Search - Mel Torme :: Ole Torme (Special Packaging)

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Matthew G. Sherwin | last seen screaming at Amazon customer service | 04/12/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Olé Tormé: Mel Tormé Goes South of the Border with Billy May is an outstanding gem from Mel Tormé with arrangements by the great Billy May and His Orchestra. The sound quality is excellent and the cover artwork couldn't be better. Excellent!



The album starts with Mel Torme singing "At The Crossroads (Malaguena)." Billy May's arrangement makes good use of the brass and I love it! Mel Tormé never misses a beat and his voice is as smooth as silk, too. The entire opening number works very well and makes a strong start for this album.



"Frenesi" showcases Mel's singing talents as the guitar work enhances the opening of this ballad. When the number truly begins this all takes off like a jet! The brass enhances the music that goes with Mel's singing; and Mel sings this very sweetly. Overall, "Frenesi" is a very pretty number. "Adios" also gets the royal treatment from Mel Tormé, Billy May and the musicians. "Adios" features them all at their very best and this amazes me--what a great number! Mel Tormé never sounded better.



"Baia" sounds great when Mel sings this with great sensitivity; and Billy May makes sure the musicians do their very best--and it all works very well. The brass carries the bulk of the musical arrangement while Mel Tormé never sings a superfluous note. I love it! Listen also for "Rosita;" this love ballad is new to me but I really, really like it. Mel sings with all his heart and soul about a woman he loves and cannot stay away from. "Rosita" is easily a major highlight of this album; and I predict that you're going to enjoy this ballad very much.



"South Of The Border" showcases Mel's excellent interpretation for this classic love song; and Billy May's orchestra performs the music so well. The music that accompanies Mel's singing perfectly complements his vocals. I always liked "South Of The Border." "Cuban Love Song" is yet another great number that just can't be beat; the brass is there to support Mel as he croons this to perfection and beyond. This elegant love song is also perfect for slow dancing with your sweetheart late at night all alone in your living room.



"Perfidia" has some mighty great brass; and Mel Tormé delivers this with panache. Mel really throws himself into this song; you can tell just by listening to "Perfidia." Great! The album also ends very well with Mel Tormé and Billy May's orchestra performing "Vaya Con Dios." "Vaya Con Dios" is sung primarily in English despite its Spanish name; and Mel sings this so well--what a terrific ending for this fine album!



Naturally, Mel Tormé fans will want this one for their collections. Billy May's orchestrations couldn't be better--and this CD is also wonderful for those of us who like our music with an awesome Spanish twist.

"

MUCHO MEL and MAY!

Giovanni | Chicago, IL | 06/01/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Long out of print, this jaunt through the wonderful world of Latin music with the immortal Mel Torme and arranger/conductor extraordinaire Billy May will be a very welcome addition to your collection. This Verve gem has been in the vaults far too long, and one would have thought with the Latin craze in music sparked a few years ago, it would have been re-released at that time. Happily, here it is, and in special LP style packaging from Verve. While it borders on commercial, one need only recall that it IS Mel Torme singing and swinging here, abetted 'en largo' by Billy May. May was one of the greatest bandleaders of all time and worked with the best of 'em from Sinatra to Cole and everywhere in between. Special mention must be made of May's charts here; he was particularly imaginative in his scoring these songs for Mel, and "sombreros off" to Mel also, his singing is probably the best I can remember on record (strange thing; Mel wasn't particularly fond of his Verve sides, although he did name this album as a good one in his memoirs) Right off, May's pseudo-rock/be-bop into to "AT THE CROSSROADS" (Malaguena) eases us into the album, with Mel flying through the english lyrics for this Spanish classic, and the wild chart forces Mel to hit some extra high notes at the end. "FRENESI", a fine Spanish standard, was covered by EVERYONE when it first came to town (Eydie Gorme's version is great) and this version by Mel and Billy will hearken one to Mel's version (and one of his theme songs) of "Blue Moon", with the clever key changes to tag the ending. "BAIA", a sweeping tune whether sung or instrumentally conveyed, comes across like waves on an ocean shore. Billy May's chart swings a little bit more than the usual reading of this song calls for, but Mel never misses a beat. A newer favorite of mine, the commercial-sounding but still clever "SIX LESSONS FROM MADAME LA ZONGA" is a Broadway-ish type tune with fun lyrics. Billy and Mel really have a ball with the predictable inclusion of "SOUTH OF THE BORDER", including a special lyric across the bridge that evokes a smile and a great ending. The story of a swingin' group that got thrown off a sloop in San' Domingo is conveyed in THE RHUMBA JUMPS, and although May's chosen tempo is not that of a Rhumba, the idea comes across, again a very cleverly written lyric delivered by Mel as only he could do. But perhaps the best of this latin lounge music outing by two of music's best friends is the (normally) poignant "VAYA CON DIOS". Mel takes the first half of it slightly swinging, while May's usually brash horns section lays off the pace, but by the end of the first chorus, May lets go of the reins and we swing our way through to the end.
Excellent closer of a great album. I agree with the gripe of my fellow reviewer that no additional liner notes are included; but Universal Music (Verve) wanted these re-releases to be exactly the way they were when released as LPs. There are several other long awaited releases in this series; nice to see Universal Music (who owns Verve and had alienated many buyers due to lack of re-release of out-of-print material such as this)finally coming across! SIMPLAMENTE MAGNIFICO!"

An often overlooked classic.

Douglas J. Richardson | Saint Michael, PA United States | 05/26/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I've never quite understood why this album has been out of print so often...it's one of Torme's best efforts. Fresh charts of some great songs with that "Ole" touch of Billy May.It's essential to those who wish to study the excellence of American music of the time.My only complaint is the price...this whole reissue series has a list price ......for albums that are rarely longer than 30 minutes. No fancy packaging, just a paper sleeve, and no good liner notes. I don't know how Verve justifies this price for a reissue.But, despite the price, it's worth every penny."