Customer Reviews

Mel Torme & Rob Mcconnell & Boss Brass

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Mel Torme' heard Rob McConnell's big band at a record shop one day and soon after recorded this album- the first of their two collaborations. Mel Torme' was a consumate singer and infused these songs with feeling and energy. They recorded these songs together in the studio. That direct musical intimacy brought the best out of Torme' and the band. Every song is a gem, but Just Friends, Don't Go Away Mad and The Ellington Suite are KOs. If you like real jazz played by real musicians, then you desrve to hear Mel Torme' sing for you like this in your living room- because he's doing very limited engagements at this time. (He's passed away).

All Torme fans will be familiar with the classic 60's lp on Verve "Mel Torme Swings Shubert Alley With Mrty Paich's Orch."(where Torme & Paich reshaped Lulu's Back In Town). Well this cd collaboration with Rob McConnell's Boss Brass Big Band, may possibly eclispe that classic verve set, for one reason... Torme's voice has matured and even gained sensitivity, and is even a finer tuned instrument, then it was in his 50's/60's period. This 80's set, finds Torme in peak form performing swing standards "Just Friends" and novelties alike with ease "Cow Cow Boogie," and a full on Ellington medley! A great cd, with McConnell's modern jazz arrangements making Torme to Miles Davis what Gil Evans was!!! Perfectly fitting in every way, a superb jazz vocal album, and as far as this fan is concerned this is teh best work of Torme's career!

This is one of my favorite Mel Torme Concord albums, though many others ones are also excellent. It was Mel's first outing with Canadian Rob McConnell's Boss Brass, and everything seemed to click perfectly. The tune selection is outstanding, with a good mixture of up-tempo items (JUST FRIENDS, DONCHA GO `WAY MAD, and parts of the ELLINGTON MEDLEY) that show off the swinging band and Mel's scat singing, and slow ballads (SEPTEMBER SONG and A HOUSE IS NOT A HOME) that get the distinctive Torme touch. COW COW BOOGIE, a novelty hit from the pen of Benny Carter, is delightful, especially Guido Basso's harmonica playing. The ELLINGTON MEDLEY, at 12+ minutes, is not untypical of the medley explorations Torme was accustomed to doing, especially on live dates, and this one is particularly handsome. Just a great, highly entertaining CD that will please every Torme fan out there.