Mel Tormé – The Chart Years Selected Singles – 1949-62 – 2CD

Singer, musician, composer and actor Mel Tormé was one of the influential hit-making vocalists who emerged in the post-war years, although Tormé, as a fine jazz performer and successful songwriter, transcended the description of “crooner” often applied to his contemporaries. Making his debut when still in his teens, he had been recording since the latter years of WWII and had written the classic hit “The Christmas Song”, before signing to Capitol in 1949.
This great-value 52-track 2-CD collection comprises selected A & B sides of his releases on the Capitol, Coral, Bethlehem, Verve and Atlantic labels during these years, including duets with Peggy Lee and Margaret Whiting – the creative orientation of some of those labels underlines the jazz dimension of his output. It features all his chart entries from this era, including the US No.1 “Careless Hands” and the Top 10 hits “Again”, “The Four Winds And The Seven Seas” and “Bewitched” and the UK Top 20 hits “Mountain Greenery” and “Comin’ Home Baby”. It features recordings with some of the most noted arranger/conductors of the day, including Nelson Riddle, Billy May, Neal Hefti, Frank De Vol, Pete Rugolo, Marty Paich Sonny Burke and others. It’s a fine showcase for one of the era’s classiest and most versatile performers.

Track Listing:

CD1:
Mel Tormé: 1. Careless Hands -   2. She's A Home Girl -   3. Again -   4. Blue Moon -   5. You're Getting To Be A Habit With Me -   6. There Isn't Any Special Reason -   7. The Four Winds And The Seven Seas -   8. Meadows Of Heaven -   9. There's A Broken Heart For Every Light On Broadway -   10. Oh You Beautiful Doll -   Peggy Lee And Mel Tormé: 11. The Old Master Painter -   12. Bless You (For The Good That's In You) -   Mel Tormé: 13. I Hadn't Anyone Till You -   14. Cross Your Heart -   15. The Piccolino -   16. Bewitched -   17. Do, Do, Do -   18. I Owe A Kiss To A Girl In Iowa -   19. Skylark -   20. Lullaby Of The Leaves -   21. The One For Me -   Peggy Lee And Mel Tormé: 22. Don't Fan The Flame -   23. Telling Me Yes, Telling Me No -   Mel Tormé: 24. My Buddy - 25. You're A Heavenly Thing -

CD2:
Mel Tormé: 1. Black Moonlight -   2. Anywhere I Wander -   3. Blue Skies -   4. The Anything Can Happen Mambo -   5. Just One More Chance -   6. Tutti Frutti -   7. I'se A Muggin' -   8. All Of You -   9. Spellbound -   10. Rose O'Day -   11. It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing) -   12. Goody Goody -   13. Jeepers Creepers -   14. My Rosemarie -   15. Mountain Greenery -   16. Bernie’s Tune -   17. Lulu's Back In Town -   18. Keeping Myself For You -   19. At The Crossroads (Malaguena) -   20. Frenesi -   21. Walk Like A Dragon -   Margaret Whiting & Mel Tormé: 22. Hey, Look Me Over -   23. What's New At The Zoo -   Mel Tormé: 24. Her Face -   25. Yes Indeed -   26. Comin' Home Baby -   27. Right Now -