Miller (Oboe), Mitch Miller (A&R), Nancy Sinatra (Liner Notes), George Siravo (Arranger), Robert Maxwell (Harp), Felix Slatkin (Violin), Si Zentner (Trombone), Coleman Hawkins (Sax (Tenor)), Jimmy Abato (Saxophone), Bob Ahern (Guitar), Victor Arno (Violin), George Arus (Trombone), George Avakian (Producer), Seymour Barab (Cello), Robert Barene (Violin), John Barrows (Horn), Edward Bergman (Violin), Ruth Berman (Harp), Cy Bernard (Cello), John Best (Trumpet), Johnny Blowers (Drums), Harry Bluestone (Violin), Hoyt Bohannon (Trombone), Perry Botkin (Guitar), Maurice Brown (Cello), Frederick Buldrini (Violin), Ernie Caceres (Saxophone), Nick Caiazza (Saxophone), Harry Carney (Sax (Baritone)), Frank Carroll (Bass), John Cave (Horn), Mac Ceppos (Violin), Frank Chase (Saxophone), Nat King Cole (Piano), Harold Coletta (Viola), Conrad Gozzo (Trumpet), Sid Cooper (Arranger), Sid Cooper (Saxophone), Didier C. Deutsch (Producer), Richard Dickler (Viola), Kurt Dieterle (Violin), Art Drelinger (Saxophone), Ed Druzinsky (Harp), Jack Dumont (Saxophone), Walter Edelstein (Violin), Arnold Eidus (Violin), Nick Fatool (Drums), Harold Feldman (Saxophone), Freddie Fox (Horn), Will Friedwald (Liner Notes), Will Friedwald (Consultant), Will Friedwald (Interviewer), David Frisina (Violin), Harold Furmanski (Viola), Louis Gabowitz (Violin), Chuck Gentry (Saxophone), Manny Green (Violin), Chris Griffin (Trumpet), Gordon Griffin (Trumpet), Sid Harris (Violin), Allan Harshman (Viola), Herbie Haymer (Saxophone), Julius Held (Violin), Abraham Hochstein (Viola), Hugo Winterhalter (Director), Clyde Hurley (Trumpet), William Hymanson (Viola), Isadore Zir (Viola), Les Jenkins (Trombone), Jerry Jerome (Saxophone), Armand Karpoff (Cello), George Kast (Violin), Harry Katzman (Violin), Ken Lane (Piano), Ken Lane (Celeste), Jules Kinsler (Saxophone), Bob Kitsis (Piano), Bob Kitsis (Celeste), Harry Klee (Saxophone), Phil Krauss (Drums), Leo Kruczek (Violin), Bernard Kundell (Violin), Eugene Lamas (Violin), Harry Lawson (Saxophone), Sam Levine (Violin), Norman Leyden (Arranger), Dan Lube (Violin), Rebecca Lynch (Violin), Jimmy Lytell (Saxophone), Vito Mangano (Trumpet), Dave Mankovitz (Viola), Jimmy Maxwell (Trumpet), John Mayhew (Flute), Tony Mottola (Guitar), Alexander Neiman (Viola), George Ockner (Violin), Gene Orloff (Violin), John Owens (Trumpet), Richard Perissi (Horn), Raoul Poliakin (Violin), Leonard Posner (Violin), Jimmy Powell (Saxophone), Jimmy Priddy (Trombone), Samuel Rand (Violin), Bill Rank (Trombone), Milt Raskin (Piano), Milt Raskin (Celeste), Allan Reuss (Guitar), George Ricci (Cello), Les Robinson (Saxophone), Paul Robyn (Viola), Ted Rosen (Violin), Mischa Russell (Violin), Antoine Russo (Trombone), Art Ryerson (Guitar), Julius Schachter (Violin), Bill Schaeffer (Trombone), Gunther Schuller (Horn), George Seaberg (Trumpet), Leonard Selic (Viola), Jack Shulman (Violin), Joseph Singer (Horn), Charles Small (Trombone), Terry Snyder (Drums), Anthony Sophos (Cello), Marshall Sosson (Violin), Phil Stephens (Bass), David Sterkin (Viola), Ann Mason Stockton (Harp), Alvin Stoller (Drums), Axel Stordahl (Arranger), Axel Stordahl (Conductor), Axel Stordahl (Director), Fred Stulce (Saxophone), Julius Tannenbaum (Cello), Harry Urbont (Violin), Gerald Vinci (Violin), Hy White (Guitar), Mark Wilder (Archival Restoration), Milt Yaner (Saxophone), Vincent DeRosa (Horn), Alex Beller (Violin), Samuel Cytron (Violin), Eleanor Slatkin (Cello), Donald Anderson (Trumpet), Morris Bercov (Saxophone), Julius Brand (Violin), Charlie Butterfield (Trombone), Irma Clow (Harp), Milton DeLugg (Accordion), Solomon Deutsch (Viola), Charles Griffard (Trumpet), Ray Hagan (Drums), Stanley Harris (Viola), Joe Higgins (Producer), Gerald Joyce (Violin), Murray Kellner (Violin), Sol Kindler (Violin), Leonard Mach (Trumpet), Frank Miller (Cello), Nuncio Mondello (Saxophone), Richard L. Noel (Trombone), Felix Orlewitz (Violin), Gary Pacheco (Executive Producer), Pullman Pederson (Trombone), Max Polikoff (Violin), Kurt Reher (Violin), Jack Rose (Mandolin), Norris Shawker (Drums), Herman Shertzer (Saxophone), Melvin "Red" Solomon (Trumpet), Jack Zyde (Violin), Theodore Adoff (Viola), Tony Faso (Trumpet), Carl Loeffler (Trombone), Spinoza Paeff (Viola), Nick Pisani (Violin), Pete Pumiglio (Saxophone), Billy Rowland (Piano), Billy Rowland (Celeste), William Spear (Viola), Avron Twerdowsky (Cello), Olcott Vail (Violin), Andrew Ferretti (Trumpet), George T. Simon (Producer), Frank Sinatra, Jr. (Performer), Herman Alpert (Bass), Larry Alpeter (Trombone), Benjamin Altman (Violin), Sal Amato (Saxophone), John Augustine (Violin), Harry Azen (Violin), Russell Banzer (Saxophone), Henry Beau (Saxophone), Peter Beilman (Trombone), Harry Berv (Trumpet), William Bloom (Violin), Harry Blostein (Violin), David Bonnee (Saxophone), Milton Bornstein (Violin), Albert Borodkin (Cello), Sidney Brecher (Viola), Broadus Erie (Violin), Samuel Bytron (Violin), Nick Cajazza (Saxophone), Emmett Callen (Saxophone), Werner Callies (Violin), May Hogan Cambern (Harp), Fred Camelia (Cello), Samuel Carmell (Violin), Karl Chlupse (Horn), William Clifton (Piano), William Clifton (Celeste), Murray Cohan (Saxophone), Cy Coolidge (Trombone), John d'Agostino (Trombone), Fred Dornbach (Saxophone), Louis Druzinsky (Viola), Peter Ellis (Violin), Samuel Finkel (Violin), George Forbes (Piano), George Forbes (Celeste), Sam Freed (Violin), Sam Freed (Viola), Al Freistadt (Saxophone), Harold Freistadt (Trumpet), John Fulton (Saxophone), Emmerick Gara (Cello), Paul Geil (Trumpet), Albert Geltzer (Trumpet), Emanuel Gershman (Saxophone), Alex Gershunoff (Saxophone), Phil Giardino (Trombone), Fred Glantz (Saxophone), Fred Goerner (Cello), Matty Golizio (Guitar), Marty Golodner (Violin), Max Gralnick (Mandolin), Jack Greenberg (Saxophone), Bernard Greenhouse (Cello), Robert Hackett (Trumpet), Walter Hagen (Violin), Morris Haigh (Violin), Howard Halbert (Violin), Dave Hallett (Trombone), Leonard Hartman (Saxophone), Max Herman (Trumpet), Maurice Hershaft (Violin), Harry Hoffman (Violin), Harry Holtzer (Trumpet), Jimmy Horvath (Saxophone), Bruce Hudson (Trumpet), David Jefferson (Violin), Arthur Kafton (Cello), Morris Kahn (Viola), Leonid Kanter (Violin), Daniel Karpilowsky (Violin), Bernard Kaufman (Saxophone), Zelik Kaufman (Violin), Howard Kay (Violin), Harold Keinz (Saxophone), Jack Kimmel (Bass), Morris King (Violin), Sylvan Kirsner (Violin), Emanuel Klein (Trumpet), Samuel Koty (Trombone), Edward Kuczborski (Trombone), Tom Lassoff (Violin), John Lausen (Trumpet), Ward Lay (Bass), Frank Leithner (Piano), Frank Leithner (Celeste), Simon Leutner (Trombone), William Lockwood (Violin), Arthur Loesserman (Violin), Don Logiudice (Saxophone), Milton Lomask (Violin), Milton Lomask (Contractor), Paul Lowenkron (Viola), William May (Trumpet), Robert McGarity (Trombone), Mark McIntyre (Piano), Mark McIntyre (Celeste), Dale McMickle (Trumpet), Reggie Merrill (Saxophone), Harold Micklin (Violin), Sam Middleman (Violin), Achilles Mierlot (Violin), William Miller (Piano), William Miller (Violin), William Miller (Celeste), Seymour Miroff (Violin), Sy Morris (Violin), Ben Mortell (Guitar), Horace Nelson (Trumpet), Henry Nosco (Violin), Nicholas Ochi-Albi (Cello), Fred Olson (Violin), Alex Ores (Violin), Louis Palange (Saxophone), Maurice Perlmutter (Viola), Anthony Perrotti (Violin), Fred Pfeifer (Saxophone), Merle Pitt (Violin), Nat Polen (Drums), George Polikian (Cello), Carl Poole (Trumpet), Gene Powers (Violin), Irving Prager (Violin), Milton Prinz (Cello), William Pritchard (Trombone), Joe Quadri (Violin), Van Ramsey (Trumpet), Albert Raskin (Saxophone), William Rausch (Trombone), Elaine Vito Ricci (Harp), Meyer Rosen (Harp), Henry Ross (Saxophone), Sol Rumberg (Viola), Victor Salvi (Harp), Jack Satterfield (Trombone), Pinky Savitt (Trumpet), John Saxon (Cello), Harry Schuchman (Saxophone), Cheryl Scott (Harp), Jack Sewell (Cello), Seymour Shaffer (Trombone), Aaron Shapinsky (Cello), Sammy Shapiro (Trumpet), Buddy Sheppard (Violin), Sam Shoobe (Bass), Phillip Shuken (Saxophone), Frank Siravo (Bass), James Skiles (Trombone), Joe Small (Saxophone), Zelly Smirnoff (Violin), Elmer Smithers (Trombone), Melven Soloman (Trumpet), Russ Solomon (Trumpet), Stanley Spiegelman (Viola), James Stagliano (Horn), William Stegmeyer (Saxophone), Wolfe Taninbaum (Saxophone), Harry Terrill (Saxophone), Oreste Tomasso (Violin), William Versaci (Saxophone), Paul Weigand (Trombone), Abraham Weiss (Viola), Wesley Webb West (Guitar (Steel)), Garry White (Viola), Herbert Winfield (Trombone), Joe Yukl (Trombone), Rubin Zarchy (Trumpet), Philip Zolkind (Saxophone), Tom "Curly" Ruff (Engineer), Tony Sellari (Art Direction), Darcy Proper (Archival Restoration), Joel Whitburn (Chart Information), Charles Granata (Liner Notes), Charles Granata (Project Director), Charles Granata (Interviewer), Roy Hemming (Liner Notes), Arthur Shapiro (Bass), Robert Constanzo (Package Manager), Harold Furmansky (Viola), Morty Palitz (Producer), Lou Shoobe (Contractor), Fred Fox (Horn), Eddie Powell (Saxophone), Arthur Baker (Clarinet), Arthur Baker (Saxophone), Anthony Russo (Trombone), Robert Haggart (Bass), Bill Miller (Piano), Bill Miller (Celeste), James " Jimmie" Maxwell (Trumpet), Artie Feldman (Saxophone), William Schaefer (Trombone), Philip Stephens (Bass), William McLeish Smith (Saxophone), Manie Sachs (A&R), Mannie Green (Violin), Arthur Smith (Saxophone), Arthur Smith Trio (Saxophone), Joe Siracusa (Drums), Don Anderson (Trumpet), David Mankowitz (Viola), Joe Ross (Contractor), John Ryan (Bass), Frank Miller (Cello), Bernard Kessel (Guitar), David Mann (Piano), David Mann (Celeste), Dave Mann (Piano), Dave Mann (Celeste), Dave Mann (Liner Notes), Mitchell Ayers (Director), Mitchell Ayers (Producer), George Brown (Viola)
