I have just picked up the CD - Count Basie Live at the Sands (Before Frank).

This is the sound of the Copa Room.

It gives me chills. So many times I went to the showroom to check if Frank went on during this engagement.

You hear this band playing and the excitement of the people waiting for Frank to come on. Never, never have I see it equaled in any other room or for any other performer.

Other shows it would be the Copa Girls or some comic warming up the audience.

Here you have a "event" going on before Sinatra.

And Sinatra knew it. The word was he would become so nervous and agitated before going on. Sometimes close to being ill. He didn't want to sit in his tux so he would walk in circles.

Jilly Rizzo keeping everyone away from him.

You got to realize, Frank never went on stage when the performer before him was even close to him in talent.

Here Frank was preceded by another heavyweight. Frank loved and respected the Count and his men.

I have never seen Frank in the state he was before these performances.

Basie's band would fill the room. I mean fill it. It's very Sinatra-like.

It isn't achieved by playing loud. It almost understated and yet it comes on like a tornado.

When Basie and the guys would quit playing, the room was still filled with his sound. And Frank had to step into this.

It's all about getting into the first song, just getting started.

But he did. Frank would be announced and he would walk on. Visibly nervous and usually grab the mic right away. Holding on and getting ready to deliver. I've seen him miss the start a few times.

The band watching him. We are only talking about a few seconds here, but eternity for all us watching him.

You must understand with the regular Sands band and most bands, it was Sinatra who really started the band. He opens his mouth and then and only then the band picks up and comes in.

With Count Basie, it was different. His band does a full intro and then it's Basie at the piano waiting for Frank to come in.

I've seen Sinatra miss the first and second time around. Basie, at the piano, would smile at Frank and slide into the intro again.

The audience and the band are on edge.

Sinatra, holding the mic, staring at he floor, listening to the piano.

And Frank looks up and opens his mouth and it happens. He starts in, full bore, "Come fly........." Basie nods to his guys and it all breaks loose.

Sinatra sails into "Come Fly With Me". Now that's an opening!

Together, Sinatra and Basie and his band fill the room.

On most nights, Basie did a solo or two. Sinatra would sit on a stool and just smile. They loved playing with each other.

By the second or third night, they had it down.

Basie would do his full band intro and Sinatra would walk on stage, look at the audience and say something like "How did all these people get in my room," Basie does two or three notes on the piano and Frank and the band all start together.

Oh, it looked so easy.

It was a wonderful run. The talk of the town. People flying in from all over. And a bit of different crowd too. Not as many bookmakers and gamblers but noted music world people from New York and L.A.

Musicians from the other hotels were coming over between the first and second shows to talk to the Basie's guys. Vegas had some of best living here.

As one of our guys said "Eddie, for you it's just another show but for us, this is historic." I guess he was right.

I'm playing the CD now as I write this.

This is the sound of the Copa Room. It's hard for me to listen to it and not just expect for Sinatra to come on next.

But he won't, not ever again.

I guess I'm starting to realize why so many buy and collect these CD's. They may be all we will ever have.