The instrument, guitar...
May 12, 2006 6:57 PM Subscribe
Sinatra & Jobim. 6 minutes of Bossa Nova beauty, for your viewing pleasure. (Youtube link)
I love how Sinatra lights up a smoke right as he finishes introducing Jobim. That's style.
posted by brundlefly at 7:28 PM on May 12, 2006
posted by brundlefly at 7:28 PM on May 12, 2006
Bossa nova. Fucking brilliant!!
Thanks for the link! Awesome.
posted by contessa at 7:33 PM on May 12, 2006
Thanks for the link! Awesome.
posted by contessa at 7:33 PM on May 12, 2006
Fucking great. I can't believe the great sound -- I figure two guys singing on a stage live would sound kind of eh but they sound tight.
posted by mathowie at 7:58 PM on May 12, 2006
posted by mathowie at 7:58 PM on May 12, 2006
Not only are they both masterful musicians, but there's something so -- unpretentious, confident and simple about this sequence. It's absolutely lovely.
My mental association with bossa nova is a leather skinned, chain-smoking, drowning in velvet, lounge act playing in Reno. Pure kitch. It's really refreshing to have the stereotype bent with something so refreshingly honest and conversational.
So - uh - thanks for posting this.
posted by icosahedral at 8:32 PM on May 12, 2006
My mental association with bossa nova is a leather skinned, chain-smoking, drowning in velvet, lounge act playing in Reno. Pure kitch. It's really refreshing to have the stereotype bent with something so refreshingly honest and conversational.
So - uh - thanks for posting this.
posted by icosahedral at 8:32 PM on May 12, 2006
Nicotine has profound psychic and spiritual power. Its discovery by the western world coincides with an incredible expansion of consciousness and power. All the leaders of political, scientific, and intellectual endeavor of the 19th and 20th centuries (with the exception of Hitler) were addicted to it. Without it our culture is destined to decline and fail.
*Misses his Camel Straights*
posted by squalor at 8:37 PM on May 12, 2006 [1 favorite]
*Misses his Camel Straights*
posted by squalor at 8:37 PM on May 12, 2006 [1 favorite]
I figure two guys singing on a stage live would sound kind of eh but they sound tight.
I think we've come to expect less of our stars and celebs as we've done more to polish and post-produce. These guys are pros, that's for sure, and with that territory comes the ability to sit down in a plain room or on a stage and dial it in for show that'll match or exceed what you could do with a six-figure PA system.
posted by weston at 8:39 PM on May 12, 2006
I think we've come to expect less of our stars and celebs as we've done more to polish and post-produce. These guys are pros, that's for sure, and with that territory comes the ability to sit down in a plain room or on a stage and dial it in for show that'll match or exceed what you could do with a six-figure PA system.
posted by weston at 8:39 PM on May 12, 2006
This is why I stick around MetaFilter. Thanks.
posted by Turtles all the way down at 8:53 PM on May 12, 2006
posted by Turtles all the way down at 8:53 PM on May 12, 2006
almost makes you forgive jobim for The Girl From Ipanima.
posted by shmegegge at 9:27 PM on May 12, 2006
posted by shmegegge at 9:27 PM on May 12, 2006
almost makes you forgive jobim for The Girl From Ipanima.
HERETIC!
posted by contessa at 9:35 PM on May 12, 2006
HERETIC!
posted by contessa at 9:35 PM on May 12, 2006
This is why I stick around MetaFilter. Thanks.
Couldn't have said it better, thanks Chrischris.
posted by fullysic at 9:38 PM on May 12, 2006
Couldn't have said it better, thanks Chrischris.
posted by fullysic at 9:38 PM on May 12, 2006
I feel a need to mix a Tom Collins, fire up the hi-fi, and read Esquire.
posted by dw at 10:17 PM on May 12, 2006
posted by dw at 10:17 PM on May 12, 2006
way cool
posted by pyramid termite at 10:45 PM on May 12, 2006
posted by pyramid termite at 10:45 PM on May 12, 2006
Blame it on the Bossanova. Swanky class indeed. Nice to be reminded that Paul Simon didn't invent blandified cultural tourism.
posted by longsleeves at 10:58 PM on May 12, 2006
posted by longsleeves at 10:58 PM on May 12, 2006
They may sound 'tight' to some (even most) listeners, but it is almost entirely because of Jobim's extreme talent. Sinatra as usual is straining desperately to hold onto the key. Frank's voice was unique, but a gifted singer he was not.
A talented performer, yes, by some criteria. But I would give anything to have heard Ella and Jobim perform the same song together.
posted by trip and a half at 11:06 PM on May 12, 2006
A talented performer, yes, by some criteria. But I would give anything to have heard Ella and Jobim perform the same song together.
posted by trip and a half at 11:06 PM on May 12, 2006
As Classy as classy super-classiness gets. Now let's go kneecap someone and take their string of whores.
posted by longsleeves at 11:47 PM on May 12, 2006
posted by longsleeves at 11:47 PM on May 12, 2006
Jobim spit bubble at 5:31. Me and my friend noticed it when we first got the the whole set of Sinatra shows on VHS.
BTW, the one with Ella is pure magic, which also has a version of Day In, Day Out that may be one of Frank's greatest recordings ever.
posted by DonnieSticks at 11:51 PM on May 12, 2006
BTW, the one with Ella is pure magic, which also has a version of Day In, Day Out that may be one of Frank's greatest recordings ever.
posted by DonnieSticks at 11:51 PM on May 12, 2006
So it was once possible to have both talent and a television show? For the correlation of those two properties today, I offer the following simple but accurate Venn diagram: 0 0
posted by George_Spiggott at 1:16 AM on May 13, 2006
posted by George_Spiggott at 1:16 AM on May 13, 2006
That was really nice- thank you.
posted by puddinghead at 1:20 AM on May 13, 2006
posted by puddinghead at 1:20 AM on May 13, 2006
Say what you will about Frank, but he rewrote the book on how to deliver a lyric. Before Frank the style was that of Rudy Valee and Bing. After Frank, all the singers had to copy him (but, he was copying Louis Armstrong, really).
Bitching about Sinatra (or Louis) is like bitching about the Beatles. Only the unenlightened deny their impact. They influenced all popular music that came after them whether you know it or care to admit it.
And, Jobim is awesome, too.
posted by wsg at 1:54 AM on May 13, 2006 [1 favorite]
Bitching about Sinatra (or Louis) is like bitching about the Beatles. Only the unenlightened deny their impact. They influenced all popular music that came after them whether you know it or care to admit it.
And, Jobim is awesome, too.
posted by wsg at 1:54 AM on May 13, 2006 [1 favorite]
As a form of training, Miles Davis used to inhale to capacity, dive underwater, and exhale shaping the breath in imitation of Sinatra's phrasing. That's a pretty telling commendation from one goddamned discerning judge.
posted by Wolof at 3:08 AM on May 13, 2006
posted by Wolof at 3:08 AM on May 13, 2006
"Quiet chords from my guitar..."
When he sang that line, it made me think about how old Frank didn't, of course, play the guitar or anything else, at least not on stage, and didn't write his own songs, and was glad to sing a song that someone else had made a hit if he thought he could do it better. He was there to sing the best songs he could find the best way he could. I wonder what rock would be like if audiences weren't so intent upon listening to the songwriters, and singers concentrated on singing, and songwriters concentrated on writing great songs that might work for anybody.
posted by pracowity at 4:41 AM on May 13, 2006
When he sang that line, it made me think about how old Frank didn't, of course, play the guitar or anything else, at least not on stage, and didn't write his own songs, and was glad to sing a song that someone else had made a hit if he thought he could do it better. He was there to sing the best songs he could find the best way he could. I wonder what rock would be like if audiences weren't so intent upon listening to the songwriters, and singers concentrated on singing, and songwriters concentrated on writing great songs that might work for anybody.
posted by pracowity at 4:41 AM on May 13, 2006
As a form of training, Miles Davis used to inhale to capacity...
I bet.
posted by pracowity at 4:41 AM on May 13, 2006
I bet.
posted by pracowity at 4:41 AM on May 13, 2006
thankalot !
posted by elpapacito at 5:15 AM on May 13, 2006
posted by elpapacito at 5:15 AM on May 13, 2006
Frank never actually smoke smoked. He did it for purposes of style--just sort of sucked it in a bit, then blew it out. Says it here.
posted by raysmj at 5:22 AM on May 13, 2006
posted by raysmj at 5:22 AM on May 13, 2006
Sinatra as usual is straining desperately to hold onto the key. Frank's voice was unique, but a gifted singer he was not.
he was perfectly relaxed ... and what you hear as being slightly out of tune here and there was actually a masterful control of microtonality ... he knew exactly what he was doing at that stage of his career and his phrasing in that video is superb
there was a reason why standards and jazz musicians had great respect for sinatra ... his voice was just ok, but how he used it was awesome
I wonder what rock would be like if audiences weren't so intent upon listening to the songwriters, and singers concentrated on singing, and songwriters concentrated on writing great songs that might work for anybody.
it might be a lot like today's pop music ... that is, if the industry starts using some kind of quality control and comes up with better singers and songwriters ... it really is the model that many of the pop people are going by, but unfortunately, they've neglected the little matter of talent
posted by pyramid termite at 6:18 AM on May 13, 2006 [1 favorite]
he was perfectly relaxed ... and what you hear as being slightly out of tune here and there was actually a masterful control of microtonality ... he knew exactly what he was doing at that stage of his career and his phrasing in that video is superb
there was a reason why standards and jazz musicians had great respect for sinatra ... his voice was just ok, but how he used it was awesome
I wonder what rock would be like if audiences weren't so intent upon listening to the songwriters, and singers concentrated on singing, and songwriters concentrated on writing great songs that might work for anybody.
it might be a lot like today's pop music ... that is, if the industry starts using some kind of quality control and comes up with better singers and songwriters ... it really is the model that many of the pop people are going by, but unfortunately, they've neglected the little matter of talent
posted by pyramid termite at 6:18 AM on May 13, 2006 [1 favorite]
The best fives minutes I've spent on the interweb in weeks.
posted by mania at 6:56 AM on May 13, 2006
posted by mania at 6:56 AM on May 13, 2006
This is so pleasant.
Frank should have let Carlos do 'The Girl From Ipanema' solo, but Sinatra was so awesome in every way.
Guess that's Les Brown's band in the background?
posted by nj_subgenius at 7:03 AM on May 13, 2006
Frank should have let Carlos do 'The Girl From Ipanema' solo, but Sinatra was so awesome in every way.
Guess that's Les Brown's band in the background?
posted by nj_subgenius at 7:03 AM on May 13, 2006
Several years ago the Sinatra family announced they would release a CD of all the Sinatra-Jobim recordings, but then nothing happened. It would be great if they could do that. Their only full album together is really short (something like 28 minutes), and then there's one side of Sinatra & Co. and a couple unreleased (in America, anyway) tracks. You can find them at this site. Anyone out there know what happened to this alleged release?
posted by Man-Thing at 7:13 AM on May 13, 2006 [1 favorite]
posted by Man-Thing at 7:13 AM on May 13, 2006 [1 favorite]
But I would give anything to have heard Ella and Jobim perform the same song together.
Oh, wow. Why does this not exist?
I know that she did an album of Jobim songs (Ella Abraça Jobim), but I don't think he was involved...
posted by weston at 7:48 AM on May 13, 2006
Oh, wow. Why does this not exist?
I know that she did an album of Jobim songs (Ella Abraça Jobim), but I don't think he was involved...
posted by weston at 7:48 AM on May 13, 2006
What a sublime performance by two musical giants. Thanks for posting the link, Chrischris. I just ordered the dvd, and I also found two clips on YouTube of Jobim on the Andy Williams show.
Guess that's Les Brown's band in the background?
I'm guessing Nelson Riddle, from what it says in the opening sequence from the television special.
posted by Buzz at 8:42 AM on May 13, 2006
Guess that's Les Brown's band in the background?
I'm guessing Nelson Riddle, from what it says in the opening sequence from the television special.
posted by Buzz at 8:42 AM on May 13, 2006
pyramid termite is exactly right, and I'm flagging his comment above as fantastic.
posted by shmegegge at 10:00 AM on May 13, 2006
posted by shmegegge at 10:00 AM on May 13, 2006
I wonder what rock would be like if audiences weren't so intent upon listening to the songwriters, and singers concentrated on singing, and songwriters concentrated on writing great songs that might work for anybody. It would be like the 1930's again. And too bad we'll never again see anything like that era. Also, Weston is absolutely right. It's sad that we don't expect performers to have what it takes to move an audience without a lot of electronic back-up.
posted by QuietDesperation at 1:32 PM on May 13, 2006
posted by QuietDesperation at 1:32 PM on May 13, 2006
The fashion for "Unplugged" in the late '80s and '90s did a lot to separate the wheat from the chaff at the time, but generally there's no putting the genie back in the bottle.
Those who take the trouble to attend small and indie live performances will have a sense of what musicianship is; the rest will get their auditory equivalent of McDonald's and the Olive Garden, because it's so much easier for RIAA member companies to construct a predictable business model around.
posted by George_Spiggott at 4:11 PM on May 13, 2006
Those who take the trouble to attend small and indie live performances will have a sense of what musicianship is; the rest will get their auditory equivalent of McDonald's and the Olive Garden, because it's so much easier for RIAA member companies to construct a predictable business model around.
posted by George_Spiggott at 4:11 PM on May 13, 2006
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posted by liam at 7:18 PM on May 12, 2006