"Remembering Mel" A Musical Tribute to Mel Torme

By Jan Wallman

Tribute shows do not necessarily move me a lot, but a tribute to Mel Torme is a whole other thing, especially when done by a really fine singer. Not only was Torme my favorite, he was truly the great Jazz/Pop singer of his time. He sang the best songs by the finest composers and lyricists, worked with the greatest musicians and arrangers and did it all with taste and charm.

I thought we'd never find anything like it again in live performance, but we can be thankful for the timeless recordings. Now, along comes Warren Schein singing the songs that made Mel famous. He has so much of Mel in him; the voice is true and beautiful, the phrasing elegant and he never crosses that fine line between emulation and imitation.

It's a completely satisfying show. If you are a died-in-the-wool old time Torme fan like me and a lot of the audience who were there, or a music-lover who has just come from another planet, you cannot help but enjoy Warren Shein's renditions of the songs of Mel Torme. They are that good. He does a lot of Johnny Mercer (which is as it should be), notably "Come Rain or Come Shine," written with Harold Arlen and, of course, "Skylark," Mercer's hit penned with Hoagy Carmichael. Other great songwriters represented in the set were Cy Coleman and Carolyn Leigh, Al Dubin and Harry Warren, Rodgers and Hart, Cole Porter, Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne, the Gershwins and more.

Making all this joy happen in the performance with Schein were director/arranger/pianist, the incredible Albee Barr, and excellent bassist David Shaich. Would we were back in the happier days of cabaret, when acts like this could play five nights a week in long engagements. Ah, nostalgia! Meanwhile, on the second night of a two night gig at Metropolitan Room, the place was crowded and the rapt audience was there to love this talented man, who was utterly charming and warm. He obviously enjoys what he does, which is so communicative to his public. I have to tell you that he's funny, too. He broke in his singing career doing "schtick" in the Catskills.

Many thanks to the folks who made this experience possible: publicist Don Schaffer who knows my taste and invited me, the Mazzilli brothers, who own the club, booker Tanya Holt, sound and light genius JP Perreaux and the pleasant and efficient staff.

Warren Schein has a new CD with the same title as the show. It's available at CDBaby.com. If you don't already know his work, it will make you want to be there when he appears next. You can hear him in person, August 6th at Metropolitan Room.

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