album · February 22, 1957
Mel Tormé at the Crescendo
Bethlehem RecordsSee this day
jazzrhythm and blues
Recorded live at the Crescendo in Hollywood, this album captures Tormé in a more intimate jazz setting than many of his studio productions. The small group backing allows his vocal improvisations and scat singing to take center stage.
- The album was recorded on February 2, 1957, with Tormé backed by a quartet featuring pianist Lanny Martin, guitarist Al Viola, bassist Max Bennett, and drummer Al Porcino.
- It was released by Bethlehem Records, a label known for its jazz recordings, shortly after Tormé's contract with Capitol Records expired.
- The setlist includes jazz standards like "Blue Moon," "Just One of Those Things," and "Body and Soul," alongside Tormé's own compositions.
Mel Tormé was an American singer, composer, and arranger, known as "The Velvet Fog" for his smooth baritone and sophisticated jazz stylings. At the time of this 1957 release, he was a well-established Capitol Records artist whose previous albums had explored orchestral arrangements and popular standards.
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