Nelson Riddle

Nelson Riddle and Bing

NAME	MESSAGE
Tom O.	posted 03/11/06 09:39 AM Central Time (US) contact the author directly I'm wondering why Bing didn't record more songs with Nelson Riddle. They only recorded one album in '63 and that wasn't great at all... I thought the combination was good in Bing's TV show in '60, too bad they didn't combine their talents for a couple more songs...
Ron Field	posted 03/11/06 10:27 AM Central Time (US) contact the author directly It would have been a good combination if Bing had sung songs with a better 'swing' to them as Riddle did with Sinatra. The Sinatra album "Songs for swinging lovers', which I think brought Sinatra back into the picture is really good. "Just one of those things" is a fine example. Bing's version is pretty slow and mundane.
Joe McGrenra	posted 03/11/06 04:37 PM Central Time (US) contact the author directly I know there are some that like the Bing/Nelson Riddle album (Return to Paradise Islands), but personally, I felt that was a very disappointing and very weak effort on both their parts. Considering the work Riddle was doing with Sinatra, Bing and him should have turned out some classic recording. On the flip side, I always wondered why Sinatra never tried to work with Ken Barnes after the work he did with Bing. I think Ken Barnes could have produced a classic Sinatra album or two especially after the deaths of Nelson Riddle and Don Costa when Sinatra was still in great voice. He made an album with Quincy Jones (LA Is My Lady-great album but weak title song) and after that seemed unable to get an album together until the Duets project. Did some great recordings (The Girls I’ve Never Kissed, Only One To A Customer, and My Foolish Heart), but they weren't released until after his death, and then only in a very expensive boxed set (The Complete Reprise Studio Recordings). I think Ken Barnes and Sinatra could have created something to rival his 50's Capital work. P.S. I need to say I do think Sinatra recorde one of his greatest albums in the 1980's -- She Shot Me Down.
Dieter Beier	posted 03/11/06 04:57 PM Central Time (US) contact the author directly Don´t forget Nelson Riddle´s recordings for the Robin And The Seven Hoods soundtrack album! Nelson also wrote the arrangement for Christmas Candles, that Bing recorded with Fred Waring. Bing and Nelson´s last performance was on March 17, 1976 at Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles on his Bing Crosby And Friends show.
Arne	posted 03/12/06 03:44 AM Central Time (US) contact the author directly In addition, Nelson conducted Bing's June 2, 1976 concert in San Francisco. I know - I was there! Don't forget Bing's "Seven Nights A Week" and "Man On Fire" - the Capitol single conducted and arranged by Riddle in 1957. Also, Bing's "That's How Much I Love You" and "Rose Of Santa Rosa", with Bob Crosby's band, were arranged by a young Nelson Riddle. You'd never know it, as Riddle's style hadn't developed yet, and the charts are not characteristic of his mature work. Apparently, I am the only person on the planet who enjoys "Return To Paradise Islands", and longs to have it on CD.... I think Riddle's work on this album is gorgeous; sounding more like beautiful, majestic film scoring than pop music. And, although some of Bing's vocals are uninspired, others are among his latter-day best, with "Adventures In Paradise" getting my vote as one of Bing's best LP-era tracks, ever. It seems to me that I once read that Sinatra DID take note of Bing's albums with Ken Barnes (and the success the albums enjoyed), and connected with Ken about the possibility of doing something together....KEN: Am I imagining this? or did I really read it way back in those days? - and, is there any truth to it?
Jon O.	posted 03/12/06 02:15 PM Central Time (US) contact the author directly Arne, you're not alone. I've loved "Return To Paradise Islands" since the first time I heard it. I know there are at least two or three more of us out there. If I remember correctly, Gord Atkinson expressed his liking for the LP in his essential "The Crosby Years."
Ken Barnes	posted 03/12/06 04:51 PM Central Time (US) no email address given Hi Arne. In reply to your query about Frank Sinatra's interest in the Bing albums which I produced, I can confirm that the late Irving "Sarge" Weiss of the Sinatra office did ask for copies which were duly sent. Later, when I was in L.A. Sarge told me that Frank had heard them and liked them very much. Nothing came of it except that, today, I do enjoy a warm association with Sinatra Enterprises and I do work with them on occasional projects. Incidentally, in the new stage show "Sinatra at the London Palladium," Frank's voice is heard paying tribute to Bing as his main inspiration. And, by the way, it's a terrific show !
Jim Kukura	posted 03/13/06 10:59 AM Central Time (US) no email address given I also like "Return To Paradise Island", but I do not feel that it is up to par with Bing's Hawaiian/South Seas songs of the thirites.