[.ca] Sings Fred Astaire

Mel Torme was at an early peak when he recorded this superb session with Marty Paich's 10-piece band in 1956, bringing a personal flair to a program of great Gershwin, Kern, and Berlin songs associated with Fred Astaire. While Astaire brought primarily charm to his vocals on this material, Torme is a superb vocal technician, bounding through the uptempo numbers with an absolute mastery of diction, pitch, and phrasing. There's a mix of enthusiasm and sophisticated ease here that makes this one of Torme's finest recordings. He's aided by Paich's lively, brassy arrangements and an excellent studio band with trumpeter Pete Condoli and saxophonists Herb Geller and Jack Montrose. --Stuart Broomer

More 50's Mel - What's Not to Like?:
I'm a big Mel Torme fan and respect how he never strayed too far from his jazz roots over an entire career. And while I enjoyed him live and recorded in his "sunset" years, my favorite Mel period - by a long shot - is the 50's, especially his collaborations with Marty Paitch. Will Friedwald says that "Swings the Shubert Alley" is the pinnacle of Mel's career and I agree. So if you're a 50's Mel fan, here's more to love. On this disc Mel works his way through the songbook that made Fred Astaire famous and does it with style, technique and inventiveness. And of course....it swings! Highly recommended.

Just about perfect:
Anybody looking for a Mel Torme CD or any Jazz Vocal CDs from the 50's absolutely positively 100% must have this CD and its predecessor, "Lulu's Back in Town". These have some of the finest singing and arranging ever to be found on any Jazz CD, period. I'd pick either of these over "Swings Shubert Alley" in a heartbeat. If I had to pick one Mel Torme CD to take on the desert island, this would be the one.

Excellent Album:
This is Torme at his best. Paiche and Torme is another one of those musical collaborations that was perfect.(like Sinatra and Riddle) Marty Paich is a genius arranger. The musicianship on this album is hard to beat. This album swings hard, the band really cooks . Check out "The way you look tonight", turn it up a little and dig the solos - it will have you jumping! The bass line will bring a tear to your eye! . "Cheek to cheek" is another hard swinging number. Paiche subtely quotes "jeepers creepers" in the middle of the unusual arrangement..it's great stuff. Torme effortlessly delivers amazing vocals throughout. This album is a must for anyone into jazz, vocals, arranging.. Buy it!

• Nice Work If You Can Get It
• Something's Gotta Give
• Foggy Day
• Fine Romance
• Let's Call the Whole Thing Off
• Top Hat, White Tie and Tails
• Way You Look Tonight
• Piccolino
• They Can't Take That Away from Me
• Cheek to Cheek
• Let's Face the Music and Dance
• They All Laughed