"Easy listening doesn't mean easy singing!" – Interview with Matt Ford
What is your relationship with Frank Sinatra and the music he sang?
I have been performing this music for almost 40 years now. I originally heard Sinatra's voice on an album called 'Portrait of Sinatra' that my parents owned. I played it over and over again. I've loved both his voice, and his ability to connect you to the story of the song since then. I've never tried to copy Sinatra's voice - I leave that to other artists - but I've always tried to emulate his timing, phrasing and ability to connect to the listener. There's one particular song from that album, that we're presenting in the concert, that I absolutely adore - Sondheim's Send in the Clowns. There's such imagery, emotion and character in Sinatra's voice. That combined with the crackle of the vinyl record on our old player gave it a magical quality that I'll never forget.
What's the best thing about singing the songs he sang?
Sinatra was blessed to be singing during a time when true creative geniuses were writing music. Cole Porter, George och Ira Gershwin, Harold Arlen, Irving Berlin, to name but a few. The strength of the composers allied with the incredible arrangers of the time (Billy May, Nelson Riddle, Don Costa, Gordon Jenkins et al.) make this a golden period in popular music history.
What is the hardest thing about doing it?
Easy listening doesn't mean easy singing! There is nuance to this style of singing. Some singers get hung up on the hat, the glass of Jack Daniels and the cigarette, and miss the core skills that made Sinatra so good at performing this type of music. You have to tell the story or convey the energy or emotion of the song without over-singing. We call it 'cooking with the lid on' - there's loads of energy, emotion, power, love, anger, passion etc. in the pot, and everyone knows it's there, but the lid never ever bursts off. By the end of a concert, if you're doing it correctly, you're exhausted. Remembering all the words is also hard.
What were Frank Sinatra's greatest strengths as an artist?
Sinatra's ability to tell the story, and connect with the audience on a fundamental, emotional level, were in my opinion, his greatest strengths.
Why do you want to do a Frank Sinatra evening at Malmö Live?
I love the venue. I love the orchestra. I love the audiences. When I was approached with the opportunity to sing the songs that I love too, how could I refuse!
What can the audience expect from the concert Fly me to the moon?
Timeless classics from the golden period of vintage popular song, such as Fly Me To the Moon, New York New York and The Summerwind, presented in a stunning symphonic setting.