Results for "Mel Torme"

Mel Torme

Mel Torme was among the most enduring singers from the big-band era, maligned by some as the epitome of lounge singer, acclaimed by many more as one of a talented and serious vocalist. Legend has it that Torme began singing for his supper a Chicago restaurant when he was four and was working the vaudeville circuit soon after. He worked as a child actor on radio, and began writing songs in his early teens. In the early 1940s, he quit high school to became a boy singer (and drummer and part-time arranger) with Chico Marx's band. His first fame coincided with Frank Sinatra's, and the two appeared together in their first film, "Higher and Higher." He wanted to be a jazz singer, "but I got sidetracked," he said

Christmas Slanket

By PATRICK BURNETTE

We've been looking at various critic's and website's “best jazz of the 2010's" lists, but now the listeners get to weigh in. Their Mike loves him some holiday jazz specials, so in honor of Christ coming to earth, realizing it was a lost cause, and leaving before he even hit forty, we're looking at five Christmas-themed ...

Scott Whitfield & Friends: A Bi-Coastal Christmas

By JACK BOWERS

If trombonist Scott Whitfield's A Bi-Coastal Christmas cannot quicken your inner holiday spirit, that will not be for lack of trying. Whitfield uses every ribbon in the packet and every tool in the shed to help make the season bright, from big band to quintet, from duo to solo (Whitfield's trombone all by itself). Two of ...

Mars Williams: An Ayler Xmas Vol. 4: Chicago vs. NYC

By MARK CORROTO

For more than a decade, Mars Williams has been making (to borrow a phrase) Christmas music great again. He does so by exchanging the saccharine for the sublime, intersecting holiday classics with the music of Albert Ayler. Born out of his Chicago Ayler repertory band which can be heard on Witches And Devils At The Empty ...

Mike Renzi with Jim Porcella: Christmas Is: December Duets

By DAN BILAWSKY

Now here's some music to cozy up to. You can almost feel the warmth of a fire place, smell some spruce and pine, see the falling snowflakes and taste the heaven of hot chocolate in these sounds. Master pianist Mike Renzi, a septuagenarian mainstay of the vocal community whose work has supported everyone from Mel Torme ...

Drinking Again and Them There Eyes - Happy Birthday Doris Tauber

By MARY FOSTER CONKLIN

This week we feature new releases from Fahir Atakoglu with Luciana Souza and other guest vocalists who contribute lyrics to his latest project of love songs, Carol Albert, Ran Blake with vocalist Christine Correa, plus birthday shoutouts to Doris Tauber (composer of “Them There Eyes" and “Drinking Again"), vocalists Maria Muldaur, Tom Wopat, Nancy Harms, Mel ...

Take Five with Josie Falbo

By AAJ STAFF

Meet Josie Falbo: Josie is and has been one of jny: Chicago's busiest and most frequently heard studio singers for over 30 years. Heard on over 1,000 commercials in various languages through the decades, many you know like McDonald's, United, Nationwide, Midway Airlines, Great America, Green Giant, Oscar Meyer, Budweiser, Old Style, Sara Lee, ...

Take Five with Alex Bird

By ALEX BIRD

Meet Alex Bird Alex Bird is a singer/songwriter and actor in jny: Toronto, ON. With a swinging style and an indescribable charm, Alex and his “Jazz Mavericks" are currently working on an entirely new chapter in the Great American Songbook, with their soon to be released, all original debut album, “Whisky Kisses" (Summer 2020). “The Way ...