I pressed play on this expecting to hate it. And I really dig it. The band is hot (good lord that piano player!) Mel sounds great. He really did this cover justice. Donald probably dug it.
Yes! This is great! And I like how Torme starts with the melody from Bernie's Tune -- very hip, and then plays with that same rhythm later in his improvisation. And the piano player -- he/she is burning it up!
@@johnrapp1116 John Campbell! Super underrated. He's my second favorite, behind Russ Freeman who was the pianist for Chet Baker. if you like John's playing with Mel, I highly recommend checking out Russ Freeman. specifically his tune Band Aid is very similar bebop wise and nice.
@staytunedfor I've never known it as being underrated. It received a lot of acclaim when it was released, and Steely Dan fans especially have praised it.
@@gasaholic47 Yeah. It's one of the more acclaimed 80s Albums. If you wanna see an underrated Album, look at 2003's "everything must go". Never understood why they bashed it.
@@gasaholic47 Obligatory RU-vid comment - "most underated group/album/musician". You know, like The Beatles lol. (apparently OP was embarrassed enough to remove the comment)
MT did a great job making the song his own but I still like the ambiguity of the DF version. Mel makes it about Cuba with direct reference at the start and adds the additional verse providing more certainty of escape. DF provides less certainty and leaves you hanging in that cynical suspense, a regular specialty of DF’s style, which is a more stark contrast to the upbeat tune and rhythm. I agree the guy on the keys is amazingly good. Mel could afford to hire the best and the rehearsed quality of the live performance says everyone on that stage was a true professional.
Agree but it’s arguably perfect for Torme’s (Japanese) audience. He’s really determined to get the story across and Fagen’s too oblique for some. I love how he scats the intro vibes solo and also the corny change from Gretchen to “baby”
Can honestly say I've never heard a bad rendition/cover of a Steely Dan composition. No matter who does it, the melodies are so strong and unique of Fagen & Becker that they hold up, especially if they're done by 'the master' Mel Torme. RIP Mel we'll be listening to you forever down here :)
@@thomaselliott573 no knock on Donald, but he had he added benefits of the studio technology (layered taping, double tracking high end mics etc;) to augment his recording. Mel is doing this live Thomas. Your watching The Master do it on the spot. His phrasing, pitch, and scat singing are perfect. Not to mention his timing. Torme is that short list of great jazz vocalsts of the 20th century occupied by Sinatra, Bennett and Ray Charles. Ask any schooled jazz musician what they think of Mel Torme and their response is 'The Velvet Fog' was the master. Those aren't my words Thomas those are Donald Fagen's
@@thomaselliott573 Okay, it's from a Donald Fagen album, but Becker and Fagen worked together on all those great Steely Dan albums that incorporated jazz and used some of the greatest jazz studio musicians and artists of all time, whether Aja, Pretzel Logic, Gaucho. Try hearing any of those on jazz radio stations: you won't. They are never played as far as I know. No reason not to except for the snobby jazz show DJs on those stations who are "purists."
Masterful! I saw Torme live at about this time headlining for Cleo Laine and Charlie Byrd. Def at the top of his game and his rendition of this is spot on.
i had such a lousy day but it's behind me now because of mel torme singing this fabulous song. the musicians are fabulous too. wish i could watch this with my dad. he was a big fan of the one & only velvet fog.
Love Mel Torme! His versions of songs are on another planet! He's what I considered a true star! Velvet voice that whisked one away to places you never want to leave. 🥰🥰🥰
On Fagen's The Nightfly album, those two songs are sequential, one about (hopefully) escaping Cuba in the nick of time, the other about subsequently arriving in Miami, reuniting with a loved one.
marcel de kleijn I was in Carré also. A good concert but not as magical as Tuschinski (perhaps the best concert i saw in my life) Saw him in New York a few years later with a quintet in Michaels Pub two times with a Benny Goodman oriented concert. A very very fast concert. Best singer of popular music in my opinion. Own most of his cd’s and all of his books. IT,s a pity that it’s not possible to but a good concert dvd from Mel in Europe. But RU-vid is a great substitute.
I love how he approached what may have been a song with somewhat controversial lyrics, I'm sure because it was so brilliant! And his extension indicates how much he appreciated what the intention of the lyrics was!
Everyone who wants to sing should be required to watch and listen to him. His recitation of the lyrics, his choices of notes and rhythmic patterns, all perfect
What a fantastic performance great song great musicians great singer loved Mel Torme when i first heard him when i was a child my dad and mum had 2 of his LPs ? With Fascinatin Rythmn Round Midnight and Mountain Greenery on it loved the lyrics and how he delivered the story A true 100 % legend and talent pure and simple thanx for posting many people will benifit Obligard
Great cover of a nice tune. Torme quotes little bits of Gerry Mulligan's "Bernie's Tune" and Miles Davis' "Four" in his scatting. In bringing that repertoire to this pop tune he demonstrates his fluency with many diverse parts of the jazz tradition.
saw him years ago at the opening of the first Casino in Australia at Hobart Tasmania the Wrest Point hotel Casino he was stunning, had to go back the next night for more
