It Might As Well Be Swing – FRANK SINATRA & COUNT BASIE*****

Fly Me To The Moon/I Wish You Love/I Believe In You/More/I Can’t Stop Loving You/Hello Dolly/I Wanna Be Around/The Best Is Yet To Come/The Good Life/Wives & Lovers

It Might As Well Be Swing was the second collaboration by two of the 20th century's most acclaimed popular music artists. The songs are all of notably more recent origin than those on the first pairing. (US:13 UK:17)

"Frank Sinatra and Count Basie's second collaboration, It Might As Well Be Swing, was a more structured, swing-oriented set than Sinatra-Basie, and in many ways the superior album. The album consists of then recently written songs, arranged as if they were swing numbers."

"Both Basie and Sinatra manage to play with the melodies and the beat, even though the album never loses sight of its purpose as a swing album. However, what makes It Might As Well Be Swing more successful is the consistently high level of the performances. One cannot call oneself a Sinatra aficionado without this album."

"Aside from Fly Me To The Moon being the greatest rendition of this song in the history of music, Count Basie and Frank at the peak of their powers is a most fantastic musical joy."

"The whole line up is full of all-stars: Frank on vocals, Count Basie on piano, and Quincy Jones conducting/arranging. Very upbeat and swinging. Solid songs throughout - no real disappointments on any of them."

"Okay, if you put a gun to my head and made me pick the best Sinatra studio album, this would be it. This one represents some kind of pinnacle - I don't know if it's the choice of material (new songs, a departure from the standards), the great Basie band, or the tip-top Quincy Jones arrangements. Overall, I'd just say it's the conviction in 'The Voice' and the joy of the musicians playing behind him."

"This date is simply one of the most swingin' of all time. It is a classic and should receive all of the accolades that go with that honour. Both Frank and Q are at their very best. There is something about the way Frank's voice sounds a real deep, heavy, brooding and pensive quality that I love."