Rain ... rain ... rain ... ! Our Christmas gift from Mother Nature has arrived at the base of Southern California foothills where I live. Snow is falling in the surrounding mountains. This moisture won't end our drought conditions but will certainly be a welcome step in that direction.
One hot summer day in SoCal, many years ago, singer Mel Torme' visited his co-song-writer, Bob Wells as Torme' has described numerous times. Observing a piece of paper with words written on it lying on the piano, Torme' inquired, "What is this?"
"Chestnuts roasting on an open fire,
Jack Frost nipping at your nose"
Wells explained the weather was just so miserably hot, he had tried everything, finally jumped in his pool but nothing he did soothed him, so he wrote those words to see if they might help cool him down. Torme' commented he thought the words looked like a song. Collaborating once again, "The Christmas Song" was written in the next forty minutes to become one of the most performed Christmas songs ever.
"The Christmas Song" (Live/1990)
Mel Torme' with John Campbell
Album -- "The Christmas Song/Autumn Leaves"
Mel Torme' whose singing voice had perfect pitch was referred to as "The Velvet Fog", a description he did not like but some thought non-offensive and most apropos. Torme' maintained vocal quality as he aged which not all singers do -- such control, sophistication and class.
Memories can be pleasant on a Christmas day celebrated virtually with distant family members. I have fond recollections of attending with my husband, a Mel Torme' performance in a local midwestern city dinner club where we lived years ago -- a most entertaining evening.
I am also reminded of hearing George Shearing, a consummate pianist, incidentally blind, perform in a San Francisco hotel's club room years after his guest appearance on that live TV show with which I had been associated and where I met my husband. Listening to this music conjures memories of my much preferred small intimate club or concert hall atmosphere where people relaxingly sit, focused on the music, musicians, rather than large concert venues with loud sensory bomb-barding sound and video extravaganza distractions prevalent in recent years.
Torme' joins George Shearing in the following concert video in Germany.
Torme's song early in the show suggests to me we're again living in times when we may need to "pick ourselves up" and get on with life. Then Neil Swanson's fast-fingered bass solo was reminiscent of my husband who also played the acoustic upright bass with his various groups and occasionally backed some musical stars.
About 28 minutes into this smooth easy-going video Torme' sings a very emotionally moving rendition of "Stardust" with poetic lyrics eliciting many more memories as he showcases his vocal talents. Some upbeat tunes are featured with an early-on bit of scat singing -- vocal interpretation of a musical instrument -- reveals that Torme' is a master in those songs he vocalizes here.
Mel Torme' George Shearing Jazz Festival Berlin 1989 Full Concert
Mel Torme' Vocals, George Shearing Piano,
Neil Swanson Bass, Donnie Osborn Drums.
Torme' and Shearing pay tribute to somewhat younger Caterina Valente (age 90 now) a world famous multi-talented, mult-lingual (fluent in 7 languages) entertainer traveling from her home in Switzerland to attend their concert.
An even more youthful Caterina Valente's sensuous dance and vocal interpretation of "Malaguena" begins this next video, that integrates memorable movie clips of other popular stars of the era performing to her song.
