ALBUM REVIEWS : SINATRA’S BRIGHT YEARS SHINE ON CDs

“SONGS FOR SWINGIN’ LOVERS.” Frank Sinatra. Capitol CDP 7 46570 2. “IN THE WEE SMALL HOURS” 46571 2. “CLOSE TO YOU AND MORE” 46572 2. “SINATRA’S SWINGIN SESSION AND MORE.” 46573 2.

The longer the perspective, the stronger the impression grows that the 1955-60 period, just before Sinatra left Capitol to form his Reprise label, marked the bright June and July of his years.

Though he was between 40 and 45 years old when these albums were taped, there is in his sound--and particularly in his beat on the up-tempos mainly represented by the first and last of these four CDs--a certain innocent flamboyance that is matched by Nelson Riddle’s consistently brilliant charts. The digital process stresses this aspect even more powerfully than the original LPs.

“Swingin’ Lovers” was one of the most admirable products of that era, with Harry (Sweets) Edison’s muted trumpet often in evidence, and with one or two surprises, such as the trombone solo on “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” by Milt Bernhardt (not Juan Tizol, as listed in the book “The Revised Complete Sinatra”).

“Wee Small Hours” is a landmark among “theme” albums. The title song, “Ill Wind,” “Glad to Be Unhappy” and the best-ever vocal version of Ellington’s “Mood Indigo” stand out among the 15 cuts on what is oddly listed as a “special abridged compact disc version.” Actually, the contents are the same as on the original LP. Sinatra sings the seldom-heard verse to “When Your Lover Has Gone,” backed by Bill Miller on celeste, with the strings coming in for the chorus. “What Is This Thing Called Love” is taken at an uncommonly slow and easy tempo, with Sinatra hitting a couple of mellow low E’s.

“Close to You and More” is so titled because three extra tunes were added for the CDs. “If It’s the Last Thing I Do” and “Wait Till You See Her” are transfers from other albums, but the third bonus tune only had a token release, and you’ll understand when you hear it. Though the song had to be written tongue-in-cheek, it’s sung totally dead-pan with a straight arrangement, but the title, “There’s a Flaw in My Flue,” is the tip-off. Imagine such lines as “I used to sit by my fireplace and dream about you, but now that won’t do, ‘cause there’s a flaw in my flue,” and later such variations as “my flue has a flaw” and “smoke gets in my nose.” Would you believe that Jimmy Van Heusen wrote this?

The main point of interest in “Close to You” is Riddle’s resourceful use of the Hollywood String Quartet, a chamber unit that is featured fairly extensively.

“Swingin’ Session” also has three additional tracks--all taken from other albums--along with the original dozen. The arrangements are strongly jazz-oriented, with three tenor sax solos. There are a few awkward moments on an instrumental passage in “It All Depends on You” that seems a hair too casual. More typical of this fast-moving set are “Blue Moon,” “S’posin’,” “Always,” “Should I” and “Paper Moon.” The set concludes with Sinatra’s hip/square treatment of “Ol’ MacDonald.” This is the latest set of the four, made in 1960, but the chops and the charts are still very much together.

Sinatra and Nelson Riddle almost defy any rating system, but these ventures came close enough to perfection to average out at 4.99 stars.

“ANOTHER WOMAN IN LOVE.” Maureen McGovern. Columbia 42314. Where do you place an artist who, though her performances here are unacceptable in today’s pop market (even though she sings “popular” tunes by Kern, Arlen, Rodgers, Sondheim and Bernstein), is clearly not a jazz singer? You place her in this column, for fear of losing her. McGovern is, as Mel Torme aptly puts it in his notes, a soubrette. The purity and delicacy of her sound could not have been better exhibited than in the setting of Mike Renzi’s piano, which is all the accompaniment she needs. Along with the standards come Blossom Dearie’s “I Like You, You’re Nice” and three songs with lyrics by Judy Barron, her co-producer’s wife. Kudos to CBS for issuing a limited-appeal LP that deserves the mass exposure such projects rarely find. 4 stars.

JAZZ CDs AND LPs

“JOHN COLTRANE QUARTET.” MCA/Impulse D-5883. “JOHN COLTRANE QUARTET: BALLADS.” D-5885. “JOHN COLTRANE: IMPRESSIONS.” D-5887. “JOHN COLTRANE QUARTET: CRESCENT.” D-5889. Slowly but inexorably, the entire history of recorded jazz is being relived on CDs. The only missing link on MCA/Impulse’s invaluable series is consistency of packaging. The first, for example, has no notes and not even a recording date (it was June 29, 1962). The quartet (with McCoy Tyner, piano; Jimmy Garrison, bass, and Elvin Jones, drums) is augmented on the long opening title cut of “Impressions” by Eric Dolphy on bass clarinet and Reggie Workman, also on bass. Again, no notes, but definitive performances by musicians who took the giant step forward in the new, modal-exotic-oriented age. The 1961-62 ballad disc has the original, literate liner notes by Gene Lees and is, for neophytes, by far the most accessible of the four sets. A later stage of Coltrane’s restless search for what lies behind the beyond is the 1964 “Crescent” collection, for which Nat Hentoff’s notes have been retained. As the 20th anniversary of Trane’s passing approaches (he died July 17, 1967), these catalytic performances become ever more valuable as evolutionary documents. Respectively 4 1/2, 5, 5 and 4 stars.

“FOR CHARLIE AND BENNY.” Kenny Burrell. Verve 831 078-2. This is an interesting premise: tunes recorded by early Benny Goodman combos with Charlie Christian on guitar. Though he is clearly a Christian-inspired guitarist, Burrell avoids any duplication of the old group sound: There is no clarinet, except when alto saxophonist Phil Woods occasionally plays it; only one cut has a pianist; only three tracks have vibes; vibist Mike Mainieri sounds nothing like Lionel Hampton, and “As Long as I Live” is accorded a Latin treatment. Burrell and Woods work well together, particularly on “Seven Come Eleven”--one of three previously unreleased cuts--where they are genuinely inspired. 4 stars.

“WESTLAKE.” Bob Florence Big Band. Discovery DSCD 83x2. “LIVE AT CONCERTS BY THE SEA.” Bob Florence Big Band. Trend TRCD 523. Both Bob Florence sets comprise originals by the pianist-leader; the live set engenders a particularly healthy beat, with fine solos by Bob Cooper and Pete Christlieb on tenor saxes. Florence has a penchant for jazz in waltz time, which takes up more than half the mileage on “Westlake.” 3 1/2 and 4 stars, respectively.