Remembering Frank

When Frank Sinatra died on May 14 at the age of 82, a flurry of tributes, many in the works before his demise, rapidly appeared. Among these were a special issue of Life magazine, the book “The Way You Wear Your Hat: Frank Sinatra and the Lost Art of Livin’,” by Esquire writer Bill Zehme, and a most personal recording, “The Memory of All That.”

This album is a collection of easy-listening jazz versions of tunes done by Sinatra, played by musicians who worked with Ol’ Blue Eyes. The players, who include pianist Lou Levy and guitarist Ron Anthony, call themselves “The Chairman’s Board.” Some of them will perform Friday and again Aug. 21 at Chadney’s in Burbank, doing such Sinatra evergreens as “I Get a Kick Out of You,” “The Second Time Around” and “Come Dance with Me.”

For these musicians, and for Pinky Winters, who will do vocals for the shows, Sinatra represented the zenith of musical artistry.

“I played with Charlie Parker, Stan Getz, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, and I was never more involved than when I was with Frank Sinatra,” said Levy, who first appeared with the singer 45 years ago. “It was some of the most magnificent stuff I ever heard. He’s my favorite musician, and I feel blessed and lucky to have been associated with him.”

Levy, a superb bebop-based pianist, was also fortunate enough to have met Sinatra in an informal setting, so he got to see the man’s softer, personal side.

“In the early ‘50s, I was Peggy Lee’s accompanist, “ Levy said. “Frank lived a block away from her in Beverly Hills, and when we’d rehearse at her house, he’d wander by and socialize. So I was his drinking friend before I worked with him.”

That first musical association was playing on the soundtrack of “Man With the Golden Arm,” which starred Sinatra as drummer-junkie Frankie Machine. Then came recording “My Way,” playing the JFK inaugural and several parties at Sinatra’s homes.

Anthony, Sinatra’s guitarist from 1986 until his final performance in Palm Springs in 1995, found working with the singer “electrifying.”

“It was such an incredible feeling being on stage, feeling the love and enthusiasm that came from the audience,” said Anthony, a warm, emotive player who lives in Burbank. “Toward the end, he’d be very emotional, his eyes filled with tears of appreciation when he came off stage. He was happy.”

Sinatra sang with great strength almost until the end, Anthony said.

“We did a tour of Japan in December 1994, where he’d had little rest and he’d sing four or five songs in a row, just perfect,” he said. “Even the last show, he made it two-thirds of the way through before he lost concentration.”

The guitarist also played for Sinatra’s two services--the rosary and the memorial--in Beverly Hills. He said these were incredibly moving experiences.

“The first one, everyone was distraught, but the second was like a celebration,” he said. “People said loving, funny things.”

Winters, the evocative veteran singer, said that doing a salute to Sinatra allows her to honor her favorite vocalist.

“He was the benchmark for excellence,” said Winters, who lives in North Hollywood. “I aspired to sing with the feelings that he did, and with his good phrasing. It was so thrilling to hear him.”

Anthony said having Winters along for the shows at Chadney’s is a perfect complement to the music.

“We didn’t want to have a male singer, just someone who has the same respect and reverence for lyrics that Frank did,” he said.

* Ron Anthony, Lou Levy and Pinky Winters appear Friday, 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., at Chadney’s, 3000 W. Olive St., Burbank. No cover, one-drink minimum per show. (818) 843-5333.

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50 Years of Sinatra: Vic Feniello admits he’s no match for the great one, but he loves to sing his songs.

Feniello, who first saw Sinatra in Atlantic City and was knocked out, has been doing Sinatra’s stuff at Monteleone’s on Sundays for about five months, performing in a duo with pianist Jerry Harrison.

* Vic Feniello and Jerry Harrison appear Sunday, 7 to 11 p.m., at Monteleone’s West, 19337 Ventura Blvd., Tarzana. No cover; without dinner, $9.95 food/drink minimum. (818) 996-0662.