Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr. at Villa Venice, Chicago - Live 1962 Vol. I & II  (1993) Jazz Hour Compact Classics JH-1033, 1034 [CD]

This legitimate (?) release is one of the first full concerts of the Rat Pack that ever made it to CD.  A trimmed-down version was released by Artanis Entertainment, but this is the only set that contains the full, nearly 104 minute show.  Currently available as part of a CD/DVD combo Live and Swingin', this pair of CD's is nonetheless an important document of the Rat Pack in action.  First off, if you've never heard a show by the Rat Pack, then it's an experience where you leave feeling like you had to be there.  Some of the jokes are purely physical, so that the laughs of the audience and the stars are incomprehensible to the listener.  Also, the humor is very topical, from Sinatra: "Shut up, Sam, and sit in the back of the bus!" Davis: "Jewish people don't sit in the back of the bus!" Sinatra: "Jewish people own the bus!" - to Dean's trademark drunken humor, much of the time the audience is laughing only because they're drunk themselves.  Nevertheless, the affection that these three friends have for one another is palpable, and even if the skits aren't as off-the-cuff as they seem, it still sounds like they're having a great time.  Vocally, Sammy comes off the best, with burn-down-the-house renditions of "What Kind Of Fool Am I?" and "Birth Of The Blues" - Frank on the other hand, seems much more casual in his numbers, almost throwing away songs like "Goody Goody" and "Please Be Kind."   Not that it's a bad performance, but it sounds uninvolved.  Dean is also very funny, slurring his words, and letting loose with cunning malapropisms every chance he gets.  We also get to hear Sammy's infamous impersonations, although again, the sketch suffers from not being able to see his performance.  If you can find these discs, I consider them superior to the Summit recording due to their completness and perfectly clear sound.

Frank, Sammy & Dean: The Summit In Concert (February 23, 1999) Artanis Entertainment Group 102 [CD]

A trimmed-down 78-minute version of the Chicago Villa Venice concert, this gold disc is currently out of print, although copies can still be found used and at small dealers.  To trim the disc down by almost 25 minutes, much of the chatter was excised, including Dean Martin's comedy monologue, and a 20-minute back-and-forth banter including Sam's impersonation of various singers.  Oh well.  It's actually a much tighter set with the omissions, and leaves the listener with the good stuff: the songs.  Identical to the above set, I'm still amazed by how Sammy Davis Jr. basically steals the show with the power and versatility of his voice.  It's a little sad to say, but he blows Frank right out of the water with the force of his personality and the commitment to the songs he's performing.  By comparison, Frank seems to be coasting along, a powerful presence, but it's obvious that at this date he's not putting much work into it - he's simply showing up, being Frank Siantra, and letting that be that.  Dean Martin is his swoozy best, with razor-sharp quips showing that he's not nearly as soused as he's acting.  It's a part he plays brilliantly.  The songs are unfortunately marred by the incessant "drop-in's" by the Pack offstage.  Frank especially barely lets Sammy Davis Jr. get an entire line of lyric out before butting in with an inappropriate aside.  Maybe it's funny, but I guess you had to be there.

The Rat Pack Live At The Sands (November 20, 2001) Capitol 36615 [CD]

Well, here they are, the Rat Pack in their natural environment, Las Vegas.  Recorded shortly after their all-together-now cast albums of the Reprise Repertory Theater, so while the names are the same, the song list is much different than the above Chicago dates, with an extended section of music from their recently recorded Guys And Dolls album.  It also incorporates other songs, such as "June In January," Ring-a-Ding Ding," "My Heart Stood Still," and the aforementioned Guys And Dolls section.  So if you're into the whole Rat Pack experience, this fine sounding 70-minute disc is a great compliment to the earlier Summit.  It's a smoother experience also, with the gang having their between-song patter down to a "t," and their individual performances stronger and tighter.  The Rat Pack may be having fun, but they're hard at work too; entertaining the audience with a mix of humor and artistry.  My only qualm with this set is that Sammy gets the short shrift here, with Frank constantly butting into his songs, and Sammy finally having to give up a straight reading of "All The Way" in order to do his impressions of different artists.  I'm glad it's there, since it was ommitted from the Summit recording, but didn't Sam do more songs than what's here?  Other than that, it's more of the same lunacy, with men acting like boys, and the audience absolutely eating it up.

Ratpack: From Vegas To St. Louis (January 1, 2002) Recall Records 360 [CD]

An interesting set for completists, this budget 2-disc collection gathers an alternate show from the Las Vegas Sands Casino on disc one (different than the one recorded above), while the second show is an audio recording of the June 20, 1965 St. Louis show with the Count Basie band which is captured live on DVD on the Live and Swingin' set below.  The Sands disc is virtually identical in both track list and comedy bits from the above CD, with the omisson of Sinatra's song "I Have Dreamed" - but otherwise there are only slight differences between the two sets.  The second disc is curious for a single item: the producers of the set have spliced a 1977 performance of Sammy Davis Jr. singing "Lady Is A Tramp" from the Sydney Opera House into the running order, replacing the original song!  Why they did this, I'll never know, but it's a curious insert in what is otherwise a fantastic concert, with Johnny Carson providing introductions and between song banter, and the rest of the Pack giving a swinging concert, with Frank in especially fine form on "Get Me To the Church On Time," "Fly Me To The Moon," and "Luck Be A Lady."  Sammy is also on fire during this concert, with his muscular renditions of "My Shining Hour" and "Who Can I Turn To?" showing how the "WHAM!" of Sam is in full force tonight.  Overall an interesting double set, and a fine addition to any fan's collection.

Live And Swingin' : The Ultimate Rat Pack Collection (October 14, 2003) Reprise 73922 [CD]

A CD/DVD combo set, with disc one with yet another release of the 1962 Villa Venice concert, with most of the comedy sequences cut out (again, not a bad thing), and the rest of the track list on par with other sets, nicely remastered by Jen Wyler.  But the real find here for fans is the first-ever release of an entire filmed set by the Rat Pack.  Captured as a television satellite feed broadcast live in 1965 from the Keil Opera House in St. Louis Missouri, this show is hosted by a very young Johnny Carson, who seems to be scared out of his wits to be in the presence of the Rat Pack.  But he's up to the task, and even joins in for a song at the end of the concert.  The show is actually very little of the three of the gang together; Frank, Dino and Sammy seem to be on their best behavior here, (which still isn't perfect, but it's less raucous than other shows) so we have the concert split up into three parts, with Dean Martin leading off with "Send Me The Pillow You Dream On" before swaggering into "King Of The Road," and the rest of his five-song set. Sammy follows up, with a powerhouse set that's occasionally interupted by Frank and Dean, as usual. Frank is introduced last, with Carson nearly prostrating himself in his introduction. Frank is very fine and loose here, with his eight-song set the lengthiest of the bunch. Recorded on his daughter Tina's seventeenth birthday, she also makes an appearance at the end where the entire group lead the crowd in "Happy Birthday" and finally a big blowout ending of "Birth Of The Blues." Running about 90 minutes, this concert is an indispensible time-capsule of the times.

Christmas with the Rat Pack (October 22, 2002) Capitol 42210 [CD]

1. Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow - Dean Martin 2. Mistletoe And Holly - Frank Sinatra 3. Christmas Time All Over The World - Sammy Davis, Jr. 4. The First Noel - Frank Sinatra 5. Baby, It's Cold Outside - Dean Martin 6. I Believe - Frank Sinatra 7. Silver Bells - Dean Martin 8. The Christmas Song - Sammy Davis, Jr. 9. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing - Frank Sinatra 10. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer - Dean Martin 11. The Christmas Waltz - Frank Sinatra 12. I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm - Dean Martin) 13. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - Frank Sinatra) 14. Peace On Earth/Silent Night - Dean Martin 15. Jingle Bells - Sammy Davis, Jr. 16. White Christmas (Reprise) - Dean Martin 17. It Came Upon A Midnight Clear - Frank Sinatra 18. Winter Wonderland - Dean Martin 19. I'll Be Home for Christmas - Frank Sinatra 20. Marshmallow World - Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin 21. Auld Lang Syne - Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin

A re-packaged collection of swingin' Christmas songs from the ultimate lounge-lizards, This fine collection pulls together rarities from these three crooners when they were each in their top form.  I mean, where else are you going to find these three admittedly hedonistic swingers crooning about the Christ child?  It's enough to boggle the most cynical mind-set.  Some of the songs here are definitely of the rare variety - a couple of tracks swiped from a collector's dream Reprise Sampler disc: Sammy Davis' ultra-swing on "Jingle Bells," and  Dino's swoozy "Peace On Earth/Silent Night"

The Rat Pack: Boys Night Out (September 28, 2004) Capitol 36452 [CD]

Capitol continues to mine the mythos of the Rat Pack name, but with such well-chosen packages to listen to, I don't mind.  This 19-track collection is filled with mostly solo cuts from all three, including two versions of the Reprise Rep Theater "Guys and Dolls" theme.
 

Eee-O 11: The Best Of The Rat Pack (November 20, 2001) Capitol 36452 [CD]

Released with a slew of products in the wake of the Oceans 11 remake, this disc of studio cuts ably captures the feel of the Rat Pack era, with swinging, boozy songs, and happily closes with Sammy's film version of the title track.
 

The Rat Pack On Stage: Las Vegas/St. Louis (October 25, 2004) Castle/Pulse [CD]

A fat, two-disc doumentation of the same shows listed above, witha  couple of added tracks in good sound.  A good, cheap way to own these much-released shows.
 

The Rat Pack: 40 Tracks From The Kings Of Cool (May 5, 2005) Dove [CD]

2 CD set comprised of Rat Pack classics, including Dean Martin: 'That's Amore','Memories Are Made Of This', 'Everybody Loves Somebody', Sammy Davis Jr.: 'You're Nobody Till Somebody Loves You', 'With A Song In My Heart', 'What Kind Of Fool Am I', Frank Sinatra: 'When You're Smiling', 'Young At Heart', 'I've Got A Crush On You' and many more.
 

The Rat Pack Christmas Album (IMPORT) (October 28, 2004) Music Club [CD]

Different track listing than the U.S. version, with some interesting choices, and a couple of head-scratchers: "Rock a Bye Your Baby With A Dixie Melody" & "One For My Baby"?.
 

The Rat Pack (Live) (May 31, 1999) Members Edition [CD]

A compilation of several different live dates, from the various available recordings.  28 tracks, UK issue.
 

Rat Pack Collection: Gold (Frank Siantra); The Best Of (Dean Martin; That Old Black Magic (Sammy Davis Jr.) (September 25, 1998) Madacy Records 5315 [CD]

A budget collection of three discs, one for each player, with cuts taken from different sources, and with less-than-ideal sound.  Avoid if possible.
 

The Best Of The Rat Pack (May 11, 1999) First Choice 4637 [CD]

An instrumental tribute album with a fine jazz combo setting an appropriately "lounge-y" atmosphere.  Puzzling that "Strangers In the Night" is here though - definitely post Rat-Pack.  Not essential, but kind've fun.
 

Rat Pack By Request: performed by Morpheus Music (August 15, 1999) Morpheus Music [CD]

Piano and sax easy listening muzak for the ears.  I guess if you're stuck on an elevator somewhere, this would be perfect!  Lite-jazz of mostly Sinatra covers, with "Makin' Whoopie" thrown in for a Dino moment.
 

A Night On The Town With The Rat Pack (August 12, 2003) Music Club [CD]

Live cuts in a double-disc package, with the Sands performance, but with noticeably poorer sound, I would stick with the live discs above instead of this UK-produced knock-off.
 

The Best Of The Rat Pack (October 22, 2002) Castle Music UK 624 [CD]

Similar to the disc below, with a mish-mash of studio recordings unrelated to the Rat Pack era.  20-tracks.
 

The Rat Pack (November 11, 2002) Castle/Pulse [CD]

Budget collection from the UK that includes cuts that weren't from the Rat Pack era, but otherwise a fine 20-track collection.
 

The Rat Pack (June 23, 2003) Pulse [CD]

Yet another(!) low budget 3-CD box set from the UK, this one collecting both the St. Louis show with other tracks.  So... how many Rat Pack collections does it take to fill the Thames?