Duets is an album by American singer Frank Sinatra, released in 1993. Recorded near the end of Sinatra's career, it consists of electronically assembledduets between Sinatra and younger singers from various genres. The album was a commercial success, debuting at No. 2 on the Billboard albums chart, reaching No. 5 in the UK, and selling over 3million copies in the US. It is the only Sinatra album to date to achieve triple platinum certification.
The album received mixed reviews from critics, with complaints stemming from Sinatra's specified style of isolated performance wherein he was never joined by his duet partners in the studio, an artificial method of record production which lacked the elements of personal collaboration and spontaneity. The guest singers had been directed to sing along to his pre-recorded vocal parts, and to make their performances complement his.[4] "I've Got a Crush on You" was nominated for the Academy Award for Best instrumental arrangement with accompanying vocals at the 37th Annual Grammy Awards.
The cover art displays a specially commissioned painting of Frank Sinatra by LeRoy Neiman. Its sequel, Duets II, was released the following year. Both albums were packaged together in a "90th Birthday Limited Collector's Edition" released in 2005; North American pressings added an unreleased duet recording of "My Way" with Willie Nelson, while international pressings have him singing with Luciano Pavarotti.
Production
Sinatra was approached in 1992 with the idea of making an album of duets.[5]:5Phil Ramone, Sinatra's manager Eliot Weisman and the Capitol executive producer Don Rubin discussed the details at Sinatra's house in Palm Springs, California.[5]:5 Ramone felt that Sinatra's classic songs would be brought to new, younger listeners by way of the Duets project.[5]:6
For duet partners, Sinatra suggested Ella Fitzgerald but she was not well enough to participate.[5]:6 Other artists, younger than Sinatra, were put on the list of potential partners.[5]:6 Sinatra specified that the duet partners must not be in the studio when he was singing his part.[5]:6
The project was pushed forward by Charles Koppelman, the CEO of EMI Records Group North America.[6] An orchestra was rehearsed at Capitol Studio A in Los Angeles, where Sinatra had recorded many times, the orchestra using classic Nelson Riddle arrangements.[5]:1-2 Sinatra showed up for the first two days of intended tracking sessions but begged off laying down any vocals the first day because he did not like being isolated in a vocal booth as intended by recording engineer Al Schmitt.[5]:4,7-8 On the second day, Hank Cattaneo (co-producer), suggested to Ramone, Schmitt and Pat Williams, that they create a small elevated stage set-up for Sinatra to stand on, and to place Bill Miller and his piano adjacent to Frank within the open-air stage/booth to make the recording session feel more like a live performance.[5]:8 However, Sinatra said his voice was not in optimal condition.[5]:9 At this point, about $350,000 had been spent to put the project together.[5]:7 Ramone and Capitol were worried the record would never be completed.[5]:7 Ramone spoke to Hank Cattaneo, his co-producer, about his concern.[5]:7 It was suggested that since Cattaneo was Frank's production manager and close friend, that he stay near Frank to assist in the sequence of songs and detail to Frank when the takes were acceptable and a retake was not required. Cattaneo further suggested to Ramone and Schmitt that they record with the wireless microphones that Frank was accustomed to using in live performances. Nine songs were recorded in five hours, beginning with "Come Fly with Me".[5]:10-11 Capitol Records A&R chief Don Rubin was in attendance at the recording session.[5]:2
The various duet partners were invited to participate remotely, their recordings sent to Capitol by way of ISDN digital telephone lines connected by EDnet to the digital recording equipment.[5]:7Bono and Aretha Franklin asked that Ramone fly out to appear in person at their local studios to strengthen the connection to Sinatra and the project. Bono recorded his part to "I've Got You Under My Skin" while standing on a couch in the STS Studios control room in Dublin, singing into a handheld microphone.[5]:89 After Franklin recorded her part to "What Now My Love" in Detroit, she recorded a personal message to Sinatra, thanking him for the opportunity.[5]:264 The duet of “My Way” with Luciano Pavarotti was not recorded in time to make the primary release of Sinatra's Duets. It was placed on the Sinatra 80 album and then added to subsequent pressings of Duets as a bonus track addition. Hank Cattaneo produced and recorded this segment in Pavarotti's summer villa in Pesaro, Italy.
Release
The album was advertised as "The Recording Event of The Decade".[7]
Some observers were not satisfied with its recording process.[8]
Deluxe Edition
Duets: 20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition
Duets: 20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition is a 2013 box set compilation album of electronically-assembled duets by American singer Frank Sinatra. Released to commemorate the 20thanniversary of Sinatra's highly successful album Duets, Capitol/UMe released a newly-remastered two-CD deluxe edition bringing together the original Duets, and the 1994 follow-up Duets II. In addition to the original duets, the new release includes two previously unreleased recordings, "One for My Baby (And One More for the Road)" featuring Tom Scott and "Embraceable You" with Tanya Tucker, plus bonus tracks "Fly Me to the Moon" with George Strait and two versions of "My Way", one recorded with Luciano Pavarotti and the other with Willie Nelson. The album also features new cover art as well as a 32-page booklet with rare photos and both the original and new liner notes.
Track listing
Unless otherwise indicated, Information is based on Liner notes[9]
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
Television special
On 25 November 1994, Sinatra recorded a television special which aired on CBS, titled Sinatra: Duets. This was intended to promote both the album Duets as well as its successor, Sinatra's last studio recording, Duets II.[52][53]
Reception
Joe Marchese said, "The Duets: Twentieth Anniversary box is lavishly packaged in classy style befitting the artist...Where this handsomely-designed package truly disappoints is the paucity of rare, desirable bonus material."[54]
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