Multi-award winning vocalist James Tormé celebrates the genius of jazz icon Marty Paich, one of the greatest pianist/composer/arrangers who ever lived.

From the seven or so 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’.

A fully-fledged creative pioneer, Paich was the cream of the crop. He would go on to enjoy a storied career that took him to the very top of the entertainment world. The son of Marty’s favorite recording partner-in-crime (and a world- renowned jazz star in his own right), James Tormé salutes the 10-horn ‘Dek-tette’ wizardry of Paich, both vocal and instrumental, while telling the story of his stellar career.

Between 1955-65 the jazz world was fighting for its very existence in the face of a severe Rock ’n Roll tidal wave. Along with a few of his pacific coast jazz contemporaries (Shorty Rogers, Pete Rugolo, Billy May, Stan Kenton, Bill Holman, Russ Garcia and a few others) Marty worked hard to give jazz artists something of the ‘gloves off’ variety to fight back with. The resulting music, both vocal and instrumental was some of the hippest, most unforgettable jazz ever written. It quite simply has to be heard live for its magic to be fully appreciated.

Selected Repertoire from The Sound Of Marty Paich:

MARTY WITH RAY CHARLES

“Drown in my Own Tears” (Hallelujah, I Love Her So!, 1957)

“Margie” (Dedicated To You, 1961)

MARTY WITH MEL TORMÉ

“It’s a Blue World” (It’s A Blue World LP, 1955)

“Fascinatin’ Rhythm” (Mel Tormé And The Marty Paich Dek-Tette, 1956)

“Lulu’s Back in Town” (Mel Tormé And The Marty Paich Dek-Tette, 1956)

“Lullaby of Birdland” (Mel Tormé And The Marty Paich Dek-Tette, 1956

“Sing for your Supper” (Mel Tormé And The Marty Paich Dek-Tette, 1956)

“The Carioca” (Mel Tormé And The Marty Paich Dek-Tette, 1956)

“The Lady is a Tramp” (Mel Tormé And The Marty Paich Dek-Tette, 1956)

“The Way You Look Tonight” (Mel Tormé Sings Fred Astaire, 1956)

“Cheek to Cheek” (Mel Tormé Sings Fred Astaire, 1956)

“Too Close for Comfort” (Tormé Swings Shubert Alley, 1960)

“Too Darn Hot” (Tormé Swings Shubert Alley, 1960)

“Once in Love with Amy” (Tormé Swings Shubert Alley, 1960)

“On the Street where You Live” (Tormé Swings Shubert Alley, 1960)

“Walk Between the Raindrops” (Reunion, 1988)

MARTY WITH ELLA FITZGERALD

“Black Magic” (Dean Martin Show, 1967)

“Whisper Not” (Ella Swings Lightly, 1958)

MARTY WITH ANITA O’DAY

“Four Brothers” (Anita Sings The Winners, 1958)

“Four” (Anita Sings The Winners, 1958)

MARTY INSTRUMENTALS

“Lazy Afternoon” (The Broadway Bit, 1959)

“Moanin’” (Marty Paich Big Band, 1959)

“Move” (Art Pepper + Eleven, 1960)

“Bernie’s Tune” (Art Pepper + Eleven, 1960)