L.A. Is My Lady is the fifty-seventh and final solo studio album by American singer Frank Sinatra, released in 1984 and produced by Quincy Jones. While the album was Sinatra's last (excluding the Duets albums), he recorded five further songs, only four of which have been officially released.
The album came after an album of duets between Sinatra and Lena Horne, instigated by Jones, was abandoned after Horne developed vocal problems and Sinatra, committed to other engagements, couldn't wait to record. This was the first studio album Sinatra had recorded with Jones since 1964's It Might as Well Be Swing.
The studio sessions were filmed for a documentary, Frank Sinatra: Portrait of an Album, which also shows Sinatra meeting Michael Jackson for the first time.
When L.A. Is My Lady was recorded, studio technology was very advanced and Sinatra could overdub the songs, but he preferred making his records by singing live with his musicians in real-time.[2]
Despite its title, the album was mostly recorded in New York City. The album peaked at #58 on the Billboard 200, and #8 on the Top Jazz Albums chart.
One notable departure for Sinatra was the clear inclusion of synthesizers on the title track.
On 2024 L.A. Is My Lady was reissued in a expanded edition, remixed by Larry Walsh, with six bonus tracks including the original vocal version of "Mack the Knife"; two alternate versions of "How Can You Keep the Music Playing?" (one previously unreleased, with a Bob Florence arrangement); the outtake "Body and Soul" and a previously unissued alternate take of "After You've Gone".
In the liner notes, Jones says he had a new arrangement of "Body and Soul" planned for the album, but Sinatra had nothing new to say with the song, and declined to record it. Nevertheless, Sinatra did record a vocal track for the song during the sessions, and Sinatra's vocal for "Body and Soul" from the L.A. Is My Lady sessions was added to a new arrangement by Torrie Zito and released as a bonus track on Nothing But the Best, a 2008 compilation album.
Add: Harry Lookofsky, Matthew Raimondi, Marilyn Wright, Fred Buldrini, David Nadien, Regis Iandiorio, Richard Sortomme, Gene Orloff, Harold Kohan, Marti Sweet (vln); Harold Coletta, Alfred Brown (via); Jesse Levy, Jonathan Abramowitz (vie). Dave Matthews, Quincy Jones, Jerry Hey, Torrie Zito (arr).
Tracks 2, 5, 6, 10:
16-April-1984 (Monday) - New York. A&R Studios (from 7 to 10 P.M.).
Joe Newman, Randy Brecker, Jon Faddis, Alan Rubin (tpt); Benny Powell, Urbie Green, Wayne Andre (tbn); Dave Taylor (b-tbn); Robert Carlisle, Jerry Peel, John Clark (fr-h); Tony Price (tuba); Michael Brecker, Ronnie Cuber, George Opalisky, Frank Foster, Frank Wess (wwd); Margaret Ross (harp); Bob James (synt); Joe Pamella (pie-Rhodes); George Benson, Tony Mottola (g); Ray Brown, Gene Cherico (b); Steve Gadd, Irving Cottler (d); Ralph MacDonald (perc); Lionel Hampton (vibes). Sam Nestico, Joe Parnello, Frank Foster (arr).
Track 3 (How Do You Keep The Music Playing?):
17-April-1984 (Tuesday) - New York. A&R Studios (from 7 to 10 P.M.).
Joe Newman, Randy Brecker, Jon Faddis, Lew Soloff (tpt); Benny Powell, Urbie Green, Wayne Andre (tbn); Dave Taylor (b-tbn); Peter Gordon, Jerry Peel, John Clark (fr-h); Tony Price (tuba); Michael Brecker, Ronnie Cuber, George Opalisky, Frank Foster, Frank Wess (wwd); Margaret Ross (harp); Bob James (synt); Joe Pamello (pie-Rhodes); George Benson, Tony Mottola (g); Ray Brown, Gene Cherico (b); Steve Gadd, Irving Cottler (d); Ralph MacDonald (perc). Sam Nestico, Torrie Zito, Joe Pamello (arr).
Add: Harry Lookofsky, Matthew Raimondi, Marilyn Wright, Fred Buldrini, David Nadien, Regis Iandiorio, Richard Sortomme, Gene Orloff, Harold Kohon, Marti Sweet (vln); Harold Coletta, Alfred Brown (vla); Jesse Levy, Jonathan Abramowitz (vlc). Joe Pamello (arr).
Tracks 4, 9:
17-April-1984 (Tuesday) - New York. A&R Studios (from 7 to 10 P.M.).
Joe Newman, Randy Brecker, Jon Faddis, Lew Soloff (tpt); Benny Powell, Urbie Green, Wayne Andre (tbn); Dave Taylor (b-tbn); Peter Gordon, Jerry Peel, John Clark (fr-h); Tony Price (tuba); Michael Brecker, Ronnie Cuber, George Opalisky, Frank Foster, Frank Wess (wwd); Margaret Ross (harp); Bob James (synt); Joe Pamello (pie-Rhodes); George Benson, Tony Mottola (g); Ray Brown, Gene Cherico (b); Steve Gadd, Irving Cottier (d); Ralph MacDonald (perc). Sam Nestico, Torrie Zito, Joe Pamello (arr).
Track 7 (Until The Real Thing Comes Along):
13-April-1984 (Friday) - New York. A&R Studios (from 4 to 7 P.M.).
Joe Newman, Randy Brecker, Lew Soloff, Alan Rubin (tpt); Benny Powell, Urbie Green, Wayne Andre (tbn); Dave Taylor (b-tbn); Peter Gordon, Jerry Peel, John Clark (fr-h); Tony Price (tuba); Michael Brecker, Ronnie Cuber, George Opalisky, David Tofani, Frank Wess (wwd); Margaret Ross (harp); Bob James (synt); Joe Pamello (pie-Rhodes); George Benson, Tony Mottola (g); Ray Brown, Major Holley, Marcus Miller, Gene Cherico (b); Steve Gadd, Irving Cottler (d); Ralph MacDonald (perc); Lionel Hampton (vibes). Sammy Nestico (arr).
Track 8 (Stormy Weather):
17-May-1984 (Thursday)- Los Angeles. Oceanway Studios (from 12 N. to 3 P.M. and from 4 to 7 P.M).
Oscar Brashear, Gary Grant, Snooky Young, Jerry Hey* (tpt); Bill Reichenbach Jr., Lew McCreary, Bill Watrous, George Bohanon (tbn); Henry Sigismonti, Sidney Muldrow, David Duke (fr-h); James Self (tuba); Buddy Collette, Kim Hutchcroft, Jerome Richardson, Bill Green, Larry Williams (sax/wwd); Amy Shulman (harp); Randy Kerber* (p/el-Rhodes); Craig Hundley (synt); Lee Ritenour (el-g); Leon "Ndugu" Chancler (d). Sammy Nestico, Bob Florence (arr).
Track 11 (After You've Gone):
13-April-1984 (Friday) - New York. A&R Studios (from 4 to 7 P.M.).
Joe Newman, Randy Brecker, Lew Soloff, Alan Rubin (tpt); Benny Powell, Urbie Green, Wayne Andre (tbn); Dave Taylor (b-tbn); Peter Gordon, Jerry Peel, John Clark (fr-h); Tony Price (tuba); Michael Brecker, Ronnie Cuber, George Opalisky, David Tofani, Frank Wess (wwd); Margaret Ross (harp); Bob James (synt); Joe Pamello (pie-Rhodes); George Benson, Tony Mottola (g); Ray Brown, Major Holley, Marcus Miller, Gene Cherico (b); Steve Gadd, Irving Cottler (d); Ralph MacDonald (perc); Lionel Hampton (vibes). Frank Foster, Bob James (arr).[5]
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References
↑ Thomas, Stephen (1984-05-17). "Allmusic Review". Allmusic.com. Retrieved 2012-08-17.
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