Sampling of Sinatra’s post-Capitol Christmas recordings

This 2009 collection combines eight post-Capitol Sinatra tracks with selected performances by Rosemary Clooney, Mel Torme, Tony Bennett & Bill Evans, and Ray Charles & Betty Carter. This is a new compilation of existing material, rather than a collection put together by Sinatra during his lifetime. Sinatra is in good voice throughout, supported by full orchestrations and arrangements from Nelson Riddle and Don Costa. He sings Christmas classics and lesser known songs, such as “Christmas Memories” and “An Old Fashioned Christmas,” written by his friends Don Costa, Alan & Marilyn Bergman, and Sammy Cahn & Jimmy Van Heusen; his original “Mistletoe and Holly” is also included.

Sinatra’s singing friends were invited to the party through the magic of archival compilation, rather than a personal summons from the Chairman. Still, the disc’s producer has done a terrific job of programming, and the re-mastering smoothly weaves together material from multiple studios and thirty-plus years of recording. Tony Bennett sings to the solo piano of Bill Evans, and Ray Charles sings a famous duet with Betty Carter (a track that also appears on the recent reissue of Charles’ The Spirit of Christmas). Mel Torme sings his own “The Christmas Song,” and Rosemary Clooney provides a warm, if somewhat wavery reprise of the Irving Berlin classic “White Christmas” from her 1996 album White Christmas.

The set’s most notable tracks for collectors are a pair taken from his 1957 holiday television special Happy Holidays with Bing & Frank, the aforementioned “Mistletoe and Holly” as well as “Santa Clause is Coming to Town.” Those looking for original Sinatra holiday albums should check out 1957’s A Jolly Christmas From Frank Sinatra or 1968’s The Sinatra Family With You a Merry Christmas. You can also find a compilation of his late-40s Christmas recordings for Columbia on Christmas Songs by Sinatra (and a deeper helping of his Reprise-era work on The Christmas Collection). These are traditional and classy rather than ring-a-ding-ding, which itself can be found on Christmas With the Rat Pack. All are worth hearing, but this short collection (37 minutes) provides a nice alternative, particularly for its inclusion of related artists and two rarities. [©2009 hyperbolium dot com]