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L.A. Is My Lady

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L.A. Is My Lady
Studio album by
Frank Sinatra
ReleasedAugust 1984
RecordedApril 13, 16–17, May 17, 1984
New York City, New York and Los Angeles, California
GenreVocal jazz
Length36:35
LabelQwest, Warner Bros.
ProducerQuincy Jones
Frank Sinatra chronology
She Shot Me Down
(1981) 		L.A. Is My Lady
(1984) 		Duets
(1993)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
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.

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]

Dean Martin, Quincy Jones, Nancy Sinatra, Cheryl Tiegs, Jane Fonda, La Toya Jackson, Jilly Rizzo, Donna Summer, Michael McDonald and Van Halen members David Lee Roth and 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.

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".

Songs

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Track listing

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  1. "L.A. Is My Lady" (Alan and Marilyn Bergman, Quincy Jones, Peggy Lipton Jones) – 3:12
  2. "The Best of Everything" (Fred Ebb, John Kander) – 2:45
  3. "How Do You Keep the Music Playing?" (A. Bergman, M. Bergman, Michel Legrand) – 3:49
  4. "Teach Me Tonight" (Sammy Cahn, Gene de Paul) – 3:44
  5. "It's All Right with Me" (Cole Porter) – 2:39
  6. "Mack the Knife" (Marc Blitzstein, Bertolt Brecht, Kurt Weill) – 4:50
  7. "Until the Real Thing Comes Along" (Mann Holiner, Alberta Nichols, Cahn, Saul Chaplin, L.E. Freeman) – 3:03
  8. "Stormy Weather" (Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler) – 3:38
  9. "If I Should Lose You" (Ralph Rainger, Leo Robin) – 2:36
  10. "A Hundred Years from Today" (Joe Young, Ned Washington, Victor Young) – 3:04
  11. "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

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Chart (1984) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[4] 66

Complete Personnel

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Track 1 (LA Is My Lady):

13-April-1984 (Friday) - New York. A&R Studios (from 4 to 7 P.M.).

    • Arranged by Gene Cherico
  • Joe Newman, Randy Brecker, Lew Soloff, Alan Rubin: trumpet
  • Benny Powell, Urbie Green, Wayne Andre: trombone
  • Dave Taylor: bass trombone
  • Peter Gordon, Jerry Peel, John Clark: French horn
  • Tony Price: tuba
  • Michael Brecker, Ronnie Cuber, George Opalisky, David Tofani, Frank Wess: woodwinds
  • Margaret Ross: harp
  • Bob James: synthesizers
  • Joe Pamello: Rhodes piano
  • George Benson, Tony Mottola: guitars
  • Ray Brown, Major Holley, Marcus Miller, Gene Cherico: bass
  • Steve Gadd, Irving Cottler: drums
  • Ralph MacDonald: percussion
  • Lionel Hampton: vibraphone

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]

Production personnel

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  • 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

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  1. ^ Thomas, Stephen (1984-05-17). "Allmusic Review". Allmusic.com. Retrieved 2012-08-17.
  2. ^ Waring, Charles (2024-10-25). "'L.A. Is My Lady': Frank Sinatra's Gloriously Golden Swan Song". uDiscover Music. Retrieved 2024-12-05.
  3. ^ "See under "Weill"". SongsBySinatra.com. 2008-12-26. Archived from the original on 2008-12-26. Retrieved 2012-08-17.
  4. ^ 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.
  5. ^ Put Your Dreams Away: A Frank Sinatra Discography. ISBN 978-0274963768.
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