The Flexible Art of Frank Sinatra
This is true. In the context of Bob Dylan's pictures, I am told that Frank Sinatra was also a painter. Aspiring to an exhibition, he sent one of his 'people' to talk to a gallery owner. The gallery man was sceptical but saw possibilities.
'In what style does he paint?' he asked.
'What style do you want?'
# posted by Bryan Appleyard : 5:42 AM
10 Comments:
At June 17, 2008 8:18 AM,
ian russell said…
Ha Ha! That brings to mind Picasso's definition of painters and artists - a painter paints what he sells and an artist sells what he paints. I've not seen his pictures but I sort of see Frank as a poor guy's Hopper. Probably to do with the wee small hours, I'm almost sure.
At June 17, 2008 11:40 AM,
Frank Wilson said…
Which brings to mind Braque's quip about Picasso: He used to be a great painter, now he's just a genius.
At June 17, 2008 2:18 PM,
mahlerman said…
Actually no Ian, he may have inhabited the wee small hours, but he painted, latterly anyway, in a sub-Rothko style that couldn't be further from our imaginings of what he might produce. 'You want abstract expressionism buddy - Frank can do it'
Mahlerman
At June 17, 2008 4:02 PM,
ian russell said…
oh yeah! the few I've found on the web seems to suggest he was serious about it. not bad. In fact I think I'd prefer to see them than hear him sing.
At June 17, 2008 4:44 PM,
mahlerman said…
Ian, I'm sorry, but I may have to ask you to step outside in a minute. I don't believe I said that Sinatra was bad, just that he was sub (below) the widely accepted benchmark (Rothko) for the genre of pictures he was producing (I havn't checked the web). But are you sure you would rather look at third rate pictures, than listen to probably one of the great lyric voices of that century?
Pare away the petty thuggery and musical bad taste of his later years (Strangers/My Way), and find me someone, anyone, who can shape a phrase in a more musical way than Frank during his post-war 'middle' period; and this from a man who was primarily a recreative, not a creative artist.
Mahlerman
At June 17, 2008 5:25 PM,
Susan B. said…
Speaking of Frank, check out Frank Langella in the small but brilliant movie, "Starting Out in the Evening." He is incredible as an aging writer being pursued by a hot young grad student doing her thesis on him.
It's based on a novel (that I now must read) by Brian Morton. Morton worked with Irving Howe for ten years and modeled his writer on him. It's not very often when you see a movie that mentions Lionel Trilling, Irving Howe, and Edmund Wilson....Try it, you'll be pleasantly surprised.
At June 17, 2008 6:55 PM,
Richard Havers said…
Here's a link to a Sinatra self portrait I've posted on my blog...
http://tinyurl.com/45bdjo
At June 17, 2008 9:20 PM,
Brit said…
Mahlerman is right. There's a difference between iconoclasm and plain ignorance. Sinatra was so great he could make even a pile of utter drivel like the lyrics of 'My Way' sound good.
(And I don't think it's iconoclastic or ignorant to describe the lyrics of 'My Way' as drivel - they clearly are).
At June 18, 2008 9:01 AM,
elberry said…
A Frank Sinatra tribute singer rehearses in my basement once a week. When i'm in my garrett and not playing music or shouting at my enemies i can hear 'Chicago, Chicago' and other classics, 3 storeys down.
At June 18, 2008 9:04 AM,
ian russell said…
sorry, mahlerman. I wasn't contradicting you, I was expressing an opinion in an understated English way. not bad meaning quite impressive.
as for his voice, everyone's entitled to be bored in the presence of genius.
Many people say that about Frank, he can shape a phrase, his phrasing is good. It's almost if they know his singing needs defending. I have no idea what phrasing means musically. I just hear plod, plod, plod and an over-rehearsed band. sorry again.
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