[newfreep]

I've been very fortunate that a friend (who began as a partner on a few of his projects) is an acclaimed re-mastering engineer who always goes back to the true, original master tapes for his remastering projects.

He has gifted me with many, many tracks burned direct from the studio master tapes - some "dry" before the dreaded reverb was added and some with unreleased studio chatter. The sound quality of these direct burns from the studio tapes is quite exceptional. The "dry" very version of "The Best Is Yet to Come" is extraordinarily lifelike.

Sinatra's voice & phrasing remains the gold standard.

IMO, his best (recorded) live performance is "Live At The Sands" with Count Basie and a young Quincy Jones...except on "One For My Baby and One more For The Road" when he is joined by his personal pianist, Bill Miller. Arguably, it is THE best version of his signature song.

[Jmouse007]

Thanks for the advice; “Saved” the recording to my Spotify library. Looking forward to listening to it

[Sans-Culotte]

I quite enjoy that Sands album. IMO, Sinatra's voice peaked around 1958, but he still had a great voice and was capable of great things for years to come.

Another favorite live Sinatra album for me is SINATRA '57.

This concert was recorded when his current album release was "A Swingin' Affair", and the program consists largely of songs of his Capitol albums up to Swingin' Affair. Because it's right at the height of Sinatra's cool Capitol persona, it just has an air of excitement that's is hard to beat. The arrangements of all the songs are more-or-less the same as the ones on the albums. His into music is Elmer Bernstein's theme from "Man With the Golden Arm", and then the band goes into the familiar opening to "You Make Me Feel so Young". Sinatra sounds a tad rough on a few of the slow songs where he has to hit a high note (he says "I feel like I swallowed a shot glass!"). But over all, a great concert.

I use that cover photo of Sinatra as the lock screen on my phone.