james’ current SHOWS
BORN TO BE BLUE
The internationally sold-out new small-group show BORN TO BE BLUE a brilliant reinvention of the late fifties/early sixties late night vocal jazz scene, with the second-generation vocal star paying tribute to a hand-picked list of smoky-toned jazz artists and songs that have inspired him the most.
Unleashing his own voice’s creamy, floaty texture Tormé reimagines Ella Fitzgerald’s “Whisper Not”, Ray Charles and Quincy Jones’ “In the Heat of the Night”, “Honeysuckle Rose” à la Anita O’Day, Miles Davis’ ‘Four’, a Shorty Rogers/Tormé style “Moanin”, Nat ‘King’ Cole and George Shearing’s “Lull in my Life” and a Lou Rawls/June Christy-mashup of “Willow Weep for Me” before taking Chet Baker’s “Let’s Get Lost”, and his own father Mel and Bob Wells’ haunting title song.
The show brings the whole fifties/early sixties late-night vocal jazz phenomenon hurtling into the 21st Century.
DIG THE DUKE, DIG THE COUNT
First half Ellington. Second half Basie. James Tormé’s I DIG THE DUKE, I DIG THE COUNT is a stunning rebirth of his father Mel Tormé’s legendary 1961 Verve record of the same name, arranged by the great Johnny Mandel. The full evening program, which presents the twelve songs in the order of the original album, plus a few unforgettable instrumentals, provides a perfect canvas for the multi award-winning singer to inject his own energy and influences into the music, creating brand-new colors, textures, and moods.
HOLIDAY POPS
A vocalist who is an evolution of Hollywood’s greatest era, James Tormé is also known for his epic holiday concerts. Both his holiday Pops symphony concerts and small-group holiday concerts have been put on with top level orchestras and venues worldwide. Filled with swinging, sophisticated versions of America’s favorite holiday songs (arranged by legends – his own father Mel, John Williams etc.), James performs these shows to packed-out concert halls yearly.
As a fitting climax to the evening, James often tells the story of, then sings his father Mel and Bob Wells’ blockbuster hit, “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire)”. The audience is swept up in a wave of nostalgic emotions.
BIRTH OF THE WEST COAST
Multi-award winning vocalist James Tormé Birth Of The West Coast is a unique salute to the arrangers and artists who pioneered West Coast, or Cool Jazz - a movement that changed everything in popular music. Using his creamy, floaty voice to reinvent original arrangements, Tormé traces the inception and subsequent flowering of a new, laid-back yet sophisticated sound that emerged just as the jazz genre was fighting for its very existence. One the planet’s most natural melodic and rhythmic improvisers, Tormé uncovers new magic while he celebrates the very best of the West Coast Jazz era.
THE SOUND OF MARTY PAICH
Multi-award winning vocalist James Tormé’s stunning celebration of jazz icon Marty Paich, one of the greatest pianist/composer/arrangers who ever lived.
From the seven now-legendary mid-century albums he
arranged for singers Mel Tormé and Ella Fitzgerald, to those he
made with Frank Sinatra, Sarah Vaughan, Ray Charles, Anita
O’Day, Sammy Davis Jr. and Aretha Franklin, to his piano
playing on the famous trio, quartet, small horn outfit and jazz
orchestra albums with Stan Getz, Art Pepper, Stan Kenton,
Shorty Rogers and many others, Marty Paich proved time after time that he could access staggering levels of creativity. This ability, complimented by a sophisticated, natural sense of musical restraint, helped earn him the nickname ‘The Picasso Of Jazz’.