Of the many things that I am grateful to my parents for, my early introduction to classic theater, movies and music is one of them. Each Saturday as chores were performed, there was a good chance that Ol' Blue Eyes would be serenading us through the blaring speakers... you don't disrespect Mr. Sinatra by any type of volume control. Frank Sinatra was practically an extended member of my family by virtue of the stereo, Uncle Frank. He was there at Christmas, Birthdays, Father's Day... Arbor Day. He helped me discover an appreciation for style and gentlemanly swagger. Whether it was his crisp suits and perfectly cocked hat or a classic tuxedo and a tumbler of whiskey while crooning in Vegas... he defined cool. Now that I think of it, Frank helped raise me to be a man's man... and who better right? The respect and appreciation for him is so deep that my dad wore a black arm band the day he died.
That made me a little different from most of the kids growing up. While others adored contemporary pop figures, movie stars and sports heros, I aspired to a walk in Sinatra's style shadow. I had a three piece suit at 13. There was a framed sketch of him on my wall in high school. I would play albums from my Freshman dorm room. While most collegiate boys decorated their fridge with Jim Belushi magnets, I had one that read "It's Sinatra's World, We Just Live In It". I wanted a Rat Pack to roll with. I dreamed of living in that city that never sleeps - and now I do.
Image: popartuk.com
Being a life long Frank fan there is a lot to be excited about at the moment:
1) A new Sinatra based musical, Come Fly Away, directed and choreographed by Twyla Tharpe opens on March 25th at the Marquis Theater in New York. Much in the vain of Movin' Out, the show relies on interpretive dance set to the music of Uncle Frank and tells the tale of four couples during an evening at a nightclub. Apparently "newly discovered vocal performances from the Sinatra archives" are featured in the show... Christmas come early this year.
Read the full synopsis and order tickets here: Twyla Tharp's Come Fly Away Sets Dates at Broadway's Marquis Theatre
Image: Sinatra.com
2) The Wall Street Journal reported last week that there seems to be confirmation that actor Leonardo DiCaprio and director Martin Scorsese will team up again to produce a Sinatra biopic. According to the article, Scorsese secured the cooperation of the family and classic recordings will be allowed in the film's score. The article goes on to question whether the iconic life of Uncle Frank can truly be captured and if we as viewers will be able to look past DiCaprio's own legacy and believe that he is Ol' Blue Eyes. Some hefty, hefty shoes to fill - good luck. This will either be the next Ray or more of a parody than Walk Hard: the Dewey Cox Story.
Enjoy the full article here: Tough Act: DiCaprio as Sinatra?
3) If you are ever in New York on a Saturday, I highly recommend Sinatra Saturdays at The Carnegie Club in Midtown Manhattan. While this isn't new, it has become a reoccurring favorite that I try to attend a couple times a year just to escape back to the days of nightclubs and live acts - back when a Friday or Saturday night meant donning a tux or suit and not jeans and a tattered T. I suit up, head over to the club and listen to Steve Maglio pay tribute to (not impersonate) Sinatra, while sipping a shaken Stoli martini or neat scotch. I can't get any closer to the days of Don Draper than that.
For reservation information visit the Hospitality Holdings website and click on The Carnegie Club at the top. There is a link for Sinatra Saturdays in the lower right corner.
Image: hospitalityholdings.com
Finally, while perusing for images, I came across Sinatra.com, the official Frank Sinatra site and its plethora of information on the man, the myth, the legend. The site houses a payload of stories, anecdotes and philosophies from all aspects of Frank's life. I look forward to many more in-depth visits in the coming days with Uncle Frank crooning in the background...
...do be do be dooooo
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