The Sunday Musical Offering - Frank Sinatra/Count Bassie Band: Fly Me To The Moon

I had a drink the other night with a musical friend of mine whom I have not seen in some time. A wonderful and in depth conversation ensued over excellent bourbon and a good cigar. We were speaking about the Count Bassie Band and that great generation of jazz musicians, of whom so many of the young people today have no idea of or what gifts these musicians gave to the musical world. A great shame in my opinion.

I was blessed in April of 1984, while studying in New York, to venture over to Carnegie Hall one night in my tuxedo. I sat up near the top of the Hall; but I had the extraordinary opportunity to hear Frank Sinatra live in concert. Buddy Rich and his band opened for Old Blue Eyes. Count Bassie had died the day before and Sinatra opened his set with the Bassie arrangement of Fly Me To the Moon. You could have heard a pin drop on Sixth Avenue. The audience was spell bound. There is no video of that actual performance but we are blessed to have this recording of The Chairman of the Board and the Bassie Band. Is there anything better?

Love One Another - Brian