Monday, March 13, 2017

March 13 - Frank And Elvis

The Eagle Rock Entertainment announced the release of two new DVD in the "Frank Sinatra Collection" entitled "The Timex Shows Volume 1 and 2". The latter is of special interest for Elvis Presley fans. The release-date is May 17, 2017.

From the press-release:

New York, NY-- On May 19, 2017, Eagle Rock Entertainment will release another pair of titles in The Frank Sinatra Collection on DVD and digital formats. On license from Frank Sinatra Enterprises (FSE), the definitive collection pulls together some of the finest performances on television and in concert from the greatest entertainer of the 20th century.

The Timex Shows Vol.1 - The Frank Sinatra Timex Show / An Afternoon With Frank Sinatra


The Frank Sinatra Collection brings together some of Frank Sinatra’s finest performances on television and in concert. This release combines his first two Timex TV shows from the late ‘50s.


The Frank Sinatra Timex Show – First broadcast by ABC on October 19, 1959. This was the first of four Timex-sponsored television specials that Sinatra hosted. It’s a fun and energetic show that captures Frank Sinatra at the top of his game. Guests include Dean Martin, Mitzi Gaynor and Bing Crosby, who join forces for an opening rendition of “High Hopes” and later Jimmy Durante makes a surprise appearance.


An Afternoon With Frank Sinatra – First broadcast by ABC on December 13, 1959, ‘An Afternoon With Frank Sinatra’ was the second of Sinatra’s four Timex television specials. The show includes guest appearances from Peter Lawford, Hermione Gingold, The Hi-Lo’s, Red Norvo’s jazz combo, dancer Juliet Prowse and the incomparable Ella Fitzgerald. Sinatra sings such hits as “I’ve Got The World On A String,” "I'll Never Smile Again" and duets on "Can't We Be Friends" with Ella.


The Timex Shows Vol.2 - To The Ladies / Welcome Home Elvis


The Frank Sinatra Collection brings together some of Frank Sinatra’s finest performances on television and in concert. This release combines his two final Timex TV shows from 1960.


"To The Ladies" – First broadcast by ABC on February*15, 1960, ‘To The Ladies’ surrounded Frank Sinatra with a host of wonderful female performers for his third Timex-sponsored television special. It’s a mix of comedy, opera, dancing and great songs. Guests include Lena Horne, Mary Costa, Barbara Heller, Juliet Prowse and special guest star Eleanor Roosevelt.


"Welcome Home Elvis" – First broadcast by ABC on May 12, 1960, ‘Welcome Home Elvis’ was Frank Sinatra’s fourth and final Timex special. It marked Elvis Presley’s first TV appearance after coming home from military service. Elvis performs “Fame And Fortune” and “Stuck On You” then Presley and Sinatra join forces on great renditions of “Witchcraft” and “Love Me Tender.” Joining in the fun is Nancy Sinatra, Jr., Sammy Davis, Jr., Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop.


Full tracklisting information - 
The Timex Shows Vol.1 


The Frank Sinatra Timex Show:  1) High Hopes (Bing Crosby/Dean Martin/Mitzi Gaynor) 2) Day In, Day Out (Frank Sinatra) 3) Together, Wherever We Go (Frank Sinatra/Bing Crosby/Dean Martin) 4) Hurricane (Mitzi Gaynor) 5) Talk To Me (Frank Sinatra/Mitzi Gaynor) 6) Cheek To Cheek (Bing Crosby/Dean Martin/Mitzi Gaynor) 7) Wrap Your Trouble In Dreams (Dean Martin 8 ) Medley: Good Old Songs/Down By The Old Mill Stream/The Old Gray Mare/In Shade Of The Old Apple Tree/That Old Feeling/Down The Old Ox Road/Old Rockin’ Chair/Old Devil Moon/You’re An Old Smoothie/My Old Flame/Ol’ Man River (Frank Sinatra/Bing Crosby/Dean Martin) 9) High Hopes (Frank Sinatra) 10) Medley: Just One Of Those Things/Angel Eyes/The Lady Is A Tramp (Frank Sinatra) 11) Medley: Start Each Day With A Song/Inka Dinka Doo/Baby, Won’t You Please Come Home (Frank Sinatra/Bing Crosby/Dean Martin/Mitzi Gaynor/Jimmy Durante)


An Afternoon With Frank Sinatra: 
1) Spend The Afternoon With Me (Frank Sinatra) 2) I’ve Got The World On A String (Frank Sinatra) 3) The Desert Is Calling (The Hi-Lo’s) 4) Comes Love (Hermione Gingold/Peter Lawford) 5) There’s A Lull In My Life (Ella Fitzgerald) 6) It’s All Right With Me (Frank Sinatra) 7) Juliet Prowse Dance Routine 8 ) Too Marvelous For Words (Frank Sinatra/Red Norvo Quintet) 9) Here Is That Rainy Day (Frank Sinatra/Red Norvo Quintet) 10) Just You, Just Me (Ella Fitzgerald) 11) I’ll Never Smile Again (Frank Sinatra/The Hi-Lo’s) 12) Can’t We Be Friends (Frank Sinatra/Ella Fitzgerald) 13) Puttin’ On The Ritz (Hermione Gingold/Peter Lawford/Juliet Prowse) 14) He Loves And She Loves (Ella Fitzgerald) 15) Love Walked Right In (The Hi-Lo’s) 16) Our Love Is Here To Stay (Frank Sinatra) 17) Love Is Sweeping The Country (Frank Sinatra/Hermione Gingold/Peter Lawford/Juliet Prowse/Ella Fitzgerald) 


Full tracklisting information - The Timex Shows Vol. 2


To The Ladies: 
1) Here’s To The Ladies (Frank Sinatra) 2) I’ve Got You Under My Skin (Frank Sinatra) 3) Ouvre Ton Coeur (Mary Costa) 4) By Strauss (Barbara Heller) 5) Ring The Bell (Lena Horne) 6) Come Cha Cha With Me (Juliet Prowse) 7) It’s A Lonesome Old Town (Frank Sinatra) 8 ) But Beautiful (Lena Horne) 9) From This Moment On (Lena Horne) 10) Harold Arlen Medley: As Long As I Live/It’s Only A Paper Moon/One For My Baby/Accentuate The Positive/Stormy Weather/Get Happy/Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea (Frank Sinatra/Lena Horne) 11) My Heart Stood Still (Frank Sinatra) 12) Yours Is My Heart Alone (Mary Costa) 13) Afraid Of Love (Barbara Heller) 14) My Heart Belongs To Daddy (Lena Horne) 15) My Funny Valentine (Juliet Prowse) 16) High Hopes (Eleanor Roosevelt) 17) Here’s To The Ladies (Frank Sinatra)


Welcome Home Elvis
1) It’s Nice To Go Trav’ling (Frank Sinatra/Joey Bishop/Sammy Davis Jr/Nancy Sinatra) 2) It’s Nice To Go Trav’ling (Frank Sinatra/Joey Bishop/Sammy Davis Jr/Nancy Sinatra/Elvis Presley) 3) Witchcraft (Frank Sinatra) 4) Come On Bess (Sammy Davis Jr) 5) Oriental Dance (Leona Irwin & The Tommy Hansen Dancers) 6) Gone With The Wind (Frank Sinatra) 7) Uh Oh! (Nutty Squirrels) 8 ) All The Way (Sammy Davis Jr) 9) Shall We Dance (Sammy Davis Jr/Peter Lawford) 10) Fame And Fortune (Elvis Presley) 11) Stuck On You (Elvis Presley) 12) Medley: Witchcraft/Love Me Tender (Frank Sinatra/Elvis Presley) 13) Medley: Witchcraft/Love Me Tender - Reprise (Frank Sinatra/Elvis Presley) 14) You Make Me Feel So Young (Frank Sinatra/Nancy Sinatra) 15) Let’s Dance (Nancy Sinatra)


Rock And Beauty


Due for release from the SR Special Product import-label March 2017 is "Rock And Beauty , Live In Las Vegas Straight From The Tape Vol.1". This contains audience recordings of both the dinner and midnight shows in Las Vegas on August 19, 1971. This comes in standard edition of 400 copies (with two different front covers) and a Deluxe edition of 100 copies with “exclusive contents”.


From the press-release:

Available from the middle March, Rock and Beauty (SR Records) with focus on Elvis’ August 1971.Both the shows are previously unreleased taken directly from a first generation tape. This will be the first of three volumes that SR will publish inside the year with focus on August 1971. The SR attitude is to present Elvis at the peak of his possibility and without doubt in the Las Vegas August 1971 season Elvis still rocks and still beautiful, delivering maybe shorter shows respect the previous summer seasons , but still solid. If Rock is attitude the man still have it. The performance is terrific full and sharp. 

Here are presented two unreleased shows from the second week of the season. Both the show are very similar , the track list is minimized and the shows are practically identical, the afternoon presents in more the song I Got a Woman. We are happy and proud of the result we hope you can enjoy too, in spite of the limitation of the audience recording you can listen in a very balanced form all the instruments and Elvis super powerful voice. The shows are fantastic and the track listing is solid , giving us the best of the Season. All the songs are very well performed . Talking of best song is very hard, however you have Proud Mary and Johnny B. Good performed at the top of Elvis’ possibilities, but in the same moment the same happens with classic ballad Love Me Tender here still performed in both the shows or the pop new single I’m Leaving …. This the magic of Elvis in the 1971, a man singing with his own style all styles at the top of his possibilities. 

This new SR special Product will be the first of three volumes housed in a deluxe long digipack, containing a 12 pages of booklet with focus and details on the season including a collection of live photographs newspapers clips and memorabilia plus a high quality glossy 135 gram paper poster of 50x50 cm size and a high glossy paper bonus art card of 25x13 cm of size.. 


In matter to have a special collector item, the 400 copies will be presented with two different sleeves variation (same sleeve, but in color and black and white). All the copies will come hand numbered and individually sealed. As by tradition of the label, it produced various versions of the set, limited to 100 copies each, all with exclusive material. 


Unreleased show august 19, 1971 DS Time 50 min.

01. 2001 Theme 02. That’s All Right 03. Proud Mary 04.I Got A Woman / Amen 05. Love Me Tender 06. Sweet Caroline 07. Polk Salad Annie 08. Dialogue 09. Johnny B Goode 10. It’s Impossible 11. Love Me 12. Blue Suede Shoes/ Whole Lotta Shakin Goin On 13. Heartbreak Hotel 14. Teddy Bear /Don’t Be Cruel 15. Dialogue 16. Hound Dog 17. Suspicious Minds 18. Band Introductions 19. I’m Leavin’ 20. Lawdy Miss Clawdy 21. Dialogue 22. Can’t Help Falling In Love 23.Closing Vamp 

Unreleased show august 19, 1971 MS Time 45.00 min. 

01. 2001 Theme 02. That’s All Right 03. Proud Mary 04. Love Me Tender 05. Sweet Caroline 06. Polk Salad Annie 07. Dialogue 08. Johnny B Goode 09. It’s Impossible 10. Love Me 11. Blue Suede Shoes/ Whole Lotta Shakin Goin On 12. Heartbreak Hotel 13. Teddy Bear /Don’t Be Cruel 14. Dialogue 15. Hound Dog 16. Suspicious Minds 17. Band Introductions 18. I’m Leavin’ 19. Lawdy Miss Clawdy 20. Can’t Help Falling In Love 21. Closing Vamp 

Packing the Arena



The MxF import-label will release soon its third special product called “Packing the Arena'' featuring both the shows performed from Elvis in Long Beach CA, Long Beach Arena on April 25, 1976. The 2.30 PM show is previously unreleased, while the 8.30 PM show has been previously released on CD ("California Wave” on Memory Records in 2009). However here is presented in very improved audio-quality so, We believe it is the right time for a proper re-release. 

After the successful Las Vegas Hilton comeback in December 1975, in spite a little bit overweight but with strong spirit, Elvis is ready to face his long tour activities of 1976. The first tour started in the middle of March , a passable tour but nothing more, the man obviously is afflicted from a lot of problems, personal relationship, recording session and overall self-attitude destructive to life. everything seems to go wrong. 


This second tour confirmed the impression from the March concerts: Elvis was not looking after himself physically and artistically he was at a dead end. In spite the lack of renewal, in the repertoire are still included some strong numbers to make the concerts of a very good quality. In some of the more demanding artistically songs, Elvis builds his show, He is still able to find LIFE singing songs like You Gave a Mountain, America the Beautiful, How Great Thou art and last single Hurt. Without doubt this is the focus of the show and the audience appreciated that, making the concert atmosphere still incredible experience. 


Talking about the concerts, both are solid with a few little variation of tracking list..in the evening one, Elvis performs three more songs: The life Anthem ; My Way, the religious ; Help Me and the fifty Rocker ; Blue Suede Shoes. Beside the focus of the show He still able to delivery in decent way, some of his classic rockers, Like Polk Salad Annie, Trying to Get To You and surprisingly in both the shows his best rocker in the seventies; Burning Love. 


The sound is very good for an ambient recordings, considering that this kind of recording is coming from a big hall no the intimate Las Vegas showroom… We have on our hands the original mono tapes of extremely good quality enabling us to carry out a simple re-mastering work, concentrating on the reduction of noise trying to achieve a more clear sound balancing the channel and put at the right speed the tape. The result a pretty dynamic tapes with a great definition of the background music and for sure you can live the atmosphere of a Elvis’ concert in the seventy. 


This is the third special Product for this label, this new double set will be housed in a deluxe large four panel digipack (20 cm) , containing a 12 pages of booklet with focus and details on the tour shows, including a collection of live photographs, newspapers clips and memorabilia plus a high quality glossy 135 gram paper poster of 40x40 cm size + an high glossy quality paper art card (20x20 cm). 


In matter to have a special collector item, the 400 copies will be presented with four different sleeves variation, the same for the poster too. All the copies will come hand numbered and individually sealed and Please remember!! This is a limited hand numbered 400 copies  Like the previous special products, will be presented a 100 copies deluxe edition with exclusive content. 


Tracklist April 25 1976 (2:30 pm). Long Beach CA. Long Beach Arena: 

01. 2001 Theme 02. C. C. Rider 03. Got A Woman / Amen 04. Love Me 05. If You Love 06. You Gave Me A Mountain 07. All Shook Up 08. Teddy Bear /Don’t Be Cruel 09. Tryin’ To Get To You 10. America The Beautiful 11. Polk Salad Annie 12. Band Introductions /Solos 13. Hurt 14. And I Love You So 15. Burning Love 16. How Great Thou Art 17. Hound Dog 18. Funny How Time Slips Away 19. It’s Now Or Never 20. Can’t Help Falling In Love 21. Closing Vamp 
(CD 1 67.00 min.)

Tracklist  April 25 1976 (8:30 pm). Long Beach CA. Long Beach Arena:

01. C. C. Rider 02. I Got A Woman /Amen 03. Love Me 04. If You Love Me 05. You Gave Me A Mountain 06. All Shook Up 07. Teddy Bear / Don’t Be Cruel 08. Tryin’ To Get To You 09. My Way 10. Polk Salad Annie 11. Band Introductions / Solos 12. Hurt 13. And I Love You So 14. America The Beautiful 15. Burning Love 16. Help Me (+ 1 false start) 17. How Great Thou Art 18. It’s Now Or Never /Elvis introduces The Eagles 19. Funny How Time Slips Away 20. Hound Dog 21. Blue Suede Shoes 22. Can’t Help Falling In Love 23. Closing Vamp (CD 2 68.00 min.)

(Source: FECC / Sinatra Family)