Search - Mel Torme :: Tormé

Mel tormé at his best

joe mama | marin county, ca | 11/10/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"When people talk about the great Mel Torme albums of the '50s and '60s, this title is never mentioned. All I can say is--it should be! While titles like "Lulu's Back in Town," "Mel Torme Sings Fred Astaire," and "Mel Torme Swings Schubert Alley" are certainly deserving of praise, it's amazing that a GREAT record like "Torme" has been out of print for so long.



The songs are fantastic, especially the ballads (if not a little obscure at times), and Torme's voice never sounded better.



Now, I only wish Verve would hurry up and re-issue Torme's other out-of-print masterpiece from the same era--"I Dig the Duke, I Dig the Count.""

Solid 1950s Tormé

SMW | Hollywood, Florida USA | 10/11/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"First off, let me say that anything recorded by Mel Tormé during the 1950s is worth getting. That said, the 1958 album "Tormé" has an ambitious, West Coast Jazz feel to it. Mel is backed by his frequent collaborator Marty Paich and a bevy of Jazz talent:
Jack Sheldon(Trumpet), Frank Rosolino(Trombone), Bill Perkins, Dave Pell(Woodwinds)and Shelly Manne, Alvin Stoller(drums).Mel covers some well-known and not-so-well-known songs. Standout cuts include a bright and cheery "That Old Feeling", a mournful and bluesy song called "Gloomy Sunday" which has a great trumpet solo. I'm not accustomed to hearing Tormé singing such depressing lyrics ("death is no dream, in death I'm caressing you, etc.) but its a tremendous performance by band and singer. A song in a similiar vein is "This House is Haunted By the Echo of Your Last Goodbye(!)" that and a rare vocal (for the time) of Thelonious Monk's classic "Round Midnight" completes a trio of very un-Tormé-like performances, but they are fantastic.The only song that falls flat is an over-the-top rendition of "Blues In the Night." The band veers wildly and the song changes tempos, making for a jarring listen. I'd call it an "interesting failure."As for the remastering, "Tormé" has good, crisp sound, but as it so often goes for Verve releases from this time period, there is a bit of analog tape hiss that rears it's ugly head on the quiet tunes. It's not terribly distracting, and it should not influence your decision to purchase this cd. As its strengths more than outweigh its shortcomings."

Oozes a Mellow Glow

Lee Armstrong | Winterville, NC United States | 03/31/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Mel Torme's 1958 set "Torme" is exquisite on this reissue. Within the set, Torme tries to balance between uptempo and slower tunes. Artists as diverse as Peggy Lee, The Boswell Sister, Ella Fitzgerald & Diana Krall have recorded "That Old Feeling". It's an uptempo gem that Torme swings to perfection. On what for me is a Billie Holiday tune, he does a great job with the quintessentially sad number "Gloomy Sunday" as saxophones howl in mourning, "Little white flowers will never awaken you; Not where the black coach of sorrow has taken you; Angels have no thought of ever returning you; Would they be angry if I thought of joining you?" The classic "Body & Soul" oozes a mellow glow. "The House Is Haunted" is a great track that has a blues jazz groove with a great horn arrangement. "'Round Midnight" is another bluesy last call tune. "Torme" is a good set that Verve has done a great job with in this re-release. Enjoy!"