Mel Tormé and the Meltones LP Back in Town Verve Near Mint

 Mel Tormé had artistic -- if not commercial -- success with his vocal group n the mid-'40s. After its breakup in 1946, when Tormé was persuaded to go solo, twere occasionally regrouped by Tormé for special projects. These 1959 dates, which have been reissued in full on a Verve CD, were the group's final recordings, and they make for an interesting comparison with their earlier sessions. In addition to remakes of their two hits, "What Is This Thing Called Love" and "It Happened in Monterey," the arrangements (mostly by Marty Paich) have many quotes from jazz songs and are heavily influenced by Basie's Orchestra of the 1950s. The Mel-Tones, which at the time also included Sue Allen, Ginny O'Connor, Bernie Park and Tom Kenny, swing throughout and sing attractive harmonies without really improvising. However, the concise solos of Art Pepper on both alto and tenor and trumpeter Jack Sheldon work well with the singers, making this a recommended set to fans of jazz vocal groups, of which the relatively short-lived Mel-Tones are ranked  at the top.

French pressing on Verve!

Near Mint condition.