It Might as Well Be Swing is a 1964 studio album by Frank Sinatra, accompanied by Count Basie and his orchestra. It was Sinatra's first studio recording arranged by Quincy Jones.
Overview The recording of "Fly Me to the Moon" which appears on this album has become one of Sinatra's most popular. This was Sinatra and Basie's second collaboration after 1962's Sinatra-Basie. Sinatra's cover version of "Hello, Dolly!" on the album features a new second verse improvised by Sinatra, which pays tribute to Louis Armstrong, who had topped the Billboard charts with his own version of the song earlier in 1964.Bronson, Fred. The Billboard Book of Number 1 Hits (2003), Billboard Books, Whilst "Wives and Lovers" was in time, the performance in the album was in time; according to Bacharach, the record's producer Quincy Jones said "the Basie band can't play in ." It Might as Well Be Swing is a reference to the title of the well known jazz standard "It Might as Well Be Spring".
Chart performance The album debuted on Billboard magazine's Top LP's chart in the issue dated August 22, 1964, peaking at No. 13 during a thirty-one-week run on the chart. It entered Cashbox magazine's Top Albums chart in the issue dated August 15, 1964, peaking at No. 13 on the Top Monaural Albums chart during a nineteen-week run on it. The album reached No. 15 on the Top Stereo Albums chart during the same-week run on it. In the UK the album reached a lower position of No. 17. Reception The initial Record World magazine review stated that "Frank and Count Basie make a stunning combination", continuing "and along with Quincy Jones arrangements, they can't be bettered. The sound is brassy and upbeat." The Record Mirror review stated that Sinatra is "better than ever on this Quincy Jones-arranged set, with his work on 'Can't Stop Loving You' just about the last word in intelligent interpretation," noting "This swings for every groove of the way. So does the whole album."
The retrospective by review Stephen Thomas Erlewine on AllMusic stated that "It Might as Well Be Swing, was a more structured, swing-oriented set than Sinatra-Basie, and in many ways the superior album." He also said that "Both Basie and Sinatra manage to play with the melodies and the beat, even though the album never loses sight of its purpose as a swing album. However, what makes It Might as Well Be Swing more successful is the consistently high level of the performances."
Track listing
Personnel Frank Sinatra – vocals Count Basie – piano Quincy Jones – arranger, conductor
The Count Basie Orchestra Al Porcino, Don Rader, Wallace Davenport, Al Aarons, George Cohn and Harry "Sweets" Edison – trumpets Henry Coker, Grover Mitchell, Bill Hughes, Henderson Chambers and Kenny Shroyer – trombones Frank Foster, Charles Fowlkes, Marshal Royal, Frank Wess and Eric Dixon – reeds Emil Richards – vibraphone George Catlett – double bass Freddie Green – guitar Sonny Payne – drums
Additional musicians Gerald Vinci, Israel Baker, Jacques Gasselin, Thelma Beach, Bonnie Douglas, Marshall Sosson, Erno Neufeld, Lou Raderman, Paul Shure and James Getzoff – violins Virginia Majewski, Paul Robyn, Alvin Dinkin and Stan Harris – violas Edgar Lustgarten and Ann Goodman – cellos Emil Richards – Vibes/Percussion
Production Sonny Burke – producer Lowell Frank – engineer Ted Allen – cover photo Gregg Geller – 1998 reissue producer Lee Herschberg – 20-bit digital mastering
Charts Chart (1964) Peakposition UK Record Retailer Top AlbumsAll except noted: 17 US Billboard Top LPs13 US Cashbox Top Albums13
References