It's A Blue World, Mel Torme, LP

One of the most beautiful albums ever from the great Mel Tormé - and a set that's a bit different than his other work for the Bethlehem label too! The set features Mel singing to lush backings from conductor Al Pellegrini and arrangers Marty Paich, Sandy Courage, Andre Previn and Russell Garcia - who bring in a mode that definitely lives up to the blue tones promised in the title - with enough melancholy moments in the mix to rival the sound of Frank Sinatra's classic Wee Small Hours album. The voice of the "Velvet Fog" is perfect in such a setting - and Torme's all serious, all classic, all the way through. Recorded and released around the time he turned 30, It's a Blue World (1955) marked a turning point in Mel Tormé's recording career. Titles include "How Long Has This Been Going On," "It's A Blue World," "Polka Dots & Moonbeams," "I Got It Bad & That Ain't Good," "All This & Heaven Too," "Wonderful One" and "Stay As Sweet As You Are."