Motto for the Connick Family: Like Son, Like Father

Anyone glancing at the Orange Coast College marquee for Sunday’s concert could easily leap to the wrong conclusion: “A Salute to the Music of Frank Sinatra by the Nelson Riddle Orchestra with Special Guest Harry Connick Sr.”

Quick reaction: “Harry Connick doing Sinatra? That’s great!”

A closer look reveals the announcement’s final critical word: It’s Harry Connick Sr. not Jr. For unlike the Frank Sinatra Sr./Jr. situation, in the Connick family it is the son, not the father, who is the high visibility entertainer.

Connick Sr. is far from unknown, however, especially in his hometown. For the last 25 years, he has been the district attorney of New Orleans, the successor to Kennedy conspiracy theorist Jim Garrison (whom he defeated in a close 1974 election).

So how does that qualify Connick Sr. to sing the songs of Frank Sinatra? In fact, who knew he could sing at all?

Connick the elder is singing Sinatra’s songs, “because I remember him from when I was in high school and he was singing with Tommy Dorsey on the Chesterfield cigarettes radio show,” he says. “And I remember him from when I was in the service in World War II, and I made a point to see him whenever I could--whenever I got lucky, that is. So I’ve been very conscious of who he is and what he’s done for many, many years.”

To answer the second question, residents of New Orleans have known for years that Connick Sr. could sing. In fact, during one of his elections an opponent attacked him for his frequent performances in the French Quarter. But Connick Sr. still won.

He has his own seven-piece band--”We do a lot of traditional music, some blues and some pop songs,”--and travels 10 or 15 times a year to do larger gigs such as this Sinatra tribute.

Connick’s affection for Sinatra and big-band swing music continued into the postwar years, when he and his wife Anita (Harry Jr.’s mother) opened a music store in New Orleans. But it was Connick Jr. who persuaded his dad to start performing.

“I was in Atlantic City with him on a long weekend a few years ago,” says Connick Sr., “and during the sound check Harry said, ‘Pop, why don’t you come up and sing some of the songs?’ I hesitated, but I finally did. And then he said, “Why don’t you come up tonight during the show?’ I really resisted that, but I ended up doing it, even though I was very nervous, and it turned out pretty well.

“Harry Jr. eventually made a couple of arrangements for me of songs that I like. And then wherever he would go with a band, if I happened to be there, I’d always do some songs.”

The breakthrough to singing on his own took place when he was asked to perform at a cancer charity ball in New Orleans.

“I didn’t want to do it at first,” he says, “but it was for a good cause, so I did. And then the guy who led the band at the ball, Jimmy Maxwell, asked me to sing with his band, and that led to other things. Eventually I formed my own band, had some arrangements written by somebody who used to write for Pete Fountain, and we were off and running. And when the Riddle band offer came along with the chance to sing those Sinatra numbers, it was too good to resist.”

Aside from the obvious comparison to his son, how does Connick Sr. feel about the inevitable linkage to Sinatra?

“I try not to imitate,” he says. “I don’t know that anybody can successfully imitate Sinatra. But it’s not possible to avoid his influence. I just try to sing the songs my own way, even though there’s an unavoidable tendency to do some of the things he did, whether consciously or unconsciously.”

Nor does he think it’s particularly strange that the district attorney of New Orleans should be standing in front of a big band, swinging the lyrics to numbers such as “Come Fly With Me,” “I’ve Got a Crush on You” and “The Lady Is a Tramp.”

“I don’t know why it should be surprising,” says Connick Sr. with a laugh. “When they have time off, some people play golf, some folks like to hunt, some like to hike. The only difference is that what they’re doing takes place by a stream in the mountains somewhere. What I do is up on a stage in front of an audience.

“But singing is what appeals to me. It’s what I love to do, and it’s as simple as that.”

* Harry Connick Sr. and the Nelson Riddle Orchestra perform “A Salute to the Music of Frank Sinatra” at Orange Coast College’s Robert B. Moore Theatre, 2701 Fairview Road, Costa Mesa. 4 p.m. $22. (714) 432-5880.