Frank Sinatra & Dean Martin singing to the Mafia; Westchester Theatre (1977)

Hey pallies, likes on the heels of yesterday's Dino-gram accentin' the 50th anniversary of our most beloved Dino and Mr. Sinatra sharin' the same stage at the Kiel Opera House, today we are awed to bring you yet 'nother blog entry showcasin' 'nother terrific time when our Dino and his pallie Frank crooned  together in 1977 at the Westchester Theatre in Tarrytown,  New York.  From our pallie Mr. Marcos Callau's  all thin's Sinatra pad,"FRANK SINATRA - WOULD YOU LIKE TO LIVE FOREVER," comes his powerful post "Frank Sinatra & Dean Martin singing to the Mafia; Westchester Theatre (1977)."

Likes in the past, ilovedinomartin has shared a trio of other Dino-centric posts from our pallie Marcos 'cause likes if you spend any time accentin' Mr. Frank Sinatra, one simply has to spread some Dino-devotion as well.  If you puts Mr. Callau's tag into the Dino-blog's search engine you will be able to locate his other Dino-focus entries shared at our humble little Dino-pad.

Well today's Dino-entry from Callau who hails from Spain (makin' this 'nother extremely exhilaratin' example of the internationale nature of Dino-devotion!) is a remarkable read 'bout our Dino and Mr. Sinatra's gigs at the Westchester Theatre and Sinatra's ties to the Mafia that led him to take on these singin' engagements.  Readers will note that our ever wise Dino kept his distance from the Mafia, much more so that Sinatra did.

The coolest part of Marco's post is his sharin' of a couple of vids of, as he sez, "fragments" from the Westchester performance.  Likes it always gives us a thrill to see and hear more and more historic moments of Dino-history and we are totally totally thrilled to have Mr. Callau provide Dino-holics everywhere with this fine fine opportunity.  For whatever reason, we were unable to get the vids posted here at ilovedinomartin, but if you clicks on the tag of this Dino-report, you'll go directly to Marco's post and be able to view 'em there.

ilovedinomartin salutes Mr. Marcos Callau for makin' these most historic Dino-memories available for both our Dino-pleasure and Dino-edification!  btw pallies, might we mention that it was at this time in the life and times of our Dino that he was datin' Miss Andre Boyer and Dino told Miss Boyer with him to meet his pallies in Tarrytown.   Dino-always, ever, and only, DMP

 Wednesday, July 1, 2015

Frank Sinatra & Dean Martin singing to the Mafia; Westchester Theare (1977)

Frank Sinatra & Dean Martin circa 1975

Sinatra and the Mafia : another chapter 

No shows were few who shared these two friends, Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra, working hand in hand, in recording studios, in movies and of course, legendary concerts around the United States. The fragments we bring here today belong to a never televised, at the Westchester Theatre in New York in 1977 concert.

As we have said many times, the choice of companies was not a quality that Frank Sinatra could boast. Rather the complete opposite. He erred when maintaining the precise distance Dangerous Liaisons some whose origins must be sought in his youth: family friends, neighborhood, alluvial, weary from a marginalized community in little Italy. One of those friends (probably Joe Fischetti, a resident of Hoboken and brother of Al Capone) led him to Carlo Gambino, fled kingpin Italy to escape the repression of Benito Mussolini, who ended up in the United States and formed an important network traffic Alcohol and guns where there was no place for drug trafficking but for the killings. The family led by Carlo Gambino, controlled everything in New York. One of the henchmen of the Gambino family was Gregory DePalma, convicted of fraud and an agent to infiltrate the Gambino family in the FBI. In the seventies, DePalma built the Westchester theater, Tarrytown, NY . A good way to clean up its image certainly was offering shows indisputable quality to American society. And as always, Frank Sinatra, who used to act, since its inception in nightclubs whose owners were not characterized precisely by the good reputation. Carlo Gambino, who met Sinatra by Fischetti, there appears he suggested the singer perform in this theater new and splendid that his friend had opened in New York City. DePalma Westchester theater. How to refuse? And Sinatra not only gladly accepted but dragged him to the good of Dean Martin who, by the way, in his youth first jobs was the carrier of alcohol smuggling during Prohibition. Nor was it the old Dino new ally, occasionally, with black hand. But Dean Martin, was smarter than Sinatra in this regard. Of course he acted, as more and did great. If needed, even, he stayed to dinner or drink but, after two or three hours, was the first to go home or to any slum to take a Dry Martini alone, so as not to hold the feast of mafia . Dean was a lonely man and this made ​​him save his skin on occasion. At least he never was photographed with the mafia in power. Otherwise Frank Sinatra by this photograph that we will see then had to give many explanations in his day.

After the concert (from left. To r.) Paul Castilian, Gregory DePalma, Frank Sinatra, Frank Marson, Carlo Gambino, Jimmy "the Weasel" Fratianno and unidentified individual. Sitting, left, is Richard "nerves" Fusco. They are all, excepting Sinatra, members of the Gambino family and is a photograph taken after the concert we will see below in the same theater Westchester.

As always, we rescue a dark history of music, as an inducement most important and after all, the EpoR suficient reason to be remembered and in fact is remembered, Frank Sinatra. In the following passage we see the singer performing in a very intimate and personal way, the classic My way. Perhaps the most intimate version sang, the most personal and the most were allowed to play with both the letter and the melody. After the flagship singer par excellence, we will see a comic dialogue between Sinatra and Martin to finish in a medley that has a finishing touch: When you're smilin '

Immediately afterwards and although we have left for the end we will see the beginning of the show. In this first half hour concert opens with Dean Martin When you're smilin '(Dino version reconverted When you're drinkin'), to continue Pennies from heaven (I turned into Bourbon from heaven) After Dino swing Bad, Bad Leroy Brown and has a funny conversation with a spontaneous public. After this surreal moment, Dean returns to sing and does it Welcome to my world (slightly interrupted by comments from Sinatra, backstage) to continue with Italian flavor, and elevated to the romantic myth of himself, That's amore and finish his speech. Upon leaving, Frank Sinatra presents an explosive For Once in my life to go with a premiere, the ballad I love my wife, Barbara Sinatra dedicated to that is among the public. Then, Frank plays an unusual It was a very good year, softly singing the fall and inevitable passing of time, of life. One for my baby, is the closing performance of Sinatra. We enjoy this almost unprecedented concert so far.

Published by Marcos Callau in 17:07 

Frank Sinatra & Dean Martin cantando para la Mafia; Westchester Theare (1977)

Frank Sinatra & Dean Martin circa 1975
Sinatra y la Mafia: otro capítulo más

No fueron pocos los shows que compartieron estos dos amigos, Dean Martin y Frank Sinatra, trabajando, mano a mano, en estudios de grabación, en películas y por supuesto, en míticos conciertos alrededor de Estados Unidos. Los fragmentos que traemos hoy aquí pertenecen a un concierto nunca televisado, en el Westchester Theatre de Nueva York, en 1977

Como ya hemos dicho en numerosas ocasiones, la elección de compañías no era una cualidad de la que Frank Sinatra pudiera presumir. Más bien, todo lo contrario. Erraba a la hora de mantener la distancia precisa con algunas amistades peligrosas cuyos orígenes hay que buscar en su juventud: amistades familiares, de barrio, de aluvión, procedentes de una hastiada comunidad marginada en little Italy. Una de esas amistades (probablemente Joe Fischetti, vecino de Hoboken y cuñado de Al Capone) le llevó hasta Carlo Gambino, capo huído de Italia, escapando de la represión de Benito Mussolini, que recaló en Estados Unidos y formó una importante red de tráfico de alcohol y armas donde no había lugar para el narcotráfico pero sí para los asesinatos. La familia Gambino liderada por Carlo, lo controlaba todo en Nueva York. Uno de los esbirros de la familia Gambino fue Gregory DePalma, condenado por fraude y por infiltrar a un agente de la familia Gambino en el FBI. En la década de los setenta, DePalma construyó el teatro Westchester, en Tarrytown, NY. Una buena manera de limpiar su imagen, sin duda, era ofreciendo espectáculos de calidad incontestable para la sociedad norteamericana. Y como siempre, ahí aparece Frank Sinatra, que solía actuar, desde sus comienzos, en clubs nocturnos cuyos dueños no se caracterizaban precisamente por la buena reputación. Carlo Gambino, que conoció a Sinatra a través de Fischetti, propuso al cantante actuar en ese teatro nuevo y espléndido que un amigo suyo había abierto en la ciudad de Nueva York. El teatro Westchester de DePalma. ¿Cómo negarse? Y Sinatra no solo aceptó encantado sino que arrastró con él al bueno de Dean Martin que, dicho sea de paso, entre sus primeros trabajos de juventud se encontraba el de transportista de alcohol de contrabando durante la Ley Seca. Tampoco le resultaba novedoso al viejo Dino aliarse, de vez en cuando, con la mano negra. Pero Dean Martin, era más listo que Sinatra en este sentido. Por supuesto actuaba, como el que más y lo hacía genial. Si hacía falta, incluso, se quedaba a cenar o a beber pero, al cabo de dos o tres horas, era el primero en marcharse a casa o a cualquier tugurio a tomar un Dry Martini en soledad, con tal de no aguantar la fiesta de los mafiosos. Dean era un hombre solitario y esto le hizo salvar el pellejo en alguna ocasión. Al menos, nunca se dejó fotografiar con los mafiosos de turno. Caso contrario a Frank Sinatra que por esta fotografía que veremos a continuación, tuvo que dar numerosas explicaciones en su día.

Después del concierto (de izda. a dcha.) Paul Castellano, Gregory DePalma, Frank Sinatra, Frank Marson, Carlo Gambino, Jimmy "the weasel" Fratianno y un individuo sin identificar. Sentado, a la izquierda, está Richard "nerves" Fusco. Son todos, escepto Sinatra, miembros de la familia Gambino y es una fotografía tomada después del concierto que veremos a continuación en el mismo teatro Westchester.

Como siempre, de una historia oscura rescataremos la música, como aliciente más importante y al fin y al cabo, razón suficient epor la que debe ser recordado y de hecho es recordado, Frank Sinatra. En el siguiente pasaje veremos al cantante interpretando de una manera muy íntima y personal, el clásico My way. Quizá la versión más íntima que cantó, la más personal y en la que más se permitió jugar, tanto con la letra como con la melodía. Tras el buque insignia por excelencia del cantante, veremos un diálogo cómico entre Sinatra y Martin para acabar en un medley que tiene un broche de oro: When you're smilin'

Acto seguido y aunque lo hayamos dejado para el final veremos el comienzo del show. En esta primera media hora de concierto Dean Martin abre con When you're smilin' (en versión de Dino reconvertida en When you're drinkin'), para seguir con Pennies from heaven (reconvertido en Bourbon from heaven) Después Dino hace swing con Bad, bad Leroy Brown y tiene una muy divertida conversación con una espontánea del público. Después de este surrealista momento, Dean vuelve a cantar y lo hace con Welcome to my world (interrumpida levemente por comentarios de Sinatra, entre bambalinas) para seguir con sabor italiano, la romántica y elevada a mito por él mismo, That's amore y terminar su intervención. Al salir, Frank Sinatra presenta una explosiva For once in my life para seguir con un estreno, el de la balada I love my wife, dedicada a Barbara Sinatra que se encuentra entre el público. Acto seguido, Frank interpreta una insólita It was a very good year, cantando suavemente al otoño y al transcurrir ineludible del tiempo, de la vida. One for my baby, es la que cierra la actuación de Sinatra. Disfrutemos de este concierto casi inédito hasta ahora.

Publicado por Marcos Callau en 17:07