92. Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim — (self titled) (1967)

Frankie boy

1. Such classy names used here. Francis Albert Sinatra. Yes.
2. It’s remarkable how well Sinatra works with bossa nova. As soon as the first notes of “The Girl From Ipanema” pop up, it’s instantly recognizable as a Sinatra tune. From there you series of lovely tunes thanks to Sinatra’s interest in bringing Jobim’s songs to the english language and seeing a broader audience. We heard a number of these songs earlier in the list, but I didn’t by any means understand what was being sung; now that I do, it makes me want to go back to the earlier albums.
3. The downside of how well Sinatra works with bossa nova is that he dominates the proceedings a bit. He brought Jobim in to play guitar here, but the string-laden orchestrations and Sinatra’s voice overwhelm Jobim a bit, which is a shame.
4. In all: this is a lovely album, an understandably important piece of Sinatra’s mid-late career, and worth a listen. It’s a mix of sounds that does work quite well, but in a manner of dulling the edges of both ends. You neither get peak Sinatra nor peak Jobim; it’s pleasant, but that’s where it ends.

One Essential Song:

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