Description
L.A. Is My Lady
L.A. Is My Lady is a 1984 studio album by Frank Sinatra, produced by Quincy Jones. It was the last solo album that Sinatra recorded, though Sinatra recorded five further songs, only four of which have been officially released.
Frank Sinatra’s final studio album of the ’80s — arguably the last true original album Sinatra recorded — was an uneven but surprisingly enjoyable set that tried to adapt the singer’s style to contemporary pop standards. Under the direction of arranger/producer Quincy Jones, the album incorporated more synthesizers and slick production techniques than any previous Sinatra album, but the result usually doesn’t sound forced, especially on the hit title song. When the album does fail, it is because Jones’ overly ambitious and commercial production — such as the insistent dance beat of “How Do You Keep the Music Playing” — prevents the song from taking root. Nevertheless, everyone involved, from Sinatra and Jones to the band themselves, sounds like they’re having fun, and that sense of joy effortlessly translates to the listener.
Track listing:
- “L.A. Is My Lady” (Alan and Marilyn Bergman, Quincy Jones, Peggy Lipton Jones) – 3:12
- “The Best of Everything” (Fred Ebb, John Kander) – 2:45
- “How Do You Keep the Music Playing?” (A. Bergman, M. Bergman, Michel Legrand) – 3:49
- “Teach Me Tonight” (Sammy Cahn, Gene de Paul) – 3:44
- “It’s All Right With Me” (Cole Porter) – 2:39
- “Mack the Knife” (Marc Blitzstein, Bertolt Brecht, Kurt Weill) – 4:50
- “Until the Real Thing Comes Along” (Mann Holiner, Alberta Nichols, Cahn, Saul Chaplin, L.E. Freeman) – 3:03
- “Stormy Weather” (Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler) – 3:38
- “If I Should Lose You” (Ralph Rainger, Leo Robin) – 2:36
- “A Hundred Years from Today” (Joe Young, Ned Washington, Victor Young) – 3:04
- “After You’ve Gone” (Henry Creamer, Turner Layton) – 3:15
Video: Frank Sinatra: L.A. is my Lady 1984
Personnel:
- Frank Sinatra – vocals
- Harry Lookofsky – Concert Master
- Oscar Brashear – trumpet
- Randy Brecker – trumpet, flugelhorn
- Jon Faddis – trumpet
- Gary Grant – trumpet
- Joe Newman – trumpet
- Alan Rubin – trumpet, flugelhorn, piccolo trumpet
- Lew Soloff – trumpet
- Snooky Young – trumpet
- Jerry Hey – trumpet, arranger
- Wayne Andre – trombone
- George Bohanon – trombone
- Urbie Green – trombone
- Lew McCreary – trombone
- Benny Powell – trombone
- Bill Reichenbach Jr. – trombone
- David Taylor – bass trombone
- Bill Watrous – trombone
- Michael Brecker – saxophone
- Buddy Collette – reeds
- Ronnie Cuber – baritone saxophone
- William Green – reeds
- Kim Hutchcroft – saxophone
- Jerome Richardson – reeds
- Larry Williams – saxophone
- George Young – saxophone
- Frank Wess – saxophone, alto saxophone
- Frank Foster – arranger, saxophone
- John Clark – french horn
- David Duke
- Peter Gordon
- Sidney Muldrow
- Jerry Peel
- Henry Sigismonti
- Toni Price – tuba
- James (Jim) Self – tuba
- Margaret Ross – harp
- Amy Sherman
- George Benson – guitar
- Tony Mottola – guitar
- Lee Ritenour – guitar
- Lionel Hampton – vibraphone
- Ray Brown – double bass
- Gene Cherico
- Bob Cranshaw – bass
- Major Holley – double bass, vocals on “Mack the Knife”
- Marcus Miller – bass
- Neil Stubenhaus – electric bass
- Leon “Ndugu” Chancler – drums
- Irving Cottler – drums
- Steve Gadd – drums
- John “J.R.” Robinson – drums
- Ralph MacDonald – percussion
- Sy Johnson – piano, fender rhodes
- Joe Parnello piano, arranger, Fender rhodes
- Craig Huxley – synthesizer
- Ed Walsh
- Jimmy Smith – Electric Organ
- Bob James – synthesizer, electric piano, Fender rhodes
- Hilary James – synthesizer, piano, fender rhodes
- Randy Kerber – synthesizer, piano, fender rhodes
