Mel Tormé - Again: A Jazz Hour with Mel Tormé

It's unclear what the title Again refers to on this Jazz Hour compilation, though it could be the label's acknowledgment that this is hardly the debut of this material (a landmark 50th re-release is much more likely). That said, it's a tremendously enjoyable collection of performances from that period in the mid-to-late '40s when Mel Tormé -- for the only time in his career -- actually deserved the nickname of the "Velvet Fog." His brooding, melancholy performances of "A Stranger in Town" (with The Mel-tones ably assisting), "Born to Be Blue," and "A Cottage for Sale" are masterpieces that prove the validity of male torch songs. Read More