Mel Tormé (1925–1999)

The words of Mel Tormé and Robert Wells' holiday classic, The Christmas Song, also commonly known as Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire, are paired in this sweet picture book with the artwork of Canadian illustrator Doris Barrette. As the lyrics speak of people bundled up for the winter cold, of children keeping an eye out for Santa and his sleigh, the illustrations colorfully depict all of the traditional wintertime Christmas activities mentioned in the text...

Although I have fond memories of listening to this classic song as a child—my parents had the Nat King Cole version—I don't know that I would ever have picked up this picture book presentation, were it not on a list of Christmas carol picture books that I started a while back. Of course, it's not so much a Christmas carol as a Christmas song, but still, I was curious to see what Barrette would do with the task. I'm so glad I gave it a chance, as I found The Christmas Song: Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire delightful! The artwork is somewhat flat, but in a very appealing, stylized way. I'm not sure I can correctly describe the medium, and the colophon here doesn't give any helpful information, but I thought these visuals were simply lovely. I recommend this one to fans of the song, and to picture book readers looking for fun Christmas fare. It pairs very nicely with a recording of the song being sung.… (altro)

1 Sunday In New York 2:31
2 Autumn In New York 3:24
3 Lullaby Of Birdland 2:30
4 Broadway 2:14
5 The Brooklyn Bridge 2:41
6 Let Me Off Uptown 2:35
7 42nd Street 2:22
8 Sidewalks Of New York 2:17
9 Harlem Nocturne 3:52
10 New York, New York 2:19
11 There's A Broken Heart For Every Light On Broadway 2:21
12 Manhattan 3:11
13 My Time Of Day 1:20

Arranged By – John Williams (4) (tracks: 1, 4, 6, 8), Dick Hazard* (tracks: 2, 7, 9, 12, 13), Shorty Rogers (tracks: 3, 5, 10, 11)… (altro)

1 The Marty Paich Dek-tette– Hello Young Lovers
Alto Saxophone – Art Pepper
Baritone Saxophone – Bill Hood
Bass – Joe Mondragon
Drums – Mel Lewis
French Horn – Vince De Rosa*
Piano, Arranged By – Paich*
Tenor Saxophone – Bill Perkins
Trombone – Frank Rosolino
Trumpet – Al Porcino, Stu Williamson
Tuba – Red Callender
Written-By – Richard Rodgers - Oscar Hammerstein II*
3:07
2 Russell Garcia's Orchestra*– How High The Moon?
Arranged By, Conductor – Garcia*
Written-By – Morgan Lewis, Nancy Hamilton
3:10
3 Marty Paich's Orchestra*– How Did She Look?
Piano, Arranged By – Paich*
Trombone – Frank Rosolino
Written-By – Abner Silver, Gladys Shelley
3:21
4 Marty Paich's Orchestra*, The Mel-Tones– Li'l Darlin (aka "Don't Dream Of Anybody But Me")
Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Art Pepper
Bass – Joe Mondragon
Drums – Mel Lewis
Guitar – Bill Pittman*, Bobby Gibbons, Tommy Tedesco, Tony Rizzi, Unknown Artist
Piano, Organ, Celesta, Arranged By – Paich*
Trumpet – Jack Sheldon
Vocals – Bernie Parke, Cernie O'Connor*, Sue Allen, Tom Kenny (2)
Written-By – Bart Howard, Neal Hefti
2:43
5 Walter Scott's Orchestra– Alone Together
Written-By – Arthur Schwartz - Howard Dietz*
3:10
6 The Marty Paich Dek-tette– A Sleepin' Bee
Alto Saxophone – Art Pepper
Baritone Saxophone – Bill Hood
Bass – Joe Mondragon
Drums – Mel Lewis
French Horn – Vince De Rosa*
Piano, Arranged By – Paich*
Tenor Saxophone – Bill Perkins
Trombone – Frank Rosolino
Trumpet – Al Porcino, Stu Williamson
Tuba – Red Callender
Written-By – Harold Arlen, Truman Capote
3:32
7 Johnny Mandel's Orchestra*– Blue And Sentimental
Alto Saxophone – Joe Maini
Arranged By, Conductor – Mandel*
Baritone Saxophone – Bill Perkins
Bass – Joe Mondragon
Drums – Mel Lewis
Guitar – Al Hendrickson
Piano – Jimmy Rowles
Tenor Saxophone – Teddy Edwards
Trombone – Frank Rosolino, Stu Williamson
Trumpet – Jack Sheldon
Written-By – William "Count" Basie*, Jerry Livingston, Mack David
3:54
8 Russell Garcia's Orchestra*– I Wished On The Moon
Arranged By, Conductor – Russell Garcia
Written-By – Dorothy Parker, Ralph Rainger
3:54
9 Johnny Mandel's Orchestra*– Just In Time
Alto Saxophone – Art Pepper
Arranged By, Conductor – Johnny Mandel
Baritone Saxophone – Bill Perkins
Bass – Joe Mondragon
Drums – Mel Lewis
Guitar – Al Hendrickson
Piano – Jimmy Rowles
Tenor Saxophone – Teddy Edwards
Trombone – Frank Rosolino, Stu Williamson
Trumpet – Jack Sheldon
Written-By – Betty Comdon - Adolph Green*, Jule Styne
3:25
10 Marty Paich's Orchestra*– Body And Soul
Written-By – Edward Heyman, Frank Eyton, John W. Green*, Robert Sour
3:35
11 Marty Paich's Orchestra*, The Mel-Tones– I Hadn't Anyone Till You
Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Art Pepper
Bass – Joe Mondragon
Drums – Mel Lewis
Guitar – Bill Pittman*, Bobby Gibbons, Tommy Tedesco, Tony Rizzi, Unknown Artist
Piano, Organ, Celesta, Arranged By – Marty Paich
Trombone – Frank Rosolino
Trumpet – Jack Sheldon
Vocals – Bernie Parke, Cernie O'Connor*, Sue Allen, Tom Kenny (2)
Written-By – Ray Noble
3:36
12 Russell Garcia's Orchestra*– Moonlight In Vermont
Arranged By, Conductor – Russell Garcia
Written-By – John Blackburn, Karl Suessdorf
3:02
13 The Marty Paich Dek-Tette– Lonely Town
Alto Saxophone – Art Pepper
Baritone Saxophone – Bill Hood
Bass – Joe Mondragon
Drums – Mel Lewis
French Horn – Vince De Rosa*
Piano, Arranged By – Paich*
Tenor Saxophone – Bill Perkins
Trombone – Frank Rosolino
Trumpet – Al Porcino, Stu Williamson
Tuba – Red Callender
Written-By – Betty Comden And Adolph Green, Leonard Bernstein
3:41
14 Marty Paich's Orchestra*– 'Round Midnight
Piano, Arranged By – Paich*
Trombone – Frank Rosolino
Written-By – Bernie Hanighen, Charles Melvin "Cootie" Williams*, Thelonious Sphere Monk*
3:13
15 Russell Garcia's Orchestra*– Blue Moon
Arranged By, Conductor – Garcia*
Written-By – Richard Rodgers - Lorenz Hart*
3:41
16 Tony Osborne's Orchestra*– Born To Be Blue
Written-By – Melvin Howard Torme*, Robert Wells (2)
2:51… (altro)