This great double-CD centenary tribute celebrates jazz singer, songwriter, pianist, drummer, actor, arranger, author and producer Mel Tormé (1925-1999). Among the most popular and influential jazz singers of the postwar era, he was simply one of the best popular vocalists of all time. Known as “The Velvet Fog”, he had a smooth, mellow voice, husky yet gentle, over which he always exercised consummate control. His choice of repertoire was an object lesson in musical quality.

“Mountain Greenery” is Retrospective’s tribute, 51 tracks that sum up the impact Mel Tormé had on the music scene. It includes his greatest commercial successes Careless Hands (a No.1 hit), Again, The Four Winds and the Seven Seas, and the duet with Peggy Lee, The Old Master Painter. The earliest track is his own teenage composition A Stranger in Town from 1944 which, like several other early hits, also featured his Mel-Tones (including the memorable What is This Thing Called Love? with Artie Shaw).

Contents:

CD 1 (1944-1956)
1. Mountain Greenery
2. A Stranger in Town
3. I Got the Sun in the Morning
4. Born to be Blue
5. What is This Thing Called Love?
6. It’s Dreamtime
7. You’re Driving Me Crazy
8. The Best Things in Life are Free
9. Ballerina
10. Gone with the Wind
11. Little White Lies
12. Night and Day
13. Careless Hands
14. Blue Moon
15. Again
16. The Four Winds and the Seven Seas
17. The Old Master Painter
18. Skylark
19. Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered
20. It Don’t Mean a Thing
21. I Got it Bad
22. Isn’t it Romantic?
23. Polka Dots and Moonbeams
24. Stay as Sweet as You Are
25. Lulu’s Back in Town
26. The Lady is a Tramp

CD 2 (1956-1962)
1. Lullaby of Birdland
2. The Carioca
3. The Blues
4. Something’s Gotta Give
5. A Foggy Day
6. A Fine Romance
7. They Can’t Take That Away from Me
8. Cheek to Cheek
9. I’ve Got the World on a String
10. The House is Haunted
11. Where Can I Go Without You?
12. ’Round Midnight
13. South of the Border
14. Adios
15. I Hadn’t Anyone Till You
16. Too Close for Comfort
17. Once in Love with Amy
18. Old Devil Moon
19. Moonlight in Vermont
20. Don’t Get Around Much Anymore
21. Take the “A” Train
22. Blue and Sentimental
23. I Guess I’ll Have to Change My Plan
24. Comin’ Home, Baby
25. The Christmas Song