Frank Sinatra’s musical career began in the swing era in 1935….which continued on well into the 1990’s….as Ole Blue Eyes style represented a strong departure from the “crooning” style of his idol, Bing Crosby. Sinatra’s generation represented the first generation of children that had grown up in the era of the microphone and amplifiers….as the amplification of sound enabled singers to sing in a much softer, personal and nuanced style….however Sinatra, as he himself once noted, “sang more,” by which he meant that he introduced a “bel canto” to the tradition begun by Crosby…..as it has been said that Sinatra brought the Crosby tradition to artistic completion….while taking it to levels of intensity and depth of feeling that…..because of the displacement of the Crosby/Sinatra tradition by rock and roll and many genres to follow….which has made this genre of music to disappear….and it is unlikely to be achieved again.
Sinatra made a point of studying Tommy Dorsey’s trombone playing as a means of cultivating a more a more free-flowing vocal style….as he noticed that Dorsey used a tiny air-hole at the side of his mouth to sneak breaths when playing…..so, Sinatra would employ a similar technique…..thus allowing him to hold notes for incredibly long durations….plus, Sinatra started to jog and swim underwater to develop his lung capacity….which enabled him to continue a musical phrase through a stanza without pausing or breaking the note for breath. Sinatra’s legato-style of singing/phrasing took pop singing in new directions when most singers of the 1940’s were keen to emulate Bing Crosby.
As seen in this video herewith…..Frank Sinatra sings “Star All Over Again” as the music is interconnected to wonderful highlights of the 1987 MLB World Series….and if you have read enough of my stories in these posts…..then you know that I think music and sports action is a “match made in Heaven”…..and this one is no exception….it is in the “great video” category…..WE LOVE IT….Sinatra and baseball, Yahoooo!!!
