A Swingin' Affair Flies High on Ace Interpretations of Cole Porter Tunes, Timelessness of American Songbook Classics, and Frank Sinatra's Partnership with Nelson Riddle

Mastered from the Original Master Tapes: Mobile Fidelity's Numbered-Edition Hybrid Mono SACD Restores Immediacy and Presence

Swing, swing, swingin': There's nothing wrong with taking a proven concept, tweaking and bettering it, and then doing it all over again. While many sequels fail to hit the mark, Frank Sinatra slams another proverbial ball of the park on 1957's A Swinging Affair!, an unofficial follow-up of sorts to the previous year's smash Songs For Swingin' Lovers! Hitting slightly harder than its predecessor, with revered self-assurance and horn-stoked energy, the Capitol classic remains quintessential Ol' Blue Eyes.

Mastered from the original master tapes, Mobile Fidelity's numbered-edition hybrid mono SACD presents in direct mono this supreme collaboration between Sinatra and longtime creative companion Nelson Riddle. Imaging, dynamics, separation, airiness, and tonalities experience significant enhancement and restoration, particularly compared to prior digital and analog pressings. A Swingin' Affair! sounds here how it was intended, with the spatial dimensions of Capitol's Studio A and depth of Sinatra's mellifluous baritone realistically present and balanced.

While largely similar to Songs For Swingin' Lovers! in approach and execution, Sinatra's 1957 treasure steps up the brassiness and boldness. Riddle's charts teem with color, charm, and sophistication, the instrumental touches in sync with the Chairman's phrasing and diction. One close listen reveals why so many Sinatraphiles believe the Sinatra-Riddle pairing tops any other during the vocalist's illustrious career. Brisk tempos and rousing crescendos drive the songs ahead, and Sinatra latches onto the attack, singing as if nothing is ever going to contain him.

Exuberance, swagger, and smoothness abound. So do memorable ballads on which Sinatra's voice seems to simply glide. His interpretations of Cole Porter's "At Long Last Love," the bluesy torch classic "No One Ever Tells You," and Rodgers and Hart's "I Wish I Were In Love Again" rank amongst his finest mellow moments. Regal atmospherics and thrilling climaxes punctuate a majority of the material, while the song selection is utterly infallible. If only all second acts were this good. Full of ring-a-ding-ding joy and acrobatic vocal feats, A Swingin' Affair! earns its exclamation point (and then some).