MEL TORME: THE BETHLEHEM YEARS: 8/4/2005 |
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LOS ANGELES -- There’s a reason why The Velvet Fog, a.k.a. Mel Tormé, summons images of men in smoking jackets and ladies in plush robes made of the same sumptuous fabric that his moniker suggests. With a voice that envelopes like a soft, warm blanket, Mel Tormé is once again the toast of the martini set with this first compilation of recordings for the Bethlehem record label, The Bethlehem Years, being released to stores on September 20th via Shout! Factory. Already a bona fide pop star, it was Bethlehem’s vision of Tormé as a cool cat in a jazz joint that had him recording swinging songs for the first time in his career.
The Bethlehem Years includes songs from Tormé’s first all-ballad album, 1995’s It’s A Blue World, an ambitious record made with a 15-piece orchestra to back his debonair crooning. He bopped along with West Coast jazz on Lulu’s Back In Town (1956) and took a turn on the dance floor later that same year with Mel Tormé Sings Fred Astaire. In 1957, he released Songs For Any Taste, an assortment of standards and live recordings. His last album for the label, California Suite plays like a vibrant love letter to the state, and is an extended version of a piece he originally recorded while signed to Capitol Records. The collection also includes selections from his live album, At The Crescendo and the cast recording he made of Porgy And Bess. Also of note, it was during these years with Bethlehem Records that Tormé began his life-long collaboration with accompanist Marty Paich, who is featured on many of the recordings in this collection.
About Shout! Factory:
Shout! Factory is a broad-based audio and home video entertainment company whose cofounders — Richard Foos, Bob Emmer and Garson Foos — share a passion for pop culture of the 20th century and beyond. Video and DVD projects include television programming spanning 75 years, live music concerts, animation and sports collections and special interest documentaries. Audio products from Shout! Factory consist of GRAMMY®-nominated box sets, anthologies and “best of” collections, as well as new music, soundtrack releases, deluxe album reissues and quirky compilations. Shout! Factory’s catalog features vintage and legendary performances from some of the greatest — and most eccentric — artists of our time. Shout! Factory products are distributed by Sony BMG Music Entertainment Inc. www.shoutfactory.com
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MEL TORMÉ: THE BETHLEHEM YEARS
Catalog Number: DK 37985
Price: $13.98 SRP
Release Date: September 20, 2005
TRACK LISTING
1. I GOT IT BAD, AND THAT AIN’T GOOD
(Webster/Ellington)
From the album It’s A Blue World
Originally released in 1956 as BCP 34
2. HOW LONG HAS THIS BEEN GOING ON?
(Gershwin/Gershwin)
From the album It’s A Blue World
Originally released in 1956 as BCP 34
3. LULU’S BACK IN TOWN
(Warren/Dublin)
From the album Lulu’s Back In Town
Originally released in 1957 as BCP 52
4. THE LADY IS A TRAMP
(Hart/Rodgers)
From the album Lulu’s Back In Town
Originally released in 1957 as BCP 52
5. LULLABY OF BIRDLAND
(Shearing)
From the album Lulu’s Back In Town
Originally released in 1957 as BCP 52
6. FASCINATING RHYTHM
(Gershwin/Gershwin)
From the album Lulu’s Back In Town
Originally released in 1957 as BCP 52
7. I GOT PLENTY O’ NUTTIN’
(Gershwin/Heyward/Gershwin)
From the album The Complete Porgy And Bess
Originally released in 1956 as BCP 5014
8. THE WAY YOU LOOK TONIGHT
(Fields/Kern)
From the album Mel Tormé Sings Fred Astaire
Originally released in 1956 as BCP 6013
9. NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT
(Gershwin/Gershwin)
From the album Mel Tormé Sings Fred Astaire
Originally released in 1956 as BCP 6013
10. SOMETHING’S GOTTA GIVE
(Mercer)
From the album Mel Tormé Sings Fred Astaire
Originally released in 1956 as BCP 6013
11. CAN’T TAKE THAT AWAY FROM ME
(Gershwin/Gershwin)
From the album Mel Tormé Sings Fred Astaire
Originally released in 1956 as BCP 6013
12. JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS
(Porter)
From the album Mel Tormé At The Crescendo
Originally released in 1957 as BCP 6020
13. I’M BEGINNING TO SEE THE LIGHT
(Ellington/James/George/Hodges)
From the album Mel Tormé At The Crescendo
Originally released in 1957 as BCP 6020
14. IT’S DELOVELY
(Porter)
From the album Songs For Any Taste
Originally released in 1958 as BCP 6031
15. IT’S ALL RIGHT WITH ME
(Porter)
From the album Songs For Any Taste
Originally released in 1958 as BCP 6031
16. POOR LITTLE EXTRA GIRL
(Tormé)
From the album California Suite
Originally released in 1957 as BCP 6016 |
