Mel Torme Quartet (May 2, 1964) - Jazz Casual

Mel Torme Quartet (May 2, 1964)
Mel Torme (vocals); Gary Long (piano); Perry Lind (bass); Benny Barth (drums).
1. We've Got a World That Swings
2. Comin' Home, Baby
3. Sidney's Soliloquy
4. Dat Dere
5. When Sunny Gets Blue
6. Quiet Night
7. Route 66

[@vookap]

Mel Torme speaking is more musical than most singers singing.

[@BillAnt]

He was singing and rapping before rapping even existed. ;) (aka scatting) Mel's was a really talented guy... the actor Harry Anderson of Night Court fame was a huge Torme fan, even got him on the show many times. There are re-runs of Night Court currently on the LAFF tv channel.

[@robstockton2463]

@@BillAnt So you’re equating rapping and scatting, even though rapping is spoken-word and scatting is wordless singing? That’s a stretch, mate.

[@gringochucha]

I've been getting into jazz singing lately and just discovered this guy. His pitch is out of this world.

[@JaceMogill]

Spoiler alert: No autotune

[@bonitavanderwal2712]

Hi there, please check out his scatting ! Out of this world !

[@robstockton2463]

He’s an excellent technician for sure, and he was maybe even a better scat singer than Ella was. His smooth voice and his range are impressive. But he’s not great at the storytelling aspect, and he didn’t gravitate to songs with narratives. Pretty much straight-ahead delivering the song without much nuance or emotional investment (as was the style then). Check out Nat King Cole and Sarah Vaughn for more interpretive delivery.

[@gringochucha]

@@robstockton2463 I agree with your take. I've been listening to Nat King Cole and Sarah Vaughan my whole life. Nat is number 1 in my book. Cheers!

[@desmondkowalski6863]

@@robstockton2463 go check out his version of "Autumn in New York"

[@libertytree3209]

I love when he talks about cold tones and the fact that true jazz singers often aren't loaded with vibrato. It's so nice listening to the older greats like Ella that don't do all those vocal gymnastics that seem to so impress modern audiences.

[@dr.ulyssesswlabr6642]

Mel will forever be a national treasure. Incredible talent!

[@kelljazzkellyd886]

The velvet fog! Listened to him while I was learning vocal singing in High School. I had the pleasure of seeing him twice in Seattle in his later years. After his concert, my friend and I waiting by the backstage door. Even though he was just getting over a cold, he kindly came out and greeted those who were waiting. I ended up with a signed drumstick! I’m surprised anyone would have thought that he was not a jazz singer in the early 60’s!

[@user-rz6bc2cl3c]

The 'the velvet fog' himself, was quite the singer. Had a fabulous range, was a great 'scat' vocalist also! RIP Mr. Torme, and thanks for the outstanding memories!

[@DavidAndTheDummies]

He also detested that nickname. Funny how we find it so accurate and he hated it😂😂

[@user-rz6bc2cl3c]

Yes, and, thanks, BTW, Did you happen to know why he hated, the velvet fog, so much? It sure was strange to me, I would have thought he might be a little 'proud' of that tag.

[@gabchaim8232]

Probably the best jazz-singer of all times. And the most manysided one. Used his voice as a musical instrument.

[@Cruz_ignatius]

True he could sing and even fight Sinatra out of the water ;)

[@gabchaim8232]

@@Cruz_ignatius Blown away again, after watching the show once more. MT must have been the hardest working entertainer in the whole business. The guy has got many skills + could really fulfill any audience's wishes. The baritone uke is a find. Only reason i can think of, why he never reached ultimate top: he ain't got the looks.

[@waldolydecker8118]

Pianist Gary Long is just one of many guys you probably never heard of and who probably never made it big, but the guy plays some beautiful chords. Would have loved to have heard more of him.

[@0oo00]

Laying it down, throwing shade, and jazzicizing semanticizing baby! Yeah!

[@SantiagoBsAs]

My favourite jazz singer. Master of scat

[@franciscojavierruiz7219]

This guy´s tonal transitions are amazing!, what a mastery of a correct way using his built in resources!!!

[@MishaG9]

A masterclass of jazz singing... maybe in a couple of lives, I could get to half his level. One can dream.

[@Blowtorch1964]

He had a regular gig at the Carlyle Hotel back in the 80s, caught him there more than once. Great singer.

[@ysa5235]

this is a gem.

[@heraldol.8518]

I was introduced to Mel Torme at 11 years old through Judge Harry Stone.

[@otrfan84128]

Mel Torme was a music scholar as well as an amazingly talented musician and singer. What a fine TV show. Wish this type of programming was more prevalent today. I always admired Ralph J. Gleason and have learned so much by reading his comments.

[@catallaxy2000]

I was born only a couple months before this video was recorded, and growing up, I was aware of Mel, mainly from appearances on TV... I discovered the magic of the younger Torme later in life - what a supremely talented singer he was... What it must be like to be a person too young to have known of him while he was alive, and now just discover through the Internet... We do have some gems these days, but nothing, it seems to compare with these talents from the midst of the 20th century...

[@jakela671]

Mel Torme could sing the phone book and it would be unforgettable. Plus, his enunciation was spectacular.

[@princeandrey]

Better than Sinatra, I would say! The voice itself is smooth and lovely, and his sense of jazz, impeccable. He's a true musician!

[@evanmeaux1292]

Well especially later in his career it would be difficult to classify Sinatra as "true jazz". He verged more into pop-jazz territory, Mel was definitely much more in-tune (no pun intended) with true jazz... He knew jazz "code" live (i.e. how to interact with the musicians in a live jazz setting much better then Sinatra, etc)

[@trekkiejunk]

@@evanmeaux1292 -- As much as i like Sinatra, he was never a jazz singer. He was pop-jazz at his jazziest, and corny and out-of-touch with the music he sang in the late 60's and 70's. By the 80's, he was just going through the motions of his old hits.

[@loribull3876]

this is excellent! a rare opportunity (for me) to hear Mel Torme talk about his craft...wonderful music

[@jimmyj1969]

Mr. Pavel Voronin, your channel is a real treasure!!!

[@moonjazz]

Beautiful voice 🥰 I love his style. His voice is so dreamy 🥰 it's such a shame such amazing talent does not exist in this world anymore 🥺

[@TM-zj1xt]

Met him once after a show at Michael's Pub on Third Ave in mid 80's. Waited for him with my girlfriend and he eventually showed up in a windbreaker, looking for his driver. We ambushed him inside near the entrance and he looked nervous, but answered some of our questions about my favorite TV movie: The Comedian. He was elusive and probably exhausted. Then suddenly he leaned forward and passed gas loudly. Strange moment.

[@oboyo601]

A true legend ... underrated !

[@Jenantv]

Excellent!

[@enemyofvirtue]

i love how much respect this guy has for the genre. almost unreal, this man's voice.

[@Kinsale1333]

Great thanks to Pavel for posting this! Listening to Mel I felt like I was getting an academic seminar in jazz voice. Then there were the extraordinary vocals. Much to love here.

[@jonshannon7096]

Oh this is so good and informative. Mel was the best.

[@arlene1934corwin]

Thank you Pavel Voronin for putting this treasure on KZbin!

[@kevind7422]

Insane vocal precision from a man w perhaps a two-octave range. Mezzo-Baritone close description (then grapple w Sinatra there). The patron saint of Harry Anderson's 'Night Court', The Velvet Fog was gifted w a thing in his throat that only added and never subtracted from his internal math. Clearly, he knew he was a different singer than what audiences expected at the time. Props to Ralph Gleason. Need more 'Jazz Casual' !

[@snortworld]

such casual excellence & genius

[@carlandre8610]

he plays so many instruments well and sings like a boss.

[@blackcatsarenopussies]

Man, he is so articulate and literate. And I just discovered him today after watching An Education. And I like to think I have a vast musical culture. How about that...

[@eastonpeter1242]

I belive Mel knows more songs than any other singer, maybe Ella next.

[@glenkersul8536]

Perfection. Class. Talent.

[@danfoster-hy8mo]

Fukking love this. Love you Mel.

[@joshuamarks1129]

😊Talk about the “Jazz Police”! 🔥His top notch professional vocal precision is so stunning that I can totally understand why he would publicly call out the intonation inconsistency of Anita O’Day. His scat articulations and pitches were unbelievably spot on!

[@emanx222]

Wow, this is unreal!!!!

[@BfSkinnerPunk]

Mel is 39 in this video. I love this style of music and TV.

[@jaimesolorza4186]

One word: class

[@baguaboy11]

Wow ! What a talent

[@waxeye6488]

Bless youtube again. Ralph's cardy is in a museum.

[@cwjonesII]

Wow, thanks for posting this show.

[@MadridMuseumTours]

Muchas gracias from Madrid for this Pavel. Fantástico!!!

[@simonkamstra5141]

Ralph Gleason seems a cool and nice guy, never seen him talk before just knew his rep

[@camilofonseca6981]

It's worth noting that even though Mel had a somewhat narrow interpretation of vocal jazz, that didn't mean he looked down on more traditional pop or blues singers. Sinatra, for example, was someone he had immense respect and admiration for, at one point calling him the best singer in the world and even narrating a PBS documentary on Sinatra before his death.

[@robstockton2463]

I just always wish Torme invested a bit more of himself. He doesn’t give the most insightful or interesting interpretations. He wasn’t a storyteller, more of a technique machine. (Not that I don’t appreciate his technique, though - it’s just that his singing impresses more than it moves.)

[@dasteven10]

I love this guy!

[@tintan2057]

Excellent voice, hi is a artist not just a entretener

[@franciscojavierruiz7219]

Evergreen!!

[@joesmith34]

Very talented is Mel Torme

[@artfuldodger1286]

Torme is in really good voice here. But it's funny to hear Torme and Ralph Gleason spending ten minutes discussing what a jazz singer is. All these years later, the distinction between jazz singers, pop singers, and blues singers seems really unimportant.

[@ryanintopeka]

And yet still very obvious and real as far as what those differences are.

[@melissahibbard6865]

I love this man!Thank you!

[@leftynotliberal]

The Bob Dorough he's talking about went on to do Schoolhouse Rock.

[@spartybob1]

He was at his best

[@alexforest1]

Totally innovative!

[@lapioche2859]

Probablement le plus grand crooner. Exceptionnel mel.

[@sixtieskid062]

Correction here: Mel said "Dat Dere" was written by Oscar Brown,Jr. Bobby Timmons wrote the tune in 1960.Oscar Brown penned the lyrics a few years later.

[@emylrmm]

very interesting when Mel starts talking about what is a jazz singer

[@francocaruana8102]

Molto bravo

[@pauld205]

Mel was clearly a perfectionist. He was perfect, and he knew it. I hope he wasn't hard to work with.

[@762Scott]

He worked with another perfectionist: Artie Shaw. THAT must have been interesting.

[@blackcatsarenopussies]

Great job, Man. Thanks🍺

[@mistaspakuru]

Check out his scatting on "Route 66" in the last minute of this clip. Wild.

[@davidlether4917]

The shadows behind the great Torme quartet remind me of Dali painting s

[@francocaruana8102]

Bravissimo

[@craigbrowning9448]

Teddy Wilson also recorded Sid's Soliloquy.

[@craigbrowning9448]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/mXi8ZXiHn5yokKcsi=jqr_XWMsNU5j54HC

[@jiyujizai]

good singer.

[@hunnidthouwowdressing790]

I love Tommy Meatballianno

[@sallybowles2781]

The interviewer wants him so bad to mention Sinatra

[@hbjrtv457]

Hello Sweet Pea I didn't forget! 🦙

[@derekroberts6654]

Night Court led me here…

[@joylewis2910]

Love his voice! Thank you so much for posting this. Was this a regular TV show? Mel sang so many of my favorite songs! I loved the simplicity and the conversation. I believe my first introduction to Mel was the movie A Man Called Adam starring Sammy Davis, Jr.

[@scottkuzminski8114]

Was a one off PBS show, back when PBS was called NET

[@mitchcornacchia968]

THE VELVET FROG!

[@MrPisster]

An archaic instrument called the uke...and it's a baritone like he is!

[@clairwaucaush7225]

I wonder if this is out on DVD. It would be nice to have it OFF this thing and on hand with better picture and sound. Mel is great in this!

[@gregmonks9708]

The Velvet Fog. Unlike Frankie Snotrot Mel could improvise. And unlike MOST PEOPLE he knew what he was talking about. Mel also knew about textual declamation, something only a few songwriters and composers knew about. Today's singers and songwriters, it's a safe bet, have never heard of such a thing.

[@donhailer4994]

Ouch - poor Anita O'Day.

[@762Scott]

Yes. "Sweet Georgia Brown" at Newport: What more could he want?

[@magicgenius]

His ego is in full embarrassing force here.

[@waldolydecker8118]

Unfortunate tape edit at 23:38....wonder what they edited out of his story....this was on PBS, 60 years ago, so he couldn't have said anything risque.

[@EthanHGray]

1:04

[@retiredbingoplayers]

👍

[@stuartdryer1352]

Mel Torme's voice always reminds me of Stan Getz' tenor. But I disagree with him strongly about Mark Murphy. That guy was definitely a jazz singer.

[@NateSingsJazz]

24:18

[@BarneyGoogle1950]

Is this program available on a dvd? So little Torme is available.

[@hbjrtv457]

Hello Sweet Pea when you coming home?

[@stylianniepip.3598]

Need the lyrics to dat derre

[@leojbramble]

He did NOT just dis Anita O'Day AND MARK MURPHY on the air! Wow, I love you Mel, but DAMN, you're wrong, wrong, WRONG!!!!

[@NateSingsJazz]

13:25

[@NateSingsJazz]

20:05

[@dzieckkofails6922]

What music does it say that it has grown up listening to? It's just that he has such a closed accent that I don't understand it.

[@islezeus]

Does anyone know which two male singers he's referring to @5:00?

[@callmeic]

Sinatra for sure, unsure about number 2. Perhaps nat king Cole.

[@melaniesky]

Ian Cumings maybe the other person he’s referring to is dean martin?

[@colejohnsondrums]

@@callmeic I think nat is a jazz singer especially in his trio so I would say frank and Dean maybe

[@djblackjackshellac]

I would guess the two pop giants of the time, Bennett and Mathis. I think Sinatra was too firmly established in the musical canon to be thought of in Mel’s “right now” context.

[@doobeedoo2]

LOL, what about Louis Armstrong?

[@Spotlight_JH]

주펄작가님 때문에 여기까지 오게되다니 ㅋㅋ

[@mainsblanches8793]

Love Mel but that's jazz that sounds "white"!!...

[@waldolydecker8118]

you don't sound "white" or "nonwhite"....you just sound "stupid."

[@hbjrtv457]

Really you and Jesse 😑

[@vynderma]

Not too many great male jazz singers. I will add Al Jerreau and Bobby McFerrin. Women, for some reason, outclass and outnumber the men excepting these three.

[@privatedeborah1004]

He was a way better singer and much more versatile than Sinatra ever was. But he sadly lacked the sex appeal that Sinatra had in abundance, so it was Sinatra that made it to super stardom and not him.

[@piezoification]

What ia this need for conceptual hygiene.

[@gillianrobb3223]

Very good singing and playing...I thunked Mel was a complete bore when I heard him as a teen...but he's the bee's knees , most interesting, a word he uses a lot , and a very likeable personality..

[@logophile]

Is he a jazz singer? What a stupid question.