This very year, Old Blues Eyes would have turned 100 years old.
And in order to celebrate the musical icon that was Frank Sinatra, the Standard Jazz Club is honouring him with a whole month of performances dedicated to his songs during June, and even extending it to be part of the Jazz Festival in July.
Yesterday evening, ‘Forever Frank with Edda Magnason’ premiered, and it is a show you can enjoy until Sunday.
Like in a movie
Sinatra’s songs always make me feel like I am in a movie: they make my heart feel like it’s Christmas, so I was overjoyed to see this live recital.
The concert began with a singer-less ‘The shadow of your smile’, the soundtrack for the 1965 movie The Sandpiper starring the unforgettable Elizabeth Taylor.
On stage were three of this city’s most accomplished jazz musicians, led by the one and only Niels Lan Doky, the Standard’s music director, on piano.
In his role as the night’s storyteller, he supplied anecdotes to introduce Sinatra’s songs, taking us back in time in a entertaining way worthy of the Rat Pack era.
On bass, Ira Coleman (whose career over the years has seen him perform with the likes of Sting) moved his fingers magically, while on drums, Alvin Queen killed it, reminding me of the recent film ‘Whiplash’ and the moves pulled off by Miles Teller (if you’ve seen the movie, you’ll know what I mean).
Sinatra reincarnated in a female voice
Edda Magnason then entered the stage with her opening number, ‘I am a fool to want you’. I got the shivers. Her voice was fantastic, and I thought to myself: what a great way to start.
The night continued with the classics that are familiar to us all: ‘Come Fly With Me’, ‘Fly me to the moon’ (in a slow melodic version, with Edda’s own touch), ‘My funny Valentine’, ‘Come rain and come shine’ … and more. Every one of them was magical.
Attending the concert brought back many good memories from back home. Every Sunday, when I drove to the city after visiting my parents’ house, I used to listen to a program on the radio called Club Sinatra that was entirely dedicated to him, replaying the songs and stories of his life that resonated so strongly with my own.
Whether you are a Sinatra fan or you just want to spend a romantic musical evening, I recommend it for lovers, friends … and both young and old souls.
★★★★
Forever Frank with Edda Magnason
June 9-14, 18:00 or 20:30; Standard; tickets: 175-270kr
