Reunion

AMG Review of Reunion

Scott Yanow
All Music Guide

In the 1950s, Mel Tormé recorded several memorable LPs on which he was joined by arranger Marty Paich and his Dek-tette (an all-star ten-piece band). For this long-overdue reunion, Paich utilized an 11-piece outfit (not counting two percussionists), adding a second trombone and a baritone to the original instrumentation while dropping the French horn. The results are quite enjoyable, with Tormé, remarkably still improving with age, in peak form on such songs as "Sweet Georgia Brown," "More than You Know," and several medleys, including one of bossa nova tunes and a combination of "For Whom the Bell Tolls" and Chick Corea's "Spain." The singer even attempts a couple of Steely Dan tunes with less success, since they are not that flexible; and Tormé seems to be in good spirits throughout this enjoyable set.