Fridays Are For Frank: “Purple”

Frank Sinatra Conducts Tone Poems of Color is a 1956 album of tone poems composed by eight notable mid-20th century arrangers, with each composition inspired by the poetry of Norman Sickel.

This week, we bring you his piece with trumpeter Billy May called “Purple,” in honor of the passing of another powerful cultural icon, Prince, who passed yesterday at the age of 57.

Are we reaching to compare Sinatra and Prince? Nah.

“Dig, if you will, the picture…”

If you want to view them both in the frame of mind that they defined certain eras, only to transcend them over time, then the comparison is apt. Prince was a powerful musical force—a supreme talent who has left an indelible mark on the music industry. He crossed over into multiple genres, pushing boundaries every step of the way, while spawning the careers of a myriad of other successful artists.

And he even ran with his own entourage. Sounds familiar, right?

Not a bad life, for a couple of skinny kids…