Customer Reviews

London Sessions

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The London Sessions, originally titled "Torme; A New Album" was recorded just a short year after a rather messy divorce for Mel and his English wife.The album is loaded with ballads, and Mel sounds at the absoulute TOP of his form. Outstanding tracks include "Here's That Rainy Day" (with a killer alto sax solo by Phil Woods), "All in Love is Fair" and "Bye Bye Blackbird". Mel's true genius as an arranger shows in the only up-tempo tune on the whole album, a swinging, knock your socks off rendition of "Send In The Clowns"!! This is a MUST have for all Torme' fans!! I HIGHLY recommend it!

As an unabashed fan of Mel Torme, I love his late albums, full of jazz, scat, and complex rhythms, as he takes songs in new directions, always on perfect pitch. In this incredible album, recorded in 1977, one hears an earlier Mel Torme, a crooner whose magnificent voice is controlled to perfection, and ranges from the highest of the high notes to the lowest kinds of whispery confessions. Gifted with the ability to give new meanings to familiar songs through unique phrasing and unusual pacing, Torme here records songs of the seventies (six of which are more than five minutes long), documenting the loss of love and the sadness which follows.

Recorded while Torme was in the midst of a divorce from his wife of ten years, a marriage he thought would last forever, Torme's voice conveys his heartbreak through these narrative songs. Though most of these ballads are associated with other singers, they sound new and fresh in Torme's hands. Accompanied by a full orchestra but supported on some of his best tracks by the sax of Phil Woods, Torme creates moods--dramatic, personal, and intimate--and records what may be his most gorgeous album.

"All in Love is Fair," a Stevie Wonder song, never sounded so touching as Torme, his voice set off by Phil Woods's sax solo and later accompaniment, creates a pensive ballad which gradually becomes a jazzier, more passionate wail in his highest register. Roberta Flack's "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face," featuring a guitar solo, is subtle, with Torme crooning softly and romantically, his mellow voice contrasting with Flack's harsher one.

Billy Joel's "New York State of Mind," is bluesy and restrained, and his interpretation of Janis Ian's "Stars," one of my favorites on the album, is sadder than hers and more meditative, without a trace of folkiness. "Send in the Clowns," becomes upbeat and jazzy, full of off-tempo variations and unusual phrasing, while "Bye, Bye, Blackbird," the only old favorite on the CD, is sung with agonizing slowness and melancholy before veering into wailing jazz.

Beautiful, emotional narrative songs, in which Torme seems to confess his innermost thoughts, accompanied by full orchestra, take on new meanings and showcase Torme's voice and his expression, rather than his jazz talent on this CD. Soft and mellow, these ballads are among the best Torme has ever recorded, and this CD has become one of my new favorites. n Mary Whipple

My first exposure to this work by Mel was over 15 years ago when I bought the original LP titled A New Album. Years past, record changer broken and library now in CDs I had almost forgotten about this gem. A search on Amazon found it reissued under the new title. What makes this such a collector's item is that it is unique in that most of the songs are contemporary to the 60's and 70's as compared to most other Torme works which feature tunes from the 30's and 40's. Mel's poignant treatment of these songs is faultless. The rich orchestral arrangements are interesting and effective with several European nuances. Adding to this collection is the soulful sax work by Phil Woods.
If you don't own this collection...you are missing one of the two or three absolute best of his career.

This is certainly one of Mel Torme's best. It's a true evolution from his innocent 50s and 60s years. After several disillusions thrown at him by life, a hardened Mel came back and expressed it all in song. And what expression! The first track will blow you away: beautiful arrangement of Stevie Wonder's "All in love is fair", and a voice that no longer exudes that vibrance - which always causes a smile and a happy sigh - but now occasionally crackles with sorrow and a darker tone. Listen to this track if you want a sample of what this album is about. Fourth track, "Stars" reveals much about Mel's changing view of some aspects of his career - as much as other tracks reveal about his past relationship(s).

Simply, this is an album where Mel Torme reminds us how important music is to him (his life) and how truly one can express themselves through the medium if they are master of their craft. It's an album where we are less a fan than a friend, perhaps a confidant. But, in his confiding in us, Mel displays inspiring gifts as well as being incredibly honest through the music. So, rather than this being just cathartic for the artist, Mel Torme has shared something personal with us, perhaps offering a lesson in life or maybe an understanding hand on the shoulder.

Though Mel Torme will probably be best remembered for his late albums, full of jazz, scat, and complex rhythms (and always on perfect pitch), he was a crooner in his earlier career. In this gorgeous, early album, recorded in 1977, one hears a Mel Torme whose magnificent voice is controlled to perfection and ranges from the highest of the high notes to the lowest kinds of whispery confessions. Gifted with the ability to give new meanings to familiar songs through unique phrasing and unusual pacing, Torme here records songs of the seventies (six of which are more than five minutes long), documenting the loss of love and the sadness which follows.

Recorded while Torme was in the midst of a divorce from his wife of ten years, Torme's voice conveys his heartbreak through these narrative songs. Though most of these ballads are associated with other singers, they sound new and fresh in Torme's hands. Accompanied by a full orchestra but supported on some of his best tracks by the sax of Phil Woods, Torme creates moods--dramatic, personal, and intimate--and records what may be his most gorgeous album.

"All in Love is Fair," a Stevie Wonder song, never sounded so touching as Torme, his voice set off by Phil Woods's sax solo and later accompaniment, creates a pensive ballad which gradually becomes a jazzier, more passionate wail in his highest register. Roberta Flack's "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face," featuring a guitar solo, is subtle, with Torme crooning softly and romantically, his mellow voice contrasting with Flack's harsher one.

Billy Joel's "New York State of Mind," is bluesy and restrained, and his interpretation of Janis Ian's "Stars," one of my favorites on the album, is sadder than hers and more meditative, without a trace of folkiness. "Send in the Clowns," becomes upbeat and jazzy, full of irony and off-tempo variations and unusual phrasing.

Beautiful, emotional narrative songs, in which Torme seems to confess his innermost thoughts, accompanied by full orchestra, take on new meanings and showcase Torme's voice and his expression, rather than his jazz talent on this CD. Soft and mellow, these ballads are among the best Torme has ever recorded. Mary Whipple

The pain and emotion of lost love flows through Mel's voice on this album. "New York State of Mind" is simply a classic Mel Torme song. "Send in the Clowns" is fast, and the line, "Losing my timing this late in my career" seems to hint at the recent divorce that Mel was going through when this album was being recorded in London England. "All in Love is Fair" is sung with passion and pain! A classic

This is a gorgeous album, HOWEVER, I am so disappointed in the rendition of "Yesterday, When the World Was Young/Yesterday, When I was young....."in this case he has blended 2 different songs.......the one I wanted to hear begins with "Ah, the apple trees,blowing in the breeze"....and the boats........etc. but he transitions into a totally other song which, while in and of itself is fine, but is NOT the song I dearly love and wanted to hear. I bought it.......but it's the "wrong song"....as it were.
All other songs on the album are, of course, superb.

Think of a spring day with flowers blooming, trees gently swaying in the park, and this album will be the perfect soundtrack.

Chris Gunning rose to the occasion by writing some of the most beautiful orchestral arrangements. Mel, the consummate professional, sounds like he walked into the studio with the musicians assembled and turned this album out in first takes. It's fresh, inspired, and relaxed.

On an historical note, Terry Silverlight is the drummer on the entire album, except Send In The Clowns, which Mel sits in on. Silverlight was only 20 years old on this date with this being one of the first of hundreds of mainstream, popular albums he eventually played on. Silverlight's name appears as a featured performer on the original release of this recording, "A New Album", although oddly the publishers of this re-release decided not to list his name.

Recorded in 1977, this CD is an excellent example of Mel's later works. Mel selected a variety of pieces from the old standard "Bye Bye Blackbird," to "New York State of Mind" by Billy Joel.

Backed by an excellent British orchestra, this CD is sure to please all generations!

One thing to be careful about!!! All of the material on this new "Super Audio CD" was previously released on the Gryphon label under the title "Torme - A New Album." There is no warning on the back of the CD that it contains previously released material!!!