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Mel Torme - Christmas Songs (1992)

Mel Torme is so famous for writing "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)," it's surprising that he never recorded a full Christmas album before 1992's Christmas Songs. Besides that standard, Torme's own compositions here include the heartfelt "The Christmas Feeling" and "Christmas Was Made for Children." He also sings Johnny Mercer's Christmas lyrics for "Glow Worm" as well as more traditional fare. Backed by both orchestra and big band, Torme is alternately swinging and sentimental on this instant classic, a mixture of traditional and jazzed up holiday music. -- David Horiuchi, Amazon

Tracks:

01 - Christmas Medley: Jingle Bells - Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - Winter Weather - Winter Wonderland

02 - Sleigh Ride

03 - The Christmas Song

04 - Glow Worm

05 - The Christmas Feeling

06 - It Happened In Sun Valley

07 - Christmastime Is Here

08 - Good King Wenceslas

09 - What Child Is This?

10 - Silver Bells

11 - Christmas Was Made For Children

12 - The Christmas Waltz

13 - Christmas Medley: Just Look Around - Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

14 - God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

15 - Christmas Medley: Happy Holiday - Let's Start The New Year - What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?

16 - White Christmas

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Because Mel Torme co-wrote "The Christmas Song," it was a surprise to many of his fans that when he recorded this full-length Christmas album for Telarc in 1992, it was his first. Since he is backed by a large orchestra (conducted by Keith Lockhart) in addition to his regular trio and the emphasis is on ballad renditions, Torme does not get many opportunities to scat and swing on this pleasing but unadventurous set. However his interpretations of 18 Christmas-associated songs (along with three instrumentals for the orchestra) are tasteful and melodic. Not essential but worthwhile. :~ Scott Yanow

First, I need to say that this is an excellent, if very slightly uneven, Christmas CD. The few issues that I have with it probably won't bother most listeners. Being the nostalgic sort that I am, I would have preferred a recording from early in Mel's career instead of one recorded when he was almost 70. This can't be helped, of course, because he simply didn't make any holiday records until this one. And, with a voice still as silky smooth as this, it hardly matters.

I've never been much of a fan of medleys, and the one that occupies the first track on this CD is no exception. It starts promisingly enough with "Jingle Bells", but it begins to derail after that. It's just too over the top for my taste. I suppose if every song on the CD had the same "feel", some would complain about a certain "sameness" throughout the disc. But when I go to choose from my nearly 200 Christmas CDs, I like to pick one that fits a particular mood. Most of this CD is perfect for a relaxing evening with the lights turned down low, but the first medley left me wanting to shout "Dude, take a valium! Just sing the song, please."

Thankfully, Mel settles in rather nicely after that. Even his scat singing on "Sleigh Ride" is tempered and relaxed. His version of "Good King Wenceslas" is a little bit cheesy for my taste, but I suppose that's just Mel. The rest of the CD is quite lovely and makes you feel as though Mel and his backing band are crooning just for you in your dimly-lit, holiday-decorated living room.

The last medley (the second-to-last track) features about 30 seconds each of "Happy Holidays" and "Let's Start the New Year left", reserving the rest for a more-or-less complete rendition of "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?" The latter is my favorite of the three (and one of my favorites, period), so I'm glad it didn't receive short shrift like the others. But again, why bother with medleys in the first place? Why not save the other songs for complete renditions on future recordings?

But, enough with the nitpicking. Overall, this is an outstanding CD, and if I program out the 1st and 8th tracks, I still get 52 minutes of wonderful holiday music, and that's more than you get from most. Sadly, Mel is no longer with us, but this listener is thankful that he finally got around to recording that elusive Christmas album. It's a treasure. :~ Amazon Customer Comment

Rating:
2.5 out of 5 by Book123