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As a marketing concept, Frank Sinatra's comeback album Duets was a complete success. A collection of Sinatra standards produced by Phil Ramone, the record wasn't a duets album in the conventional sense -- Sinatra never recorded in the studio with his partners. Instead, the other singers recorded their tracks separately, sometimes in different studios, and the two tracks were pasted together to create the illusion of a duet. In the case of several duet partners, including Bono and Barbara Streisand, this means they rely on camp as a way of making their performances interesting. Sinatra, meanwhile, is oblivious to all of the vocal grandstanding, simply because he recorded his tracks well in advance of their contributions. The result is a mess. Not only do the vocalists never mesh, but the orchestrations are ham-fisted and overblown, relying more on bombast than showmanship. Furthermore, Sinatra's performance is uneven; occasionally his voice is remarkable, but just as often it is thin and worn. Nevertheless, Duets was a gigantic hit, selling over two million copies and becoming Sinatra's single most commercially successful record, though it's easily the worst he released during his lengthy career. Duets rose to number two on the pop charts because of its masterful marketing strategy. The album was promoted as a piece of nostalgia, primarily to baby boomers but also to Generation X as a piece of kitsch. Both approaches ignore the emotional core of Sinatra's music, which is evident on only one track -- "One for My Baby," which was essentially a solo performance introduced by an instrumental from saxophonist Kenny G. Perhaps if Duets remained true to the essence of Sinatra's music, it would have been more effective, but as it stands, the album is only admirable as a piece of product, not a piece of music.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
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Phil Ramone, Producer - Luther Vandross, MainArtist - Richard Rodgers, ComposerLyricist - Lorenz Hart, ComposerLyricist - Al Schmitt, Recording Engineer, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Frank Sinatra, MainArtist - CARL GLANVILLE, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Bill Byers, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Hank Cattaneo, Producer, Co-Producer
℗ 1993 Capitol Records, LLC
Phil Ramone, Producer - Aretha Franklin, MainArtist - Gilbert Becaud, ComposerLyricist - PIERRE DELANOE, ComposerLyricist - PATRICK WILLIAMS, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Carl Sigman, ComposerLyricist - Al Schmitt, Recording Engineer, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Frank Sinatra, MainArtist - DON COSTA, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - CARL GLANVILLE, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Hank Cattaneo, Producer, Co-Producer
℗ 1993 Capitol Records, LLC
Phil Ramone, Producer - Jay Landers, Producer, Executive Producer - DAVID FOSTER, Producer - George Gershwin, Composer - Ira Gershwin, Author - Doug Sax, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Ted Jensen, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - NELSON RIDDLE, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - PATRICK WILLIAMS, Conductor, Musical Director, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Al Schmitt, Recording Engineer, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Frank Sinatra, MainArtist - CARL GLANVILLE, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Barbra Streisand, MainArtist
℗ 1993 Capitol Records, LLC
Phil Ramone, Producer - Johnny Mercer, ComposerLyricist - NELSON RIDDLE, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Albert Hammond, Producer - Al Schmitt, Recording Engineer, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Hans Bradtke, ComposerLyricist - Frank Sinatra, MainArtist - Julio Iglesias, MainArtist - Henry Mayer, ComposerLyricist - CARL GLANVILLE, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1993 Capitol Records, LLC
Phil Ramone, Producer - Johnny Mercer, ComposerLyricist - Gloria Estefan, MainArtist - Harold Arlen, ComposerLyricist - Al Schmitt, Recording Engineer, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Frank Sinatra, MainArtist - DON COSTA, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - CARL GLANVILLE, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Hank Cattaneo, Producer, Co-Producer
℗ 1993 Capitol Records, LLC
Phil Ramone, Producer - Al Schmitt, Recording Engineer, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Frank Sinatra, MainArtist - John Kander, ComposerLyricist - Fred Ebb, ComposerLyricist - DON COSTA, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - CARL GLANVILLE, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Tony Bennett, MainArtist - Hank Cattaneo, Producer, Co-Producer
℗ 1993 Capitol Records, LLC
Phil Ramone, Producer - Andre Fischer, Producer - George Gershwin, Composer - Ira Gershwin, Author - Natalie Cole, MainArtist - Neal Hefti, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - PATRICK WILLIAMS, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Al Schmitt, Recording Engineer, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Frank Sinatra, MainArtist - CARL GLANVILLE, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1993 Capitol Records, LLC
Phil Ramone, Producer - Charles Aznavour, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Doug Sax, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Ted Jensen, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - JOSEF MYROW, ComposerLyricist - Mack Gordon, ComposerLyricist - PATRICK WILLIAMS, Conductor, Musical Director - Al Schmitt, Recording Engineer, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Frank Sinatra, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - CARL GLANVILLE, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Hank Cattaneo, Producer, Co-Producer
℗ 1993 Capitol Records, LLC
Phil Ramone, Producer - Carly Simon, MainArtist - Bob Hilliard, ComposerLyricist - Jule Styne, ComposerLyricist - Sammy Cahn, ComposerLyricist - NELSON RIDDLE, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Al Schmitt, Recording Engineer, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Frank Sinatra, MainArtist - Dave Mann, ComposerLyricist - CARL GLANVILLE, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Hank Cattaneo, Producer, Co-Producer
℗ 1993 Capitol Records, LLC
Phil Ramone, Producer - Harold Arlen, ComposerLyricist - Ted Koehler, ComposerLyricist - NELSON RIDDLE, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Liza Minnelli, MainArtist - Al Schmitt, Recording Engineer, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Frank Sinatra, MainArtist - CARL GLANVILLE, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Hank Cattaneo, Producer, Co-Producer
℗ 1993 Capitol Records, LLC
Phil Ramone, Producer - Tommy Lipuma, Producer - Anita Baker, MainArtist - NELSON RIDDLE, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - PATRICK WILLIAMS, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Al Schmitt, Recording Engineer, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - CY COLEMAN, ComposerLyricist - Frank Sinatra, MainArtist - CAROLYN LEIGH, ComposerLyricist - CARL GLANVILLE, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Hank Cattaneo, Producer, Co-Producer
℗ 1993 Capitol Records, LLC
Phil Ramone, Producer - Cole Porter, ComposerLyricist - NELSON RIDDLE, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Al Schmitt, Recording Engineer, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Bono, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Frank Sinatra, MainArtist - Adam Clayton, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - CARL GLANVILLE, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - The Edge, Guitar, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Larry Mullen, Jr., Drums, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Hank Cattaneo, Producer, Co-Producer
℗ 1993 Island Records Limited
Phil Ramone, Producer - Johnny Mercer, Author - Harold Arlen, Composer - Sammy Cahn, ComposerLyricist - NELSON RIDDLE, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - PATRICK WILLIAMS, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Al Schmitt, Recording Engineer, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Frank Sinatra, MainArtist - Jimmy Van Heusen, ComposerLyricist - CARL GLANVILLE, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Kenny G, MainArtist - Hank Cattaneo, Producer, Co-Producer
℗ 1993 Capitol Records, LLC
Phil Ramone, Producer - Paul Anka, ComposerLyricist - Luciano Pavarotti, MainArtist - Claude François, ComposerLyricist - Jacques Revaux, ComposerLyricist - Frank Sinatra, MainArtist - DON COSTA, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - GILLES THIBAULT, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1995 Capitol Records, LLC
Johnny Mercer, Author - Tom Scott, MainArtist - Harold Arlen, Composer - NELSON RIDDLE, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Frank Sinatra, MainArtist
℗ 2013 Capitol Records, LLC
DISC 2
Phil Ramone, Producer - Orlando Murden, Composer - Ted Jensen, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Stevie Wonder, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Gladys Knight, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Eric Schilling, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Frank Sinatra, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - DON COSTA, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Ronald Alonzo Miller, ComposerLyricist - Hank Cattaneo, Producer, Co-Producer
℗ 1994 Capitol Records, LLC
Phil Ramone, Producer - Kiko Cibrián, Producer - Sammy Cahn, ComposerLyricist - Ted Jensen, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Eric Schilling, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Billy May, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Frank Sinatra, MainArtist - Jimmy Van Heusen, ComposerLyricist - Luis Miguel, MainArtist - José Quintana, Producer - Hank Cattaneo, Producer, Co-Producer
℗ 1994 Capitol Records, LLC
Phil Ramone, Producer - Richard Rodgers, ComposerLyricist - Lorenz Hart, ComposerLyricist - Ted Jensen, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Eric Schilling, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Frank Sinatra, MainArtist - Patti LaBelle, MainArtist - Hank Cattaneo, Producer, Co-Producer
℗ 1994 Capitol Records, LLC
Phil Ramone, Producer - Ed Rak, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Ted Jensen, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - PATRICK WILLIAMS, Conductor, Musical Director - Al Schmitt, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Eric Schilling, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - CY COLEMAN, ComposerLyricist - Frank Sinatra, MainArtist - CAROLYN LEIGH, ComposerLyricist - Jon Secada, MainArtist - Charles Koppelman, Producer, Executive Producer - Don Rubin, Producer, Executive Producer - Charlie Pollard, Participant - Sean Chambers, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Eliot Weisman, Producer, Executive Producer - Dennis Cordero, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Hank Cattaneo, Producer, Co-Producer
℗ 1994 Capitol Records, LLC
Phil Ramone, Producer - Linda Ronstadt, MainArtist - Ed Rak, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Ted Jensen, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - PATRICK WILLIAMS, Conductor, Musical Director - Al Schmitt, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Eric Schilling, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Frank Sinatra, MainArtist - Karl Suessdorf, ComposerLyricist - John Blackburn, ComposerLyricist - Charles Koppelman, Producer, Executive Producer - Don Rubin, Producer, Executive Producer - Charlie Pollard, Participant - Sean Chambers, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Eliot Weisman, Producer, Executive Producer - Dennis Cordero, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Hank Cattaneo, Producer, Co-Producer
℗ 1994 Capitol Records, LLC
Jorge Casas, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Phil Ramone, Producer - Bart Howard, ComposerLyricist - Paulo Jobim, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Ted Jensen, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - António Carlos Jobim, MainArtist - Ed Calle, Tenor Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Eric Schilling, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Frank Sinatra, MainArtist - Juanito Marquez, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Edwin Bonilla, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Jorge Noriega, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Rita Quintero, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Hank Cattaneo, Producer, Co-Producer
℗ 1994 Capitol Records, LLC
Phil Ramone, Producer - Chrissie Hynde, MainArtist - Ted Jensen, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - FRANK LOESSER, ComposerLyricist - Eric Schilling, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Frank Sinatra, MainArtist - Arturo Sandoval, Trumpet, AssociatedPerformer - Hank Cattaneo, Producer, Co-Producer
℗ 1994 Capitol Records, LLC
Phil Ramone, Producer - Willie Nelson, MainArtist - George Gershwin, Composer - Ira Gershwin, Author - Ted Jensen, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Eric Schilling, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Frank Sinatra, MainArtist - Hank Cattaneo, Producer, Co-Producer
℗ 1994 Capitol Records, LLC
Clay Ostwald, Additional Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Phil Ramone, Producer - Eydie Gorme, MainArtist - Steve Lawrence, MainArtist - Richard Rodgers, ComposerLyricist - Lorenz Hart, ComposerLyricist - Ted Jensen, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Eric Schilling, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Frank Sinatra, MainArtist - Dick Williams, Vocal Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Hank Cattaneo, Producer, Co-Producer
℗ 1994 Capitol Records, LLC
Phil Ramone, Producer - George Gershwin, ComposerLyricist - Ira Gershwin, ComposerLyricist - Ed Rak, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Ted Jensen, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - PATRICK WILLIAMS, Conductor, Musical Director - Lena Horne, MainArtist - Al Schmitt, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Eric Schilling, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Frank Sinatra, MainArtist - Gregory Stone, Translator - Charles Koppelman, Producer, Executive Producer - Don Rubin, Producer, Executive Producer - Charlie Pollard, Participant - Sean Chambers, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Eliot Weisman, Producer, Executive Producer - Dennis Cordero, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Hank Cattaneo, Producer, Co-Producer
℗ 1994 Capitol Records, LLC
Phil Ramone, Producer - Jimmy Buffett, MainArtist - Kurt Weill, ComposerLyricist - Ted Jensen, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - MARC BLITZSTEIN, ComposerLyricist - Eric Schilling, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Bertolt Brecht, ComposerLyricist - Frank Sinatra, MainArtist - Hank Cattaneo, Producer, Co-Producer
℗ 1994 Capitol Records, LLC
Phil Ramone, Producer - Richard Rodgers, Composer - Lorenz Hart, Author - Ed Rak, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Ted Jensen, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - PATRICK WILLIAMS, Conductor, Musical Director - Michel Legrand, ComposerLyricist - Al Schmitt, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Eric Schilling, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Marilyn Bergman, ComposerLyricist - Alan Bergman, ComposerLyricist - Frank Sinatra, MainArtist - Lorrie Morgan, MainArtist - Charles Koppelman, Producer, Executive Producer - Don Rubin, Producer, Executive Producer - Charlie Pollard, Participant - Sean Chambers, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Eliot Weisman, Producer, Executive Producer - Dennis Cordero, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Hank Cattaneo, Producer, Co-Producer
℗ 1994 Capitol Records, LLC
Phil Ramone, Producer - Sammy Cahn, ComposerLyricist - Ed Rak, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Ted Jensen, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - PATRICK WILLIAMS, Conductor, Musical Director - Al Schmitt, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Eric Schilling, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Frank Sinatra, MainArtist - Jimmy Van Heusen, ComposerLyricist - Charles Koppelman, Producer, Executive Producer - Don Rubin, Producer, Executive Producer - Frank Sinatra Junior, MainArtist - Charlie Pollard, Participant - Sean Chambers, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Eliot Weisman, Producer, Executive Producer - Dennis Cordero, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Hank Cattaneo, Producer, Co-Producer
℗ 1994 Capitol Records, LLC
Alan Lindgren, Vocal Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Tom Hensley, Vocal Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Phil Ramone, Producer - Neil Diamond, MainArtist - Ed Rak, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Ted Jensen, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - PATRICK WILLIAMS, Conductor, Musical Director - Al Schmitt, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Eric Schilling, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Frank Sinatra, MainArtist - Earl Robinson, ComposerLyricist - Lewis Allen, ComposerLyricist - Charles Koppelman, Producer, Executive Producer - Don Rubin, Producer, Executive Producer - Charlie Pollard, Participant - Sean Chambers, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Eliot Weisman, Producer, Executive Producer - Dennis Cordero, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Hank Cattaneo, Producer, Co-Producer
℗ 1994 Capitol Records, LLC
Phil Ramone, Producer - Willie Nelson, MainArtist - Paul Anka, ComposerLyricist - Ted Jensen, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Claude François, ComposerLyricist - Jacques Revaux, ComposerLyricist - Frank Sinatra, MainArtist - GILLES THIBAULT, ComposerLyricist - Hank Cattaneo, Producer
℗ 2005 Capitol Records, LLC
Tanya Tucker, MainArtist - Phil Ramone, Producer - George Gershwin, ComposerLyricist - Ira Gershwin, ComposerLyricist - NELSON RIDDLE, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Frank Sinatra, MainArtist - Gregory Stone, Translator - Hank Cattaneo, Producer, Co-Producer
℗ 2013 Capitol Records, LLC
Phil Ramone, Producer - Bart Howard, ComposerLyricist - Quincy Jones, Co-Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - PATRICK WILLIAMS, Co-Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Frank Sinatra, MainArtist - George Strait, MainArtist
℗ 1994 Capitol Records, LLC
Album review
As a marketing concept, Frank Sinatra's comeback album Duets was a complete success. A collection of Sinatra standards produced by Phil Ramone, the record wasn't a duets album in the conventional sense -- Sinatra never recorded in the studio with his partners. Instead, the other singers recorded their tracks separately, sometimes in different studios, and the two tracks were pasted together to create the illusion of a duet. In the case of several duet partners, including Bono and Barbara Streisand, this means they rely on camp as a way of making their performances interesting. Sinatra, meanwhile, is oblivious to all of the vocal grandstanding, simply because he recorded his tracks well in advance of their contributions. The result is a mess. Not only do the vocalists never mesh, but the orchestrations are ham-fisted and overblown, relying more on bombast than showmanship. Furthermore, Sinatra's performance is uneven; occasionally his voice is remarkable, but just as often it is thin and worn. Nevertheless, Duets was a gigantic hit, selling over two million copies and becoming Sinatra's single most commercially successful record, though it's easily the worst he released during his lengthy career. Duets rose to number two on the pop charts because of its masterful marketing strategy. The album was promoted as a piece of nostalgia, primarily to baby boomers but also to Generation X as a piece of kitsch. Both approaches ignore the emotional core of Sinatra's music, which is evident on only one track -- "One for My Baby," which was essentially a solo performance introduced by an instrumental from saxophonist Kenny G. Perhaps if Duets remained true to the essence of Sinatra's music, it would have been more effective, but as it stands, the album is only admirable as a piece of product, not a piece of music.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
About the album
- 2 disc(s) - 32 track(s)
- Total length: 01:55:02
- 1 Digital booklet
- Main artists: Frank Sinatra
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: FRANK SINATRA HYBRID
- Genre: Electronic Lounge
© 2013 Capitol Records, LLC ℗ 2013 Capitol Records, LLC
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