Mark Tremonti has come together with the surviving members of Frank Sinatra’s orchestra, creating new takes on some of the classics and deeper cuts from Frank’s catalogue. The album is courtesy of the Take A Chance For Charity foundation. It is a brand new charity focussed on giving artists/actors/athletes the ability to get out of their comfort zone, having the people with a platform get out of the genre they are known for to raise funds and awareness for the charity of their choice. An actor can sing, and athlete can dance, a musician can sing a song away from their musical genre, any artistic interpretation. This gives the artist the ability to do something out of the ordinary, even extraordinary all in the name of charity. Tremonti Sings Sinatra is the first release for the cause, the recipient being NDSS. A charity close to Marks heart as his daughter Stella has Down Syndrome. Frank raised over a billion dollars for charity, and now Mark is on the same path, raising funds and helping families and individuals with Down Syndrome.
Whilst I am a out and our rock fan, my musical journey started probably from the age of about 4, possibly earlier than that. I remember going into town with my dad and buying the record player that became a massive part of my life. My dad was a Teddy Boy in the 50s, and he opened me up to the rock n roll greats of the fifties and sixties. I think its why I like rock music as it’s the same path for me as it was my dad. I digress.
One man stood at the top of the tree for my dad, and it wasn’t Elvis. It was Nat King Cole. Talented pianist, and a voice that was pure velvet. Mt dad owned everything that he released. So I have some skin in the game when it comes to crooners. Whilst I was never a fan of Frank Sinatra, I watched many a Hollywood musical growing up, of which he did many, and it is something I still enjoy today. Mr Sinatra was a part of this journey and I totally respect his place in music and film history
I have watched (and heard) Mark Tremonti go from being a decent backing vocalist (and part vocalist) in Alter Bridge to fronting the band in his own name and getting better with each Tremonti album. What I didn’t realise was how bloody good he is taking on the classic Sinatra songbook. He is too good. When AB decide to call it a day, he will easily jump to crooning if he so wishes to.
So what do we have? Well, theres all the classics we have all heard of, unless you’ve been living in a rock, or were born after 1990. Mark is making sure all the kids who like AB will be directed to Sinatras legacy. I played the opening track for my wife last night, and told her it was Tremonti singing ‘I’ve Got You Under My Skin’. Gill is in fact a much better reviewer than I am. She can sort a duffer almost immediately, and also knows talent when she hears it. If fact she was blown away by how good Mark Tremonti is in singing a legends songbook.
When you sing songs like Frank Sinatras, there is nowhere to hide, and Tremonti isn’t phased for one second. Hi hits some low notes on Wave that felt like being stood next to a subwoofer. All the classics are ticked off with aplomb – Fly Me Too The Moon, My Way, Luck Be A Lady, You Make Me Feel So Young, That’s Life (a song covered by David Lee Roth in the 80s), and Come Fly With Me. I just wished they would have thrown in ultimate Sinatra classic New York, New York from the film I only watched last week, On The Town.
That said, following in Sinatras shoes is one hell of an achievement, and at no point does he let Frank down. The tone and phrasing is excellent. Whilst I think that Take A Chance For Charity is about giving artists the chance to go out of their comfort zones, Mark Tremonti may well have been shitting bricks in having to tackle these classics, but it certainly doesn’t look or feel like it
I don’t think this is the last we have seen from the current and future great crooner, Mark Tremonti.
Tracklisting
I’ve Got You Under My Skin
I’ve Got The World On A String
I Fall In Love Too Easily
Wave
Fly Me To The Moon
Nancy (With The Laughing Face)
My Way
You Make Me Feel So Young
Luck Be A Lady
That’s Life
Come Fly With Me
In The Wee Small Hours of the Morning
The Song Is You
All Or Nothing At All
Needle In The Groove 