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Rating: Despite his origins, I believe that Mark Thomas Tremonti has no idea of the existence of his namesake involved in Italian politics, often mentioned by many (Berlusconi supporters and others) here in the Belpaese, once they first read the name of the Detroit rocker. There is no such misunderstanding when it comes to the music of “The Voice,” the dear old Francis Albert Sinatra, known as Frank.
“Tremonti Sings Sinatra” is much more than a cover album recorded by a fervent fan of the greatest American pop singer of the twentieth century. This is because the fan in question belongs to a musical universe diametrically opposed to that of Sinatra, with which he apparently cannot share the same genre vocation.
Mark Tremonti had never even considered the idea of joining his vocal cords with those of his powerful guitar, beyond this project. Then, thanks to an extraordinary career as a writer, producer, and founder of no less than three bands (Creed, Alter Bridge, Tremonti Project), the enormous potential expressed and a GRAMMY Award, things changed. The definitive confidence in his abilities came with the birth of his solo project, where he had to and could showcase the undeniable vocal talents of a frontman.
“Tremonti Sings Sinatra” was born as a charitable project for the “Take a Chance For Charity” organization (to which all proceeds are donated), created by Mark in collaboration with the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS). Little Stella, the third-born of the Tremonti couple, born in March of last year, inspired this initiative. As Mark recounted, one evening, finding an old video in which Sinatra was performing “The Song Is You,” he felt the desire to immerse himself in his vocals. Shortly after, Stella was born, and the two universes aligned.
To realize this ambitious project, Tremonti sought help from his manager, Tim Tournier. Good Tim, as a kid, had taken guitar lessons from Dan McIntyre, who was at the time a session musician in Sinatra’s band. This way, Mark could contact none other than Frank Sinatra’s orchestra director, Mike Smith. Smith, in turn, tracked down and gathered the seventeen surviving band members. The recording sessions took place in full pandemic, not allowing the musicians to play together in the same room. The saxophonists had to play after the trumpets, bass, and guitars. It took hundreds of hours, but in the end, the fourteen tracks came to light.
From the piano opening and the horns of “I’ve Got You Under My Skin,” to the vocal closure of “All or Nothing At All,” Tremonti showcases an incredible vocality that fully recalls the original. Even “Wave” (according to Tremonti, the hardest to perform due to the low vocal parts) proves that the challenge is won. The tracklist is a due selection of immortal songs like “My Way,” “You Make Me Feel So Young,” and “Come Fly With Me,” in addition to the aforementioned inspirational “The Song Is You,” among others. Over three-quarters of an hour that pleasantly flows and amazes both those who love these sounds and those who have almost never considered them and come from entirely different genres. This duality is what makes not only an album like this more fascinating but also the ability music has to place no limits on those who play it and those who listen to it. Against stereotypes and genre definitions, there is only the ability to constantly challenge oneself, proving to be whatever one wants.
Tremonti has said he wants to involve other artists in this project, mixing musical genres that are far apart to create something unique and capable of astonishing. Apparently, there are already commitments, but for now, the names are kept secret. Except for one, which came out a few hours ago through the Instagram profile of Tremonti and the project. We just have to wait and see what other good might happen.
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