Mel Torme - Swings Shubert Alley

Swings Shubert Alley

By Mel Torme

Very Good Condition

Chicago-born Mel Torme, affectionately nicknamed "The Velvet Fog" for his atmospheric, languorous vocal delivery, was a screen actor and stage performer as well as a singer in his early days, before pursuing music fulltime after World War II. Inevitably Torme's crooner-based style was compared to Frank Sinatra's, but such comparisons were superficial. Torme is the complete jazz singer on the 1960 classic Swings Shubert Alley, accompanied by an excellent band, featuring Art Pepper on alto saxophone and Mel Lewis on drums, playing pianist Marty Paich's arrangements of such Broadway classics as "Old Devil Moon," "On the Street Where You Live," and "Surrey with the Fringe on Top." --John Swenson

A Review:

Marty is Marty Paich, the brilliant arranger who, along with Torme, conceived of and put together the Dek-tette, a 10-piece band that provided sterling backup for Torme's phenomenal singing. I was introduced to Torme via the Compact Jazz comnpilation and, lo and behold, 4 of my favorites from that originated on Swings Schubert Alley. These include Too Close for Comfort, a complex and meaty arrangement (sorry vegetarians!) that at first feels like a journey through magical jazz countryside. Then there's Surrey with a Fringe on Top, with simple horn accompaniments interspersed with quiet, bass and drums backed vocals. One of my favorites is Just in Time, Paich could orchestrate phenomenal emotional range within one piece through a variety of settings. Finally, Whatever Lola Wants demonstrates the bell-like horn arrangements and solos of the Dek-tette. If you are a jazz aficionado, this albums for you.

Tracklist