L.A. Is My Lady

L.A. Is My Lady
L.A. Is My Lady
Studio album by Frank Sinatra
Released	August 1984
Recorded	April 13, 16–17, May 17, 1984; New York City, New York and Los Angeles, California
Genre	Vocal jazz
Length	36:35
Label	Qwest, Warner Bros.
Producer	Quincy Jones
Frank Sinatra chronology

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	^[1]

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.

Singers Dean Martin, Donna Summer, Michael McDonald and Van Halen members David Lee Roth & Eddie Van Halen make cameo appearances in the video for "L.A. Is My Lady", which in turn made moderate rotation on the fledgling MTV Network.

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.

Songs

This was the first time Sinatra recorded "Mack the Knife". He re-recorded the vocal on October 30, 1986 (combined with the original orchestra track) for the album's 1986 release on compact disc.^[2] The musicians that Sinatra name-checks on "Mack the Knife" are; Quincy Jones, Randy Brecker, Michael Brecker, George Benson, Joe Newman, Bobby Darin, Frank Foster, and Lionel Hampton. The double bassist Major Holley scats over the opening bars of the song.
Sammy Cahn wrote a new verse for "Teach Me Tonight", referencing Sinatra's many love affairs.
Cahn also altered the lyrics of "Until the Real Thing Comes Along", with Sinatra claiming "I'd even punch out Mr. T for you".
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.

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

Quincy Jones arranged track 1.
Torrie Zito arranged tracks 1 & 4.
Dave Matthews & Jerry Hey arranged track 1.
Joe Parnello arranged tracks 2 & 3.
Frank Foster arranged tracks 6 & 11.
Sammy Nestico arranged tracks 5, 7, 8, 9 & 10.

Charts

Chart (1984)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)^[3]	66

Complete Personnel

Track 1 (LA Is My Lady):

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). Sam Nestico (arr).

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).^[4]

Production personnel

Quincy Jones – arranger, conductor, producer
Joseph d'Ambrosio – production coordination
David Matthews – arranger
Sam Nestico – arranger
Torrie Zito – arranger
David Smith – engineer
Gus Skinas – engineer, digital engineer
Phil Ramone – engineer, mixing
Jimmy Santis
Stanley Wallace
Allen Sides – engineer, assistant engineer, mixing assistant
Steve Crimmel – engineer, associate engineer
Mark Ettel
Cliff Jones – engineer, associate remixing engineer
Ollie Cotton – associate engineer
Bradshaw Leigh – associate engineer
Roger Nichols – digital engineer, associate engineer
Bernie Grundman – mastering
Lee Herschberg – digital mastering
Don Hahn – remixing
Elliot Scheiner – remixing, assistant engineer, mixing assistant
Alan Berliner – photography
Bill Ross
Ed Thrasher
William Warren
Stan Cornyn – liner notes

References

^ Thomas, Stephen (1984-05-17). "Allmusic Review". Allmusic.com. Retrieved 2012-08-17.
^ "See under "Weill"". SongsBySinatra.com. 2008-12-26. Archived from the original on 2008-12-26. Retrieved 2012-08-17.
^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 275,276. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
^ Put Your Dreams Away: A Frank Sinatra Discography. ISBN 978-0274963768.

[1] Thomas, Stephen (1984-05-17). "Allmusic Review". Allmusic.com. Retrieved 2012-08-17.

[2] "See under "Weill"". SongsBySinatra.com. 2008-12-26. Archived from the original on 2008-12-26. Retrieved 2012-08-17.

[aus-3] Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 275,276. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.

[4] Put Your Dreams Away: A Frank Sinatra Discography. ISBN 978-0274963768.

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v t e Jimmy Smith
Years indicated are for the recording(s), not first release.
Blue Note albums	A New Sound... A New Star... Volume 1 (1956) A New Sound A New Star: Jimmy Smith at the Organ Volume 2 (1956) The Incredible Jimmy Smith at the Organ (1956) At Club Baby Grand (1956) A Date with Jimmy Smith Volume One (1957) A Date with Jimmy Smith Volume Two (1957) The Sounds of Jimmy Smith (1957) Plays Pretty Just for You (1957) Jimmy Smith Trio + LD (1957) Groovin' at Smalls' Paradise (1957) House Party (1958) The Sermon (1958) Softly as a Summer Breeze (1958) Cool Blues (1958) Six Views of the Blues (1958) Home Cookin' (1958–59) Crazy! Baby (1960) Open House (1960) Plain Talk (1960) Midnight Special (1960) Back at the Chicken Shack (1960) Straight Life (1961) Plays Fats Waller (1962) I'm Movin' On (1963) Bucket! (1963) Rockin' the Boat (1963) Prayer Meetin' (with Stanley Turrentine, 1963) One Night with Blue Note (1985)
Verve albums	Bashin': The Unpredictable Jimmy Smith (1962) Hobo Flats (1963) Any Number Can Win (1963) Blue Bash! (with Kenny Burrell, 1963) The Cat (1964) Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1964) Christmas '64 (1964) Monster (1965) Organ Grinder Swing (1965) Got My Mojo Workin' (1966) Hoochie Coochie Man (1966) Peter & the Wolf (1966) Jimmy & Wes: The Dynamic Duo (with Wes Montgomery, 1966) Further Adventures of Jimmy and Wes (1966) Respect (1967) The Boss (1968) Groove Drops (1970) The Other Side of Jimmy Smith (1970) Root Down (1972) Bluesmith (1972) Damn! (1995) Angel Eyes: Ballads & Slow Jams (1995) Dot Com Blues (2000)
Albums for other labels	Black Smith (1974)
With others	The Original Jam Sessions 1969 (Quincy Jones & Bill Cosby, 1969) Smackwater Jack (Quincy Jones, 1971) Ellington Is Forever (Kenny Burrell, 1975) Ellington Is Forever Volume Two (Kenny Burrell, 1975) Straight Ahead (Stanley Turrentine, 1984) L.A. Is My Lady (Frank Sinatra, 1984) Bad (Michael Jackson, 1987) Love and Peace: A Tribute to Horace Silver (Dee Dee Bridgewater, 1994)