But singer/pianist/composer Michael Feinstein has taken Sinatra's music and coloured it with his own interests to pay tribute to the legend with his new CD, The Sinatra Project.

He said: "For years, I've wanted to celebrate Sinatra's musical sensibilities without singing the songs that people hear all the time - no-one's going to do them better than he did.

"But I did really want to salute him, so I evolved the idea of reflecting his tastes with my own interests.

"The album has a 'what if' quality to it. We took his recordings from the 1940s and interpreted them in conceptually different styles from his own renditions."

Born in Columbus, Ohio, to liberal parents, Michael never had a particularly religious upbringing.

"My parents wanted me to be educated in Jewish tradition, but they never pushed me," he said.

"But I never had a barmitzvah because, for me, it wasn't significant.

"As it happens, I have twice had rabbis come up to me, put their hands on my head, and have declared me barmitzvah."

Michael always had a deep-rooted love for music and taught himself to play piano at the age of five.

He said: "I was unlike most of my peers in that I listened to a lot of old music.

"I had no interest in the contemporary music they were playing on the radio at the time."

After High School, Michael eschewed college in favour of following his dream to become a singer of old music and, at the age of 17, began playing piano in a bar before moving to California.

It was in California that Michael was introduced to Ira Gershwin, brother of legendary songwriter George Gershwin, and worked as his assistant for six years.

After Gershwin's death in 1983, Michael launched his own career, playing at private parties and restaurants.

"By my late-20s, I was doing a solo show in a club in Hollywood," he revealed. "Every celebrity in Hollywood came to see me - I was the flavour of the month.

"People that I never thought I'd ever meet were coming up and applauding me, people like Elizabeth Taylor, Madonna and Simply Red.

"I got to know Liza Minnelli and she threw a huge party for me."

He continued: "But I wasn't as impressed by people like Elizabeth Taylor as I was by someone like Leonard Bernstein.

"The people that make music, they were my idols."

Michael's career went from strength to strength after playing an extended stint at The Algonquin Hotel, New York.

He said: "Suddenly I was desired and making more money than I ever imagined.

"But it was always about the music - I would have been happy without all the money."

After recording his first album, Pure Gershwin in 1986, Michael became a household name in America with the success of his Broadway show, Isn't It Romantic.

Through his fame, Michael was able to meet - and perform for - Frank Sinatra himself.

"Nancy Sinatra hired me to perform at a Christmas party," he said.

"Frank was very nice to me and very supportive. It was a big thing to play for the whole family. It was quite an extraordinary experience."

And with The Sinatra Project, Michael wanted to pay homage to Sinatra in a manner he would have approved of.

He said: "I recorded the album with a 60-piece band all playing together.

"I've wanted to do this before but no producers would because if one person makes a mistake, everyone has to start again.

"But I wanted the band to be able to listen to each other acoustically - the result is an album that has resonance, that is unique."

He added: "Music shouldn't be about electronics - it's the same difference as looking at the real Mona Lisa as opposed to a copy.

"The album is all about subtlety and getting inside the words and communicating it to the audience."

And Michael has been thrilled at the album's reaction from both young and old.

He said: "Its not just for old people, but for everyone to have the musical experience of a beautiful harmony and eloquent lyrics. Fortunately, I've had a fantastic reaction.

"It has been extraordinary in that people can hear it is of the period, but is also contemporary and isn't produced to be nostalgic."

Michael will be in the UK in September for his first tour, following a successful stint at London's Shaw Theatre in January.

He said: "I've seen most of England before, but I haven't performed all over yet."

The Sinatra Project is released on September 8.

Michael will be performing at The Lowry, Salford, on September 12, Liverpool's Philharmonic on September 13 and St George's Hall, Bradford the following night.

www.michaelfeinstein.com

WHAT a prize we have for Michael Feinstein fans.

We have two pairs of tickets for each of Michael's shows in Bradford and Liverpool . . . and the lucky winners will be able to meet the superstar singer.

To enter, name the 'Pack' which included Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. Send your answer to Feinstein competition, Jewish Telegraph, 11 Park Hill, Bury Old Road, Manchester M25 0HH or email competitions@jewishtelegraph.com by August 22.