Friday evening interlude: Sinatra sings bossa

Friday, 9th May 2008

I thought I'd end the day in much the same way I began. While there's no shortage of English-language bossa nova travesties on the market, the album that Frank Sinatra made with the great Antonio Carlos Jobim has some gorgeous moments. Their TV medley includes "Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars" (Gene Lees's  translation of "Corcovado"),  a so-so treatment of Irving Berlin's "Change Partners" and the best number on the LP, Cole Porter's "I Concentrate on You". No prizes for guessing what they end with. Jobim strums gentle guitar chords, Frank puffs away on his cigarette. Those were the days. 

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