CBS’ Miniseries Sparks ‘Sinatra’ Bonanza for Fans

Capitol or Reprise?

Reprise or Capitol?

That’s a question long facing most people seeking a CD introduction to the landmark work of Frank Sinatra.

The problem is that Sinatra, the man of unmatched pop phrasing, made some extraordinary recordings for Capitol in the ‘50s and then for Reprise, the label he started in the ‘60s.

Since material from the two labels has never appeared on the same CD, consumers looking to sample Sinatra’s career have had to choose between the offerings of the rival labels.

In fact, the dilemma goes even deeper for sophisticated listeners because Sinatra also made some valuable recordings for RCA and Columbia before moving to Capitol Records.

So, the real question is RCA or Columbia or Capitol or Reprise?

Reprise has finally come up with a solution: “Sinatra,” a two-disc, 29-song soundtrack to an upcoming CBS-TV miniseries on the singer’s life. The album brings together for the first time Sinatra vocals from all four labels.

The package also offers selections by two singers whose styles influenced or inspired Sinatra: Bing Crosby (1931’s “When the Blue of the Night” and 1933’s “Temptation”) and Billie Holiday (a 1958 version of “Lover Man”).

The look at Sinatra’s own work begins by centering on recordings he made in the ‘40s with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, including “Street of Dreams” and “I’ll Be Seeing You.” Among the Columbia selections from the mid-’40s: “Where or When,” “You Go to My Head,” “Autumn in New York” and “Stormy Weather.”

The Capitol years are represented by seven vocals, including “Come Fly With Me,” “They Can’t Take That Away From Me,” “One for My Baby” and “All the Way.”

The four Reprise tunes are “It Was Very Good Year,” “That’s Life,” “New York, New York” and “My Way.”

Because there is so much excellent material to choose from, the set doesn’t pretend to be definitive. Capitol, for instance, has already released a three-disc Sinatra retrospective of material from its vaults, while Reprise has issued its own four-disc compilation. And those are just two of more than 50 Sinatra albums available in CD.

The new “Sinatra” album, however, does allow you to trace the outlines of a remarkable career, from the youthful charm of the early years to the deepening maturity of his prime years.

Meanwhile, Capitol will release on Nov. 24 the most comprehensive Sinatra survey yet, a 16-disc package that includes the rare, Sinatra-as-conductor “Tone Poems of Color.”