The Christmas Song

Composed by
Mel Tormé
Arranged by
Ryan Hume
Price
£ 25.00 

Mel Tormé, nicknamed "The Velvet Fog," was an American musician, singer, composer, arranger, drummer, actor and author. He composed the music for The Christmas Song and co-wrote the lyrics with Bob Wells.

Welcome to Skool of Brass

  • For Conductors, Teachers and/or Students
  • Percussion Backing Tracks to accompany Superbrass Educational Material
  • Backing Tracks are Free to Download
  • We always use 4 bars of Introduction before each tune starts (unless otherwise stated)
  • Turn your Practice into a Performance and have fun !
  • 4 Trumpets
  • 1 Horn in F
  • 4 Trombones
  • 1 Tuba
  • All Alternative Brass Parts Included

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Description

Melvin Howard Tormé (September 1925–June 1999), known professionally as Mel Tormé, nicknamed "The Velvet Fog," was an American musician, singer, composer, arranger, drummer, actor and author. He composed the music for The Christmas Song and co-wrote the lyrics with Bob Wells. Born in Chicago, Illinois, to immigrant Russian Jewish parents, whose surname had been Torma. A child prodigy, he first performed professionally aged 4 with the Coon-Sanders Orchestra, singing "You're Driving Me Crazy" at Chicago's Blackhawk restaurant. He played drums in the drum-and-bugle corps at school, between 1933 to 1941, he acted in radio programs. He wrote his first song at 13. Three years later his first published song, Lament to Love, became a hit for bandleader Harry James. From 1942 to 1943, he was a member of a band led by Chico Marx of the Marx Brothers, he was the band singer, drummer and also did some arrangements. In 1943, Tormé made his movie debut in Frank Sinatra's first film, the musical Higher and Higher. His appearance in the 1947 film musical Good News made him a teen idol. He formed the vocal quintet Mel Tormé and His Mel-Tones, modeled on Frank Sinatra and The Pied Pipers. The Mel-Tones had several hits fronting Artie Shaw's band and on their own, including Cole Porter's "What Is This Thing Called Love?" The Mel-Tones were among the first jazz-influenced vocal groups, blazing a path later followed by The Manhattan Transfer. Though he spent most of his career singing jazz, Tormé had a deep appreciation for classical music, especially that of Frederick Delius and Percy Grainger, described as the only white man who sings with the soul of a black man. Tormé wrote more than 250 songs, several of which became standards and often wrote the arrangements for the songs that he then sang. The Christmas Song (commonly subtitled Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire) was written in 1946. The song was written on a swelteringly hot and sunny day in California, while he and his lyricist Bob Wells were sitting down in an effort to "stay cool by thinking cool” and coming up with as many 'mid-wintery' things they could think of in an attempt to cool themselves down. It was recorded first by Nat King Cole. Tormé said it was one of his favourites, calling it "my annuity".

“Under the Spell of Spain is an extraordinary CD, in company with the finest large brass ensemble recordings ever made. This is a must buy CD!”

Don Lucas
Boston University writing in the International Trombone Association Journal

"The more I listen to this album the more I find to enjoy and the more impressed I am. The wealth of talent on display in terms of composing, performing, recording and producing is fantastic"

Kevin Morgan
The British Trombone Society

“Brilliant technique and superb artistry from all concerned.”

Denis Wick

“The CD is just fabulous. The ensemble playing is fantastic; the tightness of the ensemble is amazing; the balance and dynamics are just brilliant.”

Philip Biggs
The Brass Herald

“Many recordings over the last few decades have demonstrated the superb quality of British brass playing; 'Under the Spell of Spain' will rightfully take its place among them.”

Paul Sarcich
www.dailyclassicalmusic.com

“Exploding onto the brass music scene with their debut album ‘Under the Spell of Spain’, the depth of versatility and virtuosity within the ranks of Superbrass has firmly secured it's place as one of the greatest large brass ensembles of all time”

Tom Davoren
Brass Band World
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