I was in the mood to listen to some live performances from a couple of singers have admired over the years. Some critics consider Sinatra at the Sands one of his best performances. It’s surprising because this 1966 performance was Sinatra’s first live recording for Reprise Records.

In addition to the Count Basie Orchestra with Quincy Jones arranging and conducting, Sinatra delivers some of his best songs: “I’ve Got a Crush on You”, “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” ,“Street of Dreams”, “The Shadow of Your Smile”, “One For My Baby”, “Fly Me to the Moon”, and wrapping up the set with “My Kind of Town.”

Sinatra was at the top of his game on this album!

Lou Rawls Live at the Century Plaza was released in 1973. Some critics view this album as a progression of Rawls moving from his gritty 1960s Capitol Records style toward his smoother 1970s Philadelphia International sound. 

I enjoyed the dynamic covers of Beatles songs like “Something” and “Golden Slumbers,” along with a four-part blues medley, and electric versions of Rawls’ classic hits like “Love Is a Hurtin’ Thing”, “A Natural Man”, and “Tobacco Road”.

Both Sinatra at the Sands and Lou Rawls Live at the Century Plaza show Sinatra and Rawls at their best. Do you have a favorite Sinatra and/or Rawls song? GRADE: A (for both)

TRACK LIST: SINATRA AT THE SANDS

1		Come Fly With Me Written-By – Sammy Cahn & Jimmy Van Heusen	3:45
2		I’ve Got A Crush On You Written-By – George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin*	2:42
3		I’ve Got You Under My Skin Written-By – Cole Porter	3:43
4		The Shadow Of Your Smile Written-By – Johnny Mandel, Paul Webster*	2:31
5		Street Of Dreams Written-By – Sam M. Lewis*, Victor Young	2:16
6		One For My Baby (And One More For The Road) Written-By – Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer*	4:40
7		Fly Me To The Moon (In Other Words) Written-By – Bart Howard	2:50
8		One O’Clock Jump Written-By – Count Basie	0:53
9		“The Tea Break” (Monologue)	11:48
10		You Make Me Feel So Young Written-By – Josef Myrow, Mack Gordon	3:21
11		All Of Me Written-By – Gerald Marks, Seymour Simons	2:56
12		The September Of My Years Written-By – Jimmy Van Heusen, Sammy Cahn*	2:57
13		Get Me To The Church On Time Written-By – Alan Lerner, Frederick Loewe*	2:21
14		It Was A Very Good Year Written-By – Ervin Drake	4:01
15		Don’t Worry ‘Bout Me Written-By – Rube Bloom, Ted Koehler	3:18
16		Makin’ Whoopee! Written-By – Gus Kahn, Walter Donaldson	4:24
17		Where Or When Written-By – Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart*	2:46
18		Angel Eyes Written-By – Earl Brent*, Matt Dennis	3:26
19		My Kind Of Town Written-By – Sammy Cahn, Jimmy Van Heusen*	3:04
20		“A Few Last Words” (Monologue)	2:30
21		My Kind Of Town (Reprise)	1:00

TRACK LIST: LOU RAWLS LIVE AT THE CENTURY PLAZA

A1		Tobacco Road Written-By – John D. Loudermilk	4:12
A2		Down Here On The Ground Written-By – G. Garnett*, L. Schifrin*	3:06
A3		Something Written-By – George Harrison	2:46
A4		Golden Slumbers Written-By – J. Lennon-P. McCartney*	3:40
A5		Watch What Happens Written-By – M. Legrand*, N. Gimbel*	3:45
A6		Love Is A Hurtin’ Thing Written-By – B. Raleigh*, D. Linden*
		Blues Medley	10:45
B1a		Stormy Monday Written-By – T-Bone Walker
B1b		In The Evening Written-By – D. Raye*, L. Carr*
B1c		Goin’ To Chicago Written-By – C. Basie*, J. Rushing*
B1d		Bye, Bye Blackbird Written-By – M. Dixon*, R. Henderson*
		–
B2		A Natural Man Written-By – B. Hebb*, S. Baron*	3:46
B3		Feeling Good Written-By – A. Newley*, L. Bricusse*	4:23
B4		Dead End Street Written-By – Lou Rawls	7:18