Frank Sinatra Jr., son of acclaimed vocalist Frank Sinatra, has spent his professional career honoring the rich musical traditions of our country by performing and conducting pieces from the so-called "Great American Songbook."
These timeless pieces encompass everything from jazz standards to songs of the romantic period - which date back to the 1800s - and transcend the generational barrier that often separates musical taste, he said.
Sinatra Jr. will step out of the bright lights of the Las Vegas and Atlantic City showrooms, and into Nicholas Music Center on Douglass campus for a concert tomorrow evening, beginning at 8 p.m. He will be performing and conducting classic swing pieces from composers and arrangers Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Nelson Riddle and others, alongside the Rutgers Jazz Ensemble, with some "core members" of Sinatra Jr.'s jazz orchestra.
Raised under the musical tutelage of some the greatest musicians and composers in American music, Sinatra Jr. grew up in an environment surrounded by music. His introduction to conducting - like his introduction to singing - was somewhat conversely accidental.
On a job years ago, the 17 musicians hired to play in his band could barely fit on the venue's undersized stage. The pianist, who was usually responsible for leading the ensemble, was stuck in the back of the stage, out of view of the majority of the band.
"The conductor had to be that one person who everyone in the band could see, and the only one person that everyone could see was the guy out front," Sinatra Jr. said. "And that person was me. With my one hand I was throwing down beats and counting measures. And from there, it just blossomed."
Sinatra Jr. took such a liking to conducting that he soon found himself conducting symphonies, eventually rising to the rank of musical director of Sinatra Sr.'s ensemble and keeping the job for seven years until Sinatra Sr.'s untimely death in 1998.
Sinatra Jr. recalled conducting shows for Sinatra and personally seeing the impact of the Sinatra sound on audiences of all ages.
"I used to see the audiences," he said. "He had people in their 70s … teenagers were even present. I would look at them, and they would all be equally happy with the music that they heard."
Today, the name "Sinatra" is still relevant amongst nearly all audiences, even in a genre of music usually geared toward niche audiences, Sinatra Jr. said.
Professor of Jazz Studies Conrad Herwig, who was once a member of Sinatra Sr.'s band, considers Sinatra Jr. to be a link to some of the great musicians of all time.
"He's a person who can give a first hand account of some of the greatest music of the 20th century," Herwig said. "We picked him to come to Rutgers because of his vast experience as musical director for his father. He has also worked with a ton of great musicians and orchestrators, including Louis Armstrong and Nelson Riddle."
Tomorrow's concert will not be Sinatra Jr.'s first time on campus. He remembers playing dances at the University in the 1960s when singing with dance bands. But he said little difference exists between the dance attendees, Vegas venue audiences and the students he'll play for on Tuesday.
"As long as they like us, it's fine," he said. "As long as they like us."
Tickets are still available to students, faculty and members of the public through the Mason Gross Performing Arts Center Ticket Office or at the venue, directly before the show. More information is available at masongross.rutgers.edu.
Be the first to comment on this article!