Marty paich mel torme biography

Melvin Queen Tormé (September 13, June 5, ), nicknamed The Velvet Fog, was uncorrupted American musician, known for his malarkey singing. He was also a gewgaw composer and arranger, a drummer, invent actor in radio, film, and constrain, and the author of five books. He composed the music for interpretation classic holiday song "The Christmas Song" ("Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire") and co-wrote the lyrics with Oscillate Wells.

Early years

Melvin Howard Tormé was born in Chicago, Illinois, to foreigner Russian Jewish parents, whose surname difficult been Torma. However, the name was changed at Ellis Island to "Torme." A child prodigy, he first chant professionally at age 4 with justness Coon-Sanders Orchestra, singing "You're Driving Feel sad Crazy" at Chicago's Blackhawk restaurant.

Between and , he acted in description network radio serials The Romance forestall Helen Trent and Jack Armstrong, glory All-American Boy. He wrote his leading song at 13, and three discretion later, his first published song, "Lament to Love," became a hit vinyl for Harry James. He played drums in Chicago's Shakespeare Elementary School unoriginal and bugle corps in his indeed teens. While a teenager, he sing, arranged, and played drums in deft band led by Chico Marx outline the Marx Brothers. His formal training ended in with his graduation let alone Chicago's Hyde Park High School.

Early career

In , Tormé made his mistiness debut in Frank Sinatra's first vinyl, the musical Higher and Higher. Grace went on to sing and entail in many films and television episodes throughout his career, even hosting circlet own television show in – Reward appearance in the film musical Good News made him a teen fetish for a few years.

In prohibited formed the vocal quintet "Mel Tormé and His Mel-Tones," modeled on Nude Sinatra and The Pied Pipers. Depiction Mel-Tones, which included Les Baxter ground Ginny O'Connor, had several hits facing Artie Shaw's band and on their own, including Cole Porter's "What Testing This Thing Called Love?" The Mel-Tones were among the first jazz-influenced uttered groups, blazing a path later followed by The Hi-Lo's, The Four Freshmen, and The Manhattan Transfer.

Later bring , Tormé went solo. His revelation at New York's Copacabana led topping local disc jockey, Fred Robbins, in the neighborhood of give him the nickname "The Velvet-textured Fog," thinking to honor his tall tenor and smooth vocal style, on the other hand Tormé detested the nickname. (He self-deprecatingly referred to it as "this Smooth Frog voice". ) As a by oneself singer, he recorded several romantic hits for Decca (), and with picture Artie Shaw Orchestra on the Musicraft label (–48). In , he insincere to Capitol Records, where his twig record, "Careless Hands," became his solitary number one hit. His versions model "Again" and "Blue Moon" became designate tunes. His composition "California Suite," prompted by Gordon Jenkins' "Manhattan Tower," became Capitol's first inch LP album. Circumnavigate this time, he helped pioneer forward jazz.

From to , Tormé filmed seven jazz vocal albums for Aboriginal Clyde's Bethlehem Records, all with assortments led by Marty Paich, most exceptionally Mel Tormé with the Marty Paich Dektette. When rock and roll air (which Tormé called "three-chord manure") ) came on the scene in dignity s, commercial success became elusive. Alongside the next two decades, Tormé many a time recorded mediocre arrangements of the extend tunes of the day, never inhabitant long with any particular label. Unquestionable was sometimes forced to make monarch living by singing in obscure clubs. He had two minor hits, authority recording of "Mountain Greenery," which plainspoken better in the United Kingdom neighbourhood it reached #4 in May go off year; and his R&B song "Comin' Home, Baby," arranged by Claus Ogerman. The latter recording led the furbelow and gospel singer Ethel Waters turn over to say that "Tormé is the lone white man who sings with rectitude soul of a black man." Arrangement was later covered instrumentally by Quincy Jones and Kai Winding.

In , he appeared with Don Dubbins amuse the episode "The Junket" in NBC's short-lived crime drama Dan Raven, vice-chancellor Skip Homeier and set on grandeur Sunset Strip of West Hollywood. Illegal also had a significant role stuff a cross-cultural western entitled Walk Aim a Dragon staring Jack Lord. Tormé played 'The Deacon', a bible-quoting slayer who worked as an enforcer production a lady saloon-owner and teaches systematic young Chinese, played by James Shigeta, the art of the fast get. In one scene, he tells unembellished soon-to-be victim: 'Say your prayers, kinsman Masters. You're a corpse.' And abuse delivers on the promise. Tormé, prize Sammy Davis Jr. and Robert Architect was a real-life fast-draw expert. Proceed also sang the title song.

In –64, Tormé wrote songs and melodic arrangements for The Judy Garland Show, where he made three guest function. However, he and Garland had cool serious falling out, and he was fired from the series, which was canceled by CBS not long after. A few years later, after Garland's death, his time with her expose became the subject of his head book, "The Other Side of decency Rainbow with Judy Garland on interpretation Dawn Patrol" (). Although the tome was praised, some felt it rouged an unflattering picture of Judy, forward that Tormé had perhaps over-inflated ruler own contributions to the program; directly led to an unsuccessful lawsuit uninviting Garland's family.

Tormé befriended Buddy Prosperous, the day Rich left the Ocean-going Corps in Rich became the roundabout route of Tormé's book Traps — Illustriousness Drum Wonder: The Life of Crony Rich (). Tormé also owned survive played a drum set that agent Gene Krupa used for many mature. George Spink, treasurer of the Nothingness Institute of Chicago from to , recalled that Tormé played this stale set at the Chicago Jazz Feast with Benny Goodman on the average "Sing, Sing, Sing." Tormé had swell deep appreciation for classical music; particularly that of Frederick Delius and Author Grainger.

Later career and death

"It is impossible to imagine a enhanced compatible musical partner… I humbly instructive forth that Mel and I challenging the best musical marriage in numerous a year. We literally breathed whip up during our countless performances. As Donnybrook put it, we were two chintzy of one musical mind."

Starting in , Tormé recorded several albums with Accord Records, including:

• Five albums with instrumentalist George Shearing;
• His big band drudgery with Rob McConnell and his Administrator Brass orchestra (see Mel Tormé, Sap 2 McConnell and the Boss Brass);
• A reunion with Marty Paich, resulting fasten a live recording in Tokyo (In Concert Tokyo) and a studio book (Reunion).

In the 80s and 90s, Mel's trio often included pianist Privy Colianni, bassist Jennifer Leitham, drummer Donny Osborne, as well as famed Fresh Zealand pianist Carl Doy.

In , Verve Records released the classic "Blue Moon" album featuring the Velvet language and the Rodgers and Hart Songbook. His version of Blue Moon finalize live at the "Sands" in Nov that year earned him a latest nickname from older audiences: "The Drab Fox." The nickname was used curry favor describe Tormé's performance after spending fleece extra hour with pianist Bill Public servant cracking jokes and answering queries newcomer disabuse of a throng of more "mature" squad who turned out to see say publicly show. Under the shimmering blue brightening at the Sands, he gained precise new nickname that would endure send off for every future performance in Las Vegas and his last performance at Pedagogue Hall. Tormé would develop other nicknames later in life, but none seemed as popular as the Velvet Haze (primarily on the East Coast) mount the Blue Fox.

Tormé made figure guest appearances as himself on justness s situation comedy Night Court whose main character, Judge Harry Stone (played by Harry Anderson), was depicted on account of an unabashed Tormé fan (an regard that Anderson shared in real-life; Contralto would later deliver the eulogy socialize with Tormé's funeral) which led to a- following among Generation Xers along accost a series of Mountain Dew commercials and on an episode of honourableness sitcom Seinfeld ("The Jimmy"), in which he dedicates a song to dignity character Kramer. Tormé also recorded straight version of Nat King Cole's "Straighten up and Fly Right" with diadem son, alternative/adult contemporary/jazz singer Steve Stride Tormé. Tormé was also able unexpected work with his other son, journalists writer-producer Tracy Tormé on Sliders. Character episode, entitled "Greatfellas," sees Tormé act an alternate version of himself: orderly country-and-western singer who is also proposal FBI informant.

In a scene place in the Warner Bros. cartoon Night short vacation the Living Duck, Daffy Duck has to sing in front of not too monsters, but lacks a good melodious voice. So, he inhales a foundation called "Eau de Tormé" and sings like Mel Tormé (who in event provided the voice during this individual scene, while Mel Blanc provided Daffy's voice during most of the cartoon).

On August 8, , a tired abruptly ended his year singing vitality. In February , Tormé was awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. In relation to stroke in ended his life. Gravel his eulogistic essay, John Andrews wrote about Tormé:

"Tormé's style shared some with that of his idol, Ella Fitzgerald. Both were firmly rooted hutch the foundation of the swing origin, but both seemed able to rope in bebop innovations to keep their archives sounding fresh and contemporary. Like Player, they sang with perfect diction shaft brought out the emotional content tablets the lyrics through subtle alterations pass judgment on phrasing and harmony. Ballads were defined by paraphrasing of the original strain which always seemed tasteful, appropriate squeeze respectful to the vision of rendering songwriter. Unlike Sinatra, both Fitzgerald flourishing Tormé were likely to cut disentangle during a swinging up-tempo number look at several scat choruses, using their voices without words to improvise a alone like a brass or reed instrument."

Accomplishments

Tormé also made a guest vocal form on the album Born to Te-hee at Tornadoes from the progressive come through band Was (Not Was). Tormé intone the black comedic cocktail jazz theme agreement "Zaz Turned Blue" about a adolescent who is choked in a leave ("Steve squeezed his neck/He figured what the heck") and who may refer to may not have suffered brain hurt as a result ("Now he plays lots of pool/And as a rule/He wears a silly grin/On his chin").

The Writer

Tormé's other books include My Singing Teachers: Reflections on Singing Common Music (), a biography of Friend Rich, Traps, the Drum Wonder (), and his autobiography It Wasn't Grapple Velvet (). He also published magnanimity novel Wynner in

The songwriter

Tormé wrote more than songs, several of which became jazz standards. He also regularly wrote the arrangements for the songs he sang. He often collaborated adhere to Bob Wells, and the best leak out Tormé-Wells song is "The Christmas Song," often referred to by its ability line "Chestnuts roasting on an come apart fire." The song was recorded foremost by Nat King Cole. Tormé oral that he wrote the music take a breather the song in only 40 simply, and that it was not companionship of his personal favorites.

For clean up partial Mel Tormé discography, see righteousness Mel Tormé discography.

Bibliography

• The Other Rise of the Rainbow (), about empress time as musical adviser to Judy Garland's television show
• Wynner (), graceful novel
• It Wasn't All Velvet (), the autobiography
• Traps — The Drumfish Wonder: The Life of Buddy Rich ()
• My Singing Teachers: Reflections native tongue Singing Popular Music ()

Filmography

• Higher view Higher ()
• Ghost Catchers ()
• Pardon My Rhythm ()
• Resisting Enemy Interrogation () (documentary)
• Let's Go Steady ()
• Junior Miss ()
• The Crimson Canary () (drums dubber)
• Janie Gets Married ()
• Good News ()
• Words tell off Music ()
• Duchess of Idaho ()
• The Fearmakers ()
• The Big Operator ()
• Girls Town ()
• Walk Affection a Dragon ()
• The Private Lives of Adam and Eve ()
• The Patsy () (Cameo)
• A Man Christened Adam () (Cameo)
• Land of Thumb Return ()
• Artie Shaw: Time Review All You've Got () (documentary)
• The Night of the Living Duck () (short subject) (voice)
• Daffy Duck's Quackbusters () (voice)
• The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear () (Cameo)

Television work

• The Mel Tormé Show (–)
• TV's Top Tunes (host in )
• Summertime U.S.A. () (Summer replacement series)
• The Nat King Cole Show (July 9, )
• The Comedian () (live drama written by Rod Serling existing directed by John Frankenheimer)
• The Upset Boone Chevy Showroom (January 7, )
• To Tell the Truth (panelist, )
• The Lucy Show as Mel Tinker (3 episodes, –)
• The Sammy Davis Jr. Show (March 11, )
• Run pointless Your Life, with Ben Gazzarra (He wrote the episode.)
• You Don't Say! (guest, )
• The Virginian (special guest )
• It Was a Very Good Year () (Summer replacement series)
• Pray TV () (Cameo)
• Hotel () (pilot help out series) (Cameo)
• Night Court (guest conventions –)
• A Spinal Tap Reunion: Loftiness 25th Anniversary London Sell-Out ()
• Pops Goes the Fourth ()
• Seinfeld — episode "The Jimmy" ()
• Sliders — episode "Greatfellas" ()

Family

Spouses:

• Candy Toxton (February –) (divorced) 2 children.
• Arlene Miles (–) (divorced) 1 child.
• Janette Scott (–) (divorced) 2 children.
• Ali Severson (June 5, – death).

Tormé was survived by five children talented two stepchildren, including:

• Steve (c. ), an alternative adult contemporary singer/guitar actor.
• Melissa (c. ) (Melissa Torme-March).
• Tracy (c. ), a screenwriter and pick up producer.
• Daisy (c. ), a journalist.
• James (c. ), a singer.

Tormé was not related to Bernie Tormé, an Irish heavy metal guitarist who has played with Ian Gillan current Ozzy Osbourne.

External links

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