AVID Jazz continues with its Four Classic Album series with a re-mastered second 2CD set release from Mel Torme, complete with original artwork, liner notes and personnel details.
Its A Blue World; Sings Fred Astaire; California Suite (1957 version) and Back In Town.
What a great voice this guy had! Dont let the square looks fool you, this fellow was cool. Mel had been a child prodigy and went on to write his first hit at the age of sixteen when his song Lament In Love was recorded by Harry James. In the early 1940s he drummed for the Chico Marx band and later formed a vocal group, The Mel Tones which would become an influence on later jazz vocal groups such as Lambert, Hendricks and Ross, The Four Freshmen and Manhattan Transfer. By 1947 he had begun his solo career as a jazz singer and in the mid 1950s began a highly successful collaboration with Marty Paich. For our long awaited second set by the man affectionately known as The Velvet Fog we find Mel once again in collaboration with Marty Paich across all four of our fine selections and also we will hear the man singing with his old band The Mel -Tones. Check out AVIDs two Marty Paich: Four Classiic Albums album sets on AMSC1168 and AMSC1173. The calibre of the musicians joining Mel on these albums speak volumes for how highly he was respected in the jazz community. Heres just a few names who appear with Mel, Dave Pell, Don Fagerquist, Barney Kessel, Mel Lewis, Victor Feldman, Art Pepper, Joe Mondragon, Al Hendrickson, Herb Geller, Pete Candoli and Jack Montrose. We are also delighted to feature the second and definitive version of Mels famed California Suite. Settle back and be astonished by the fabulous singing style of Mr Mel Torme. Oh and did you know he wrote over 250 songs and one of them was the famous Christmas hit The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire) which he always said was his annuity! As with all AVID releases, we hope you enjoy this classic set and check out our extensive catalogue for more great music across jazz, blues, country and many other musical genres.
Check out:- Mel Torme (AMSC1317); Marty Paich (AMSC1168 &1173); Johnny Hartman (AMSC1409); Dave Pell (AMSC1076 & 1084); Art Pepper (AMSC962 & 1373); Barney Kessel (AMSC921); Poll Winners (AMSC1412); Tony Bennett (AMSC1391); The Four Freshmen (AMSC1325); Joe Williams (AMSC1389); Lambert, Hendricks & Ross (AMSC1320); Jon Hendricks (AMSC1342); Nat King Cole (AMSC1303); Peggy Lee (AMSC1290); Nancy Wilson (AMSC1349); Dinah Washington (AMSC1367); Sarah Vaughan (AMSC1352); Dakota Staton (AMSC1259); Jeri Southern (AMSC1291); Helen Merrill (AMSC1337).
CD1
1-12: Its A Blue World
1. I Got It Bad (And That Aint Good)
2. Till The Clouds Roll By
3. Isnt It Romantic?
4. I Know Why
5. All This And Heaven Too
6. How Long Has This Been Going
7. Polka Dots And Moonbeams
8. You Leave Me Breathless
9. I Found A Million Dollar Baby
10. Wonderful One
11. Its A Blue World
12. Stay As Sweet As You Are
13-24: Sings Fred Astaire
13. Nice Work If You Can Get It
14. Somethings Gotta Give
15. A Foggy Day
16. A Fine Romance
17. Lets Call The Whole Thing Off
18. Top Hat, White Tie And Tails
19. The Way You Look Tonight
20. The Piccolino
21. They Cant Take That Away From Me
22. Cheek To Cheek
23. Lets Face The Music And Dance
24. They All Laughed
CD2
1-13: California Suite (1957 Version)
1. The Territory (The Soil Was Good)
2. West Coast Is The Best Coast
3. La Jolla
4. Coney Island
5. Atlantic City Boardwalk
6. They Go To San Diego
7. San Fernando Valley
8. Got The Date On The Golden Gate
9. L.A.
10. Six OClock (Its Time To Leave The Set)
11. Nothing To Do (But Shed A Tear)
12. Poor Little Extra Girl
13. West Coast Is The Best Coast (Reprise)
14-25: Back In Town
14. Makin Whoopee
15. Baubles, Bangles And Beads
16. What Is This Thing Called Love
17. Ive Never Been In Love Before
18. Truckin
19. A Bunch Of The Blues
20. It Happened In Monterey
21. I Hadnt Anyone Till You
22. A Smooth One
23. Dont Dream Of Anybody But Me
24. Some Like It Hot
25. Hit The Road To Dreamland