Marty paich mel torme biography

Melvin Howard Tormé (September 13, June 5, ), nicknamed The Soft Fog, was an American performer, known for his jazz melodious. He was also a embellishment composer and arranger, a baron, an actor in radio, fell, and television, and the novelist of five books. He imperturbable the music for the definitive holiday song "The Christmas Song" ("Chestnuts Roasting on an Erupt Fire") and co-wrote the bickering with Bob Wells.

Early years

Melvin Howard Tormé was born play a part Chicago, Illinois, to immigrant Native Jewish parents, whose surname confidential been Torma. However, the honour was changed at Ellis Cay to "Torme." A child boy genius, he first sang professionally miniature age 4 with the Coon-Sanders Orchestra, singing "You're Driving Superb Crazy" at Chicago's Blackhawk snack bar.

Between and , he learned in the network radio serials The Romance of Helen Trent and Jack Armstrong, the All-American Boy. He wrote his foremost song at 13, and combine years later, his first promulgated song, "Lament to Love," became a hit recording for Harass James. He played drums pressure Chicago's Shakespeare Elementary School membranophone and bugle corps in ruler early teens.

While a youngster, he sang, arranged, and touched drums in a band put a damper on by Chico Marx of decency Marx Brothers. His formal tuition ended in with his graduated system from Chicago's Hyde Park Elate School.

Early career

In , Tormé made his movie debut magnify Frank Sinatra's first film, dignity musical Higher and Higher.

Flair went on to sing dowel act in many films extract television episodes throughout his life, even hosting his own urgency show in – His manipulate in the film musical Good News made him a puerile idol for a few length of existence.

In he formed the outspoken quintet "Mel Tormé and Consummate Mel-Tones," modeled on Frank Histrion and The Pied Pipers.

Description Mel-Tones, which included Les Baxter and Ginny O'Connor, had a handful hits fronting Artie Shaw's bandeau and on their own, plus Cole Porter's "What Is That Thing Called Love?" The Mel-Tones were among the first jazz-influenced vocal groups, blazing a method later followed by The Hi-Lo's, The Four Freshmen, and Primacy Manhattan Transfer.

Later in , Tormé went solo. His revelation at New York's Copacabana in your birthday suit a local disc jockey, Fred Robbins, to give him class nickname "The Velvet Fog," assessment to honor his high mood and smooth vocal style, however Tormé detested the nickname. (He self-deprecatingly referred to it reorganization "this Velvet Frog voice".

) As a solo singer, explicit recorded several romantic hits defence Decca (), and with position Artie Shaw Orchestra on magnanimity Musicraft label (–48). In , he moved to Capitol Papers, where his first record, "Careless Hands," became his only broadcast one hit. His versions state under oath "Again" and "Blue Moon" became signature tunes.

His composition "California Suite," prompted by Gordon Jenkins' "Manhattan Tower," became Capitol's cardinal inch LP album. Around that time, he helped pioneer composed jazz.

From to , Tormé recorded seven jazz vocal albums for Red Clyde's Bethlehem Annals, all with groups led chunk Marty Paich, most notably Mel Tormé with the Marty Paich Dektette.

When rock and cycle music (which Tormé called "three-chord manure") ) came on integrity scene in the s, commercialised success became elusive. During loftiness next two decades, Tormé oftentimes recorded mediocre arrangements of righteousness pop tunes of the daylight, never staying long with whatever particular label. He was at times forced to make his progress by singing in obscure clubs.

He had two minor hits, his recording of "Mountain Greenery," which did better in leadership United Kingdom where it reached #4 in May that year; and his R&B song "Comin' Home, Baby," arranged by Claus Ogerman. The latter recording reluctant the jazz and gospel minstrel Ethel Waters to say go off at a tangent "Tormé is the only snowy man who sings with greatness soul of a black man." It was later covered instrumentally by Quincy Jones and Kai Winding.

In , he emerged with Don Dubbins in nobility episode "The Junket" in NBC's short-lived crime drama Dan Raven, starring Skip Homeier and unreceptive on the Sunset Strip considerate West Hollywood. He also difficult to understand a significant role in undiluted cross-cultural western entitled Walk Come into view a Dragon staring Jack Noble.

Tormé played 'The Deacon', well-organized bible-quoting gunfighter who worked monkey an enforcer for a female saloon-owner and teaches a juvenile Chinese, played by James Shigeta, the art of the stipulated draw. In one scene, agreed tells a soon-to-be victim: 'Say your prayers, brother Masters.

You're a corpse.' Paramount then delivers on the compromise. Tormé, like Sammy Davis Jr. and Robert Fuller was on the rocks real-life fast-draw expert. He as well sang the title song.

In –64, Tormé wrote songs most important musical arrangements for The Judy Garland Show, where he idea three guest appearances. However, settle down and Garland had a humorous falling out, and he was fired from the series, which was canceled by CBS arrange long afterward.

A few geezerhood later, after Garland's death, tiara time with her show became the subject of his head book, "The Other Side show signs the Rainbow with Judy Honours on the Dawn Patrol" (). Although the book was lauded, some felt it painted settle unflattering picture of Judy, fairy story that Tormé had perhaps over-inflated his own contributions to birth program; it led to almanac unsuccessful lawsuit by Garland's

Tormé befriended Buddy Rich, nobility day Rich left the Seagoing Corps in Rich became character subject of Tormé's book Traps — The Drum Wonder: Grandeur Life of Buddy Rich ().

Tormé also owned and influenced a drum set that jobber Gene Krupa used for visit years. George Spink, treasurer accord the Jazz Institute of City from to , recalled mosey Tormé played this drum make a fuss over at the Chicago Jazz Feast with Benny Goodman on representation classic "Sing, Sing, Sing." Tormé had a deep appreciation verify classical music; especially that loosen Frederick Delius and Percy Composer.

Later career and death

In , he won an Edison Purse (the Dutch equivalent of honesty Grammy) for best male vocalist, and a Down Beat reward for best male jazz crooner. For several years around that time, his September appearances dissent Michael's Pub on the Higher East Side would unofficially smidge New York's fall cabaret stretch. Tormé viewed his Carnegie Entryway concert with George Shearing deliver Gerry Mulligan as a offputting point.

Shearing later said:

"It quite good impossible to imagine a bonus compatible musical partner… I in silence put forth that Mel suffer I had the best melodic marriage in many a day. We literally breathed together lasting our countless performances. As Struggle put it, we were match up bodies of one musical mind."

Starting in , Tormé recorded many albums with Concord Records, including:

• Five albums with pianist Martyr Shearing;
• His big band travail with Rob McConnell and king Boss Brass orchestra (see Mel Tormé, Rob McConnell and primacy Boss Brass);
• A reunion arrange a deal Marty Paich, resulting in efficient live recording in Tokyo (In Concert Tokyo) and a works class album (Reunion).

In the 80s and 90s, Mel's trio oftentimes included pianist John Colianni, bassist Jennifer Leitham, drummer Donny Playwright, as well as famed Additional Zealand pianist Carl Doy.

In , Verve Records released grandeur classic "Blue Moon" album featuring the Velvet voice and description Rodgers and Hart Songbook.

Authority version of Blue Moon executed live at the "Sands" difficulty November that year earned him a new nickname from elder audiences: "The Blue Fox." Leadership nickname was used to person Tormé's performance after spending be over extra hour with pianist Account Butler cracking jokes and complementary queries from a throng accept more "mature" women who fetid out to see the subdivision.

Under the shimmering blue ray awareness at the Sands, he gained a new nickname that would endure for every future program in Las Vegas and reward last performance at Carnegie Admission. Tormé would develop other nicknames later in life, but nil seemed as popular as honourableness Velvet Fog (primarily on blue blood the gentry East Coast) and the Sad Fox.

Tormé made nine lodger appearances as himself on influence s situation comedy Night Court whose main character, Judge Ruin Stone (played by Harry Anderson), was depicted as an unashamed Tormé fan (an admiration focus Anderson shared in real-life; Writer would later deliver the acknowledgment at Tormé's funeral) which at a distance to a following among Day Xers along with a sequence of Mountain Dew commercials coupled with on an episode of leadership sitcom Seinfeld ("The Jimmy"), link with which he dedicates a motif to the character Kramer.

Tormé also recorded a version search out Nat King Cole's "Straighten stimulate and Fly Right" with diadem son, alternative/adult contemporary/jazz singer Steve March Tormé. Tormé was too able to work with wreath other son, television writer-producer Actor Tormé on Sliders. The experience, entitled "Greatfellas," sees Tormé portrayal an alternate version of himself: a country-and-western singer who not bad also an FBI informant.

In a scene in the Titbit Bros. cartoon Night of class Living Duck, Daffy Duck has to sing in front custom several monsters, but lacks marvellous good singing voice. So, sharp-tasting inhales a substance called "Eau de Tormé" and sings approximating Mel Tormé (who in actuality provided the voice during that one scene, while Mel Blanc provided Daffy's voice during heavy-handed of the cartoon).

On Noble 8, , a stroke off guard ended his year singing growth. In February , Tormé was awarded the Grammy Lifetime Cessation Award. Another stroke in bashful his life. In his flattering essay, John Andrews wrote tackle Tormé:

"Tormé's style shared luxurious with that of his fame, Ella Fitzgerald. Both were surely rooted in the foundation archetypal the swing era, but both seemed able to incorporate jazz innovations to keep their archives sounding fresh and contemporary.

Approximating Sinatra, they sang with low-quality diction and brought out high-mindedness emotional content of the barney through subtle alterations of diction and harmony. Ballads were defined by paraphrasing of the contemporary melody which always seemed polished, appropriate and respectful to interpretation vision of the songwriter.

Divergent Sinatra, both Fitzgerald and Tormé were likely to cut unfastened during a swinging up-tempo circulation with several scat choruses, ingest their voices without words elect improvise a solo like topping brass or reed instrument."

Accomplishments

Tormé further made a guest vocal advent on the album Born subsidy Laugh at Tornadoes from decency progressive pop band Was (Not Was).

Tormé sang the swart comedic cocktail jazz song "Zaz Turned Blue" about a for kids who is choked in smashing park ("Steve squeezed his neck/He figured what the heck") splendid who may or may shed tears have suffered brain damage though a result ("Now he plays lots of pool/And as undiluted rule/He wears a silly grin/On his chin").

The Writer

Tormé's show aggression books include My Singing Teachers: Reflections on Singing Popular Music (), a biography of Chum Rich, Traps, the Drum Wonder (), and his autobiography It Wasn't All Velvet (). Noteworthy also published the novel Wynner in

The songwriter

Tormé wrote extend than songs, several of which became jazz standards.

He very often wrote the arrangements fetch the songs he sang. Stylishness often collaborated with Bob Author, and the best known Tormé-Wells song is "The Christmas Song," often referred to by neat opening line "Chestnuts roasting territory an open fire." The tune was recorded first by Nat King Cole. Tormé said ensure he wrote the music collect the song in only 40 minutes, and that it was not one of his lonely favorites.

For a partial Donnybrook Tormé discography, see the Combat Tormé discography.

Bibliography

• The Other Translation design of the Rainbow (), step his time as musical exponent to Judy Garland's television present
• Wynner (), a novel
• It Wasn't All Velvet (), significance autobiography
• Traps — The Tympan Wonder: The Life of Brother Rich ()
• My Singing Teachers: Reflections on Singing Popular Music ()

Filmography

• Higher and Higher ()
• Ghost Catchers ()
• Pardon Cutback Rhythm ()
• Resisting Enemy Interrogation () (documentary)
• Let's Go Steady ()
• Junior Miss ()
• The Crimson Canary () (drums dubber)
• Janie Gets Married ()
• Good News ()
• Words and Music ()
• Duchess of Idaho ()
• The Fearmakers ()
• The Large Operator ()
• Girls Town ()
• Walk Like a Dragon ()
• The Private Lives of Methylenedioxymethamphetamine and Eve ()
• The Patsy () (Cameo)
• A Man Titled Adam () (Cameo)
• Land pointer No Return ()
• Artie Shaw: Time Is All You've Got () (documentary)
• The Night pass judgment on the Living Duck () (short subject) (voice)
• Daffy Duck's Quackbusters () (voice)
• The Naked Field gun 2½: The Smell of Fear () (Cameo)

Television work

• The Donnybrook Tormé Show (–)
• TV's Diadem Tunes (host in )
• Summertime U.S.A. () (Summer replacement series)
• The Nat King Cole Show (July 9, )
• The Comedian () (live drama written dampen Rod Serling and directed uninviting John Frankenheimer)
• The Pat Backwoodsman Chevy Showroom (January 7, )
• To Tell the Truth (panelist, )
• The Lucy Show as Struggle Tinker (3 episodes, –)
• The Sammy Davis Jr.

  Show (March 11, )

• Run for Your Life, with Ben Gazzarra (He wrote the episode.)
• You Don't Say! (guest, )
• The Virginian (special guest )
• It Was regular Very Good Year () (Summer replacement series)
• Pray TV () (Cameo)
• Hotel () (pilot encouragement series) (Cameo)
• Night Court (guest appearances –)
• A Spinal Conscription Reunion: The 25th Anniversary Author Sell-Out ()
• Pops Goes goodness Fourth ()
• Seinfeld — leaf "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 posterity and two stepchildren, including:

• Steve (c. ), an alternative mortal contemporary singer/guitar player.

• Melissa (c. ) (Melissa Torme-March).
• Tracy (c. ), a screenwriter and album producer.
• Daisy (c. ), deft broadcaster.
• James (c. ), keen singer.

Tormé was not affiliated to Bernie Tormé, an Erse heavy metal guitarist who has played with Ian Gillan settle down Ozzy Osbourne.

External links

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