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Summary: Be in the recording booth with Frank Sinatra!
Review: Charles L. Granata has performed a great service for all those who truly love music and the works of Frank Sinatra. Although Sinatra was a complete entertainer, it was his recordings that set him apart from all others. Charles Granata takes you into the recording studios and recreates the energy, passion and dedication to his craft that drove Frank Sinatra to make the greatest recordings of our time. Never again will we see a collaboration the likes of a Nelson Riddle or Billy May, Axel Stordahl, etc. and Frank Sinatra. Only through Mr. Granata's book, can you relive this part of music history. It is a must for not only Sinatra fans, but for those who truly understand and love music.
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Summary: For fans of the music
Review: Chuck Granata's book, placed on the shelf next to Will Friedwald's SINATRA: THE SONG IS YOU, gives the admirer of Sinatra's art a superb and fascinating look at WHY this man was the greatest popular singer of the 20th century. Where Friedwald goes into great detail explaining the unique musicianship of the man, Granata gives his readers the knowledge of how this artistry was captured and preserved for generations of listeners. Anyone interested in Frank Sinatra, great music, the recording industry or the technology of sound recording must own this book. In an age when innovation is often hard to come by, Granata truly has broken new ground! --Scott Allen Nollen, author of the forthcoming SINATRA AT THE CINEMA (Mindnight Marquee)
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Summary: The center of 20th century popular music...
Review: Granata does a great job taking us behind the scenes for the technology and people who brought us the best popular music of the century. The photos, which focus on the studio instead of the amply documented night life theme, are probably worth the price of the book, but the author is an expert in recording technology and provides anecdotes and discussion as to how and why Sinatra had such an impact and continues to make his mark.Because we take it for granted today, it is easy to forget that the way in which recordings were created had much to do with the kind of music that was recorded. Granata notes one occasion on which a perfect take had to be remade because a three-and-a-half minute song was too long for Columbia's equipment at the time. What stands out, though, is that for all the bad press Sinatra gets for his impatience on movie sets, he clearly managed the recording process down to the minutest details during the Columbia and Capitol years, resulting in a degree of musical excellence that was not exceeded even during the technologically more advanced 1960s Reprise era. Granata gets high marks for explaining all of this in a way that is highly readable for those of us who love music and have limited understanding of engineering concepts. The most fascinating chapter may well be the one dealing with a nadir of Sinatra's career, the Duets project of 1992/3. Throughout, we learn that Phil Ramone was constantly selling the project to the singer, while FS (to his credit) continually called the whole purpose of the project into question. If you think Duets sounds like a mistake, you should read this account of how Sinatra was pushed into making these pale remakes from his legendary songbook. Also worthwhile is Granata's recommended recording list in the appendix. If you are a new Frankophile, this is a great place to start and will lend additional meaning to the text, because you can HEAR how FS works the voice and lyrics in Ol' Man River and other classics. Highly recommended, even if you already have Friedwald's excellent 'The Song is You.'
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Summary: It's Like You Are There
Review: I just finished reading this book and it is one, if you are a Sinatra fan, you can't put down. The book covers Sinatra's recording career from his first days with Harry James to the final Duets recordings. The detail is fantastic and at times, you feel you are actually in the studio with Frank. Even a discussion of the different types of microphones used is interesting. However, what makes this book one for every Sinatra fan's library are the extensive interviews with the people who worked with Sinatra in the recording studio. I am thankful the author took the time to obtain these first person accounts as they are what make the book well worth reading.
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Summary: A study in perfection
Review: Mr. Granata has greatly researched this work. his book not only describes the recording sessions, but Sinatra's association with arrangers, musicians, engineers, producers and record company executives. As a former record salesman, I found the author's coverage of the changes in recording technology very interesting. Sinatra began recording on wax discs and ended his career recording with digital signals. This over a seven decade period. In every Sinatra photo this book offers, you will see the perfectionist, Shined shoes, starched shirt with tie and freshly pressed pants. This is the attitude he had when he recorded. Every thing had to be just right. The author pulls no punches when it comes to poor effort or just plain mistakes. He objectively describes it all. If you are Sinatra fan, this is a great read. You'll know why he became the "voice of the century". Many "thanks" to Charles Granata for placing us right in the recording studio for some of best recordings of popular music ever.
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Summary: A Masterpiece
Review: No book has ever captured the experience of a recording session and the recording experience like Charles Granata. Long known as an authority of Frank Sinatra's work, this book actually conveys why Sinatra's recordings are classic and still speak to us. Granata's viewpoints are fair and, in the case of the controversial Mitch Miller recordings, as balanced as a writer can be in presenting all sides of the story. His interviews with such under-appreciated musicians such as arranger George Siravo ( who contributed far more to the canon of Frank Sinatra than most people realize) are particularly valuable. I am delighted that he has quoted extensively from Nelson Riddle's arranging book (which I edited for publication), which has much valuable information about how Nelson worked with Sinatra. The history of the recording field, rare photos and even reproductions of score pages simply make this a must-have volume.
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Summary: Let's be Frank - THIS BOOK ROCKS!
Review: Ok, I'm a singer and I have read this book in less than 3 days. But if you are just a fan you'll also get much fun from it. Sinatra was The Master and the author revealed a balanced trial of what to say between his clear rank as a fan and an interesting overview of Sinatra's work behind the scenes. It is also a reference to professionals.
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Summary: a Strong Book on FS
Review: this is One of those Books that if you dig Frank SInatra as I do that you can't put down from start to finish.you get a complete overview of How He worked in the studio&the many sessions he did.Frank Sinatra was a very Prolific&Productive Man.you all the details about Arrangers&Producers,etc.. involved on the Many Recordings that went down.this Book Brings it for the Chairman of the Board.
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Summary: A Masterpiece
Review: When it comes to understanding Sinatra -- and conveying that understanding in words and in music -- Charles Granata is the Chairman of the Board. Even those who try to read and listen to all they can on Sinatra will find this book fascinating, information and engrossing. The devoted Sinatra fan must read this book, and listen to the Sinatra CDs that Mr. Granata has produced.
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