Steve Lippia grew up on rock ‘n’ roll, but he’s always had a soft spot for the Great American Songbook — the classic songs of Frank Sinatra in particular.

This weekend, Lippia sits in with the Portland Symphony Orchestra for a Pops concert that celebrates the music of ‘Ol Blue Eyes. “Simply Sinatra” will feature songs such as “I’ve Got the World on a String,” “Fly Me to the Moon” and “My Way.”

“When you talk about good art of any type, it’s the highest expression of the human condition. This music certainly is that,” said Lippia, who grew up in Connecticut and now lives in Las Vegas.

“When you have melodies that are so beautifully written and when you have lyrics that are quite profound and really captivate your imagination, and when you have arrangements by some of the most amazing musical geniuses, it’s tough to top,” he said.

Lippia performs about 100 concerts a year, and is a frequent guest of symphonies around the country.

His goal is to give folks who grew up with this music a touch of nostalgia and to introduce the music to those who have not experienced it in concert.

“There is a certain romantic quality to the music that reflects the times when the music was created,” Lippia said. “That same sense of romance does not exist today. Life was simple, and with that simplicity came a certain amount of freedom.

“This music expresses a uniquely American attitude from those times.” 

Staff Writer Bob Keyes can be contacted at 791-6457 or at: bkeyes@pressherald.com