Mel Tormé - The Best Of The Concord Years (1999)

Allmusic.com:

“

For nearly 20 years, critics have been praising Mel Tormé's recordings for Concord, the label he spent the last 13 years of his career recording for, in a variety of settings. Fans of his '50s and '60s heyday, however, have often had difficulty approaching the work of Tormé's last 13 years. The Best of the Concord Years presents two hours of his best on the label, including a mix of live and studio sessions recorded with groups both small and large, originally issued on solo albums as well as his excellent collaborations with George Shearing, Rob McConnell, Marty Paich, and the Frank Wess/Harry Edison Orchestra. No, Tormé wasn't at his performing peak on "Hi-Fly," recorded in 1983, but his emphatic delivery and scatting finale will surprise listeners unaware that he was nearing the age of 60. The selections are roughly chronological and include many gems from Tormé's later career: "Lullaby of Birdland" with George Shearing taking one careful run-through before Tormé himself storms through the song; his perennial "Too Close for Comfort," delivered with just as much emotion and exuberance as it had been 40 years earlier; and a languid, touching "These Foolish Things" recorded at the Fujitsu-Concord Jazz Festival in 1992. Yes, the polish was wearing off what had once been the most able voice to ever grace an American popular song, but these songs reveal a depth of experience and consistency unmatched during the 1950s.

”

Tracklist:

01 Hi-Fly
02 Born To Be Blue
03 Lullaby Of Birdland
04 Stardust
05 Love Is Just Around The Corner
06 This Time The Dream's On Me
07 Just Friends
08 Don'cha Go 'way Mad
09 Spoken Intro
10 New York, New York Medley
11 Sweet Georgia Brown
12 The Carioca
13 Too Close For Comfort
14 (This Is) A Lovely Way To Spend An Evening
15 Day In Day Out
16 You're Driving Me Crazy
17 Ellington Medly
18 The Christmas Song
19 Sent For You Yesterday And Here You Come Today
20 I'm Nothing Without You (You're Nothing Without Me)
21 After You've Gone
22 These Foolish Things
23 Three Little Words
24 Pennies From Heaven
25 I Get A Kick Out Of You
26 Liza (All The Clouds'll Roll Away)
27 Spoken Intro for Stairway
28 Stairway To The Stars