In the Wee Small Hours

外号「瘦皮猴」的法兰克．辛纳区出生於1915年12月12日，1939年起先後加入Harry James、Tommy Dorsey乐团担任主唱，1942年以个人名义单飞开始了超过半世纪之久的演艺生涯。辛纳区先後与多组大乐队合作，创造了成串的畅销单曲、专辑，得奖记录亦不胜枚举，葛莱美流行男歌手或传统流行演唱奖多非他莫属，1959、1965、66三次拿下年度专辑，1966年的"Strangers In The Night"同时是年度最佳单曲；五十岁那年已经获得了葛莱美终生成就奖的殊荣。 不仅歌唱方面，辛纳区自1941年投身大银幕，五〇年代逐渐成为剧情片中要角，总计他在四〇至六〇年代参与演出电影超过五十部（不含音乐纪录片），主演类型包括动作、战争、悬疑、文艺┅，1953年以【乱世忠魂】（From Here To Eternity）得到奥斯卡最佳男配角，2002年上映，由乔治．克隆尼、布莱德．彼特等多位大牌合演的【瞒天过海】正是辛纳区1960年的旧片重拍。 1998年5月14日辛纳区因心脏病病逝，享年83岁。由於他在歌唱、电影甚至整个娱乐事业的卓越表现，法兰克．辛纳屈因此被誉为「二十世纪最伟大的艺人」。 这张专辑在滚石杂志选出的500张历代最强专辑中排名第100位。 Expanding on the concept of Songs for Young Lovers!, In the Wee Small Hours was a collection of ballads arranged by Nelson Riddle. The first 12" album recorded by Sinatra, Wee Small Hours was more focused and concentrated than his two earlier concept records. It's a blue, melancholy album, built around a spare rhythm section featuring a rhythm guitar, celesta, and Bill Miller's piano, with gently aching strings added every once and a while. Within that melancholy mood is one of Sinatra's most jazz-oriented performances -- he restructures the melody and Miller's playing is bold throughout the record. Where Songs for Young Lovers! emphasized the romantic aspects of the songs, Sinatra sounds like a lonely, broken man on In the Wee Small Hours. Beginning with the newly written title song, the singer goes through a series of standards that are lonely and desolate. In many ways, the album is a personal reflection of the heartbreak of his doomed love affair with actress Ava Gardner, and the standards that he sings form their own story when collected together. Sinatra's voice had deepened and worn to the point where his delivery seems ravished and heartfelt, as if he were living the songs.