The Christmas Song

a.k.a. "Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire"
written by Mel Tormé and Bob Wells in 1944 (Mel Tormé was 19 years old at the time). Nat King Cole recorded this tune four different times, and the last of them still gets a lot of air play during the Christmas season.

But here are two jazz guitar versions -- take your pick!

Performed by jazz guitarist Bob Champagne


Performed by jazz guitarist Sean Harkness


...from Mark Evanier:
I want to tell you a story about Mel Tormé, a generation gap, and “The Christmas Song”...

The scene is Farmer's Market – the famed tourist mecca of Los Angeles. It's a quaint collection of bungalow stores, produce stalls and little stands where one can buy darn near anything edible one wishes to devour. You buy your pizza slice or sandwich or Chinese food or whatever at one of umpteen counters, then carry it on a tray to an open-air table for consumption. On a winter weekday, not long before Christmas, the crowd was mostly older folks, dawdling over coffee and Danish. I arrived, headed for my favorite barbecue stand and, en route, noticed that Mel Tormé was seated at one of the tables.

Mel Tormé. My favorite singer. Just sitting there, sipping a cup of coffee, munching on an English Muffin, reading The New York Times. Mel Tormé.

I had never met Mel Tormé. Alas, I still haven't, and now I never will. He looked like he was engrossed in the paper that day, so I didn't stop and say, "Excuse me, I just wanted to tell you how much I've enjoyed all your records." I wish I had.

Instead, I continued over to the BBQ place, got myself a chicken sandwich and settled down at a table to consume it. I was about halfway through when four Christmas carolers strolled by, singing "Let It Snow," a cappella.

They were young adults with strong, fine voices and they were all clad in splendid Victorian garb. The Market had hired them (I assume) to stroll about and sing for the diners — a little touch of the holidays.

"Let It Snow" concluded not far from me to polite applause from all within earshot. I waved the leader of the chorale over and directed his attention to Mr. Tormé, seated about twenty yards from me.

"That's Mel Tormé down there. Do you know who he is?"

The singer was about 25, so it didn't horrify me that he said, "No."

I asked, "Do you know 'The Christmas Song?'"

Again, a "No."

I said, "That's the one that starts, 'Chestnuts roasting on an open fire...'"

"Oh, yes," the caroler chirped. "Is that what it's called? 'The Christmas Song?'"

"That's the name," I explained. "And that man wrote it." The singer thanked me, returned to his group for a brief huddle...and then they strolled down towards Mel Tormé. I ditched the rest of my sandwich and followed, a few steps behind. As they reached their quarry, they began singing, "Chestnuts roasting on an open fire..." directly to him.

A big smile formed on Mel Tormé's face — and it wasn't the only one around. Most of those sitting at nearby tables knew who he was and many seemed aware of the significance of singing that song to him. For those who didn't, there was a sudden flurry of whispers: "That's Mel Tormé...he wrote that..."

As the choir reached the last chorus or two of the song, Mel got to his feet and made a little gesture that meant, "Let me sing one chorus solo." The carolers — all still apparently unaware they were in the presence of one of the world's great singers — looked a bit uncomfortable. I'd bet at least a couple were thinking, "Oh, no...the little fat guy wants to sing."

But they stopped and the little fat guy started to sing...and, of course, out came this beautiful, melodic, perfectly-on-pitch voice. The look on the face of the singer I'd briefed was amazed at first...then properly impressed.

On Mr. Tormé's signal, they all joined in on the final lines: "Although it's been said, many times, many ways...Merry Christmas to you..." Big smiles all around.

And not just from them. I looked and at all the tables surrounding the impromptu performance, I saw huge grins of delight...which segued, as the song ended, into a huge burst of applause. The whole tune only lasted about two minutes but I doubt anyone who was there will ever forget it.

I have witnessed a number of thrilling "show business" moments — those incidents, far and few between, where all the little hairs on your epidermis snap to attention and tingle with joy. Usually, these occur on a screen or stage. I hadn't expected to experience one next to a falafel stand — but I did.

Tormé thanked the harmonizers for the serenade and one of the women said, "You really wrote that?"

He nodded. "A wonderful songwriter named Bob Wells and I wrote that...and, get this — we did it on the hottest day of the year in July. It was a way to cool down."

Then the gent I'd briefed said, "You know, you're not a bad singer." He actually said that to Mel Tormé.

Mel chuckled. He realized that these four young folks hadn't the velvet-foggiest notion who he was, above and beyond the fact that he'd worked on that classic Christmas song. "Well," he said. "I've actually made a few records in my day..."

"Really?" the other man asked. "How many?"

Tormé smiled and said, "About ninety."

Mel Tormé worked on the Judy Garland television show in the 1960s (as arranger and performer), and this clip has them performing “The Christmas Song” as a duet; Miss Garland flubs the lyrics in several places, and Mr. Tormé takes it all in stride. Here, Mel plays piano, but he was also a jazz drummer of note. Click on "How High the Moon" in the column to the right, and you can see and hear Mel play drums while Nat King Cole plays a mean piano backing up vocalist June Christy. Both men later gave up their respective instruments to perform exclusively as vocalists. Trivia: Mr. Tormé also appeared as an actor in more than 20 films.

I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm

Performed by Ella Fitzgerald
(Irving Berlin Songbook 1958)



Written by Irving Berlin, this song was introduced by Dick Powell and Alice Faye in the film musical “On the Avenue” (1937). Les Brown's instrumental version, arranged by Skip Martin and recorded in 1946 as Columbia #38324, became a million-seller and Billboard top ten song in 1949. Other notable recordings were by Frank Sinatra, Billie Holiday, Della Reese, Doris Day, Bette Midler, The Mills Brothers, Tony Bennett and Dean Martin.

Autumn Leaves

Performed by pianist Keith Jarret (Tokyo 1996)

Composer Joseph Kosma and poet Jacques Prevert created one of the songs for the 1946 film “Les Portes De La Nuit” by setting a Prevert poem to music, “Les Feuilles Mortes.” In 1949 Johnny Mercer wrote English lyrics for the tune changing the original French title (The Dead Leaves) to “Autumn Leaves."



In 1956 Columbia Pictures produced a film titled Autumn Leaves starring Joan Crawford and Cliff Robertson. It is a tale of a spinster marrying a young man who has mental problems as a result of his ex-wife’s (Vera Miles) affair with his father (Lorne Green). Nat King Cole sang his hit version of “Autumn Leaves” during the credits.

Laura - Paul Gonsalvez (tenor sax)

Duke Ellington Orchestra
Tenor Saxophone Solo: Paul Gonsalvez (1920-1974)



Otto Preminger wanted to use Duke Ellington's “Sophisticated Lady” as the theme music for his film Laura. When musical director David Raksin objected, Preminger replied, "All right, today is Friday. If you can come up with something we like by Monday, okay. If not, we use 'Sophisticated Lady'!" One of the most famous musical themes in movie history was actually born late Sunday night, a few hours before deadline.

I Wanna Be Around - Waverly Seven

Guitarist/vocalist John Pizzarelli is a guest of Waverly Seven, a septet of NYC jazz musicians formed in 2006. Featured is Anat Cohen on clarinet.



I Wanna Be Around was composed by Johnny Mercer in 1959, and the best known recording was made by Tony Bennett in 1963. In 1959, Mercer received a partial song lyric from beautician Sadie Vimmerstedt, who lived in Ohio. It was just one line, "I want to be around to pick up the pieces when somebody's breaking your heart." Mercer developed it into the song that is now a jazz standard, and he shared royalties with Ms. Vimmerstedt (about $3,000 a year in the 1960s). True story.

Mr. Bennett and Bono update a classic:

All about Ronnie - Chris Connor

Venerated jazz singer Chris Connor died August 29, 2009, at the age of 81. Her career reached its peak in the 1950s, but she performed until 2004.

Here is her rendition of "All about Ronnie," a jazz classic written in 1953 by Joe Greene. It is a smouldering ballad of romantic obsession. Connor's voice is much in the mold of June Christy, whom she replaced in the Stan Kenton band in 1952.

Stella by Starlight (1944)

Music by Victor Young; lyrics by Ned Washington (the song writing team on My Foolish Heart and I Don't Stand a Ghost of a Chance with You)
From the Paramount film “The Uninvited,” starring Ray Milland, Ruth Hussey and Gail Russell.

Keith Jarrett Trio. This track begins with an extended piano solo by Mr. Jarrett; bassist Gary Peacock does not join in until the 3:23 mark. Jack DeJohnette is on drums.



A vocal rendition by Anita O'Day, white gloves and all. (1963, live in Japan)

I'm Just Foolin' Myself - Diane Schuur

Foolin' Myself (1937)
lyrics: Jack Lawrence; music Peter Tinturin

Click on this audio link to hear blind jazz singer Diane Schuur perform a superior rendition of this Billie Holiday classic.
www.last.fm/music/Diane%2520Schuur/_/I%27m%2520Just%2520Foolin%27%2520Myself?ac=I%27m%20just%20foolin%20myself

I tell myself I'm through with love,
And I'll have nothing more to do with love;
I stay away, but every day
I'm just foolin' myself.

I tell my friends that I don't care,
I shrug my shoulders at the whole affair.
But they all know it isn't so,
I'm just foolin' myself.

And every time I pass and see

My face in a looking glass
I tip my hat and say
How do you do you fool
You're throwing your life away.

I'm acting gay, I'm acting proud
And every time I see you in a crowd
I may pretend, but in the end
I'm just foolin' myself.

Speak Low - drummer Shelly Manne

Speak Low
from One Touch of Venus (1943)
Lyrics by Ogden Nash; music by Kurt Weill

Sheely Manne and his Men:
Shelly Manne, drums
Conte Candoli, trumpet
Richie Kamuca, tenor sax
Russ Freeman, piano
Monty Budwig, bass



Trivia:
One Touch of Venus – When Marlene Dietrich backed out of the title role, deeming it too profane and sexual, Mary Martin stepped up to the plate and established herself as a Broadway star.

Another take:
This one takes its time to heat up, but by 3:00 or so the pot starts to boil. Maestro Rybicki’s extended bass solo at the 5:30 mark is outstanding (and more than 2 minutes long).

Matthew Rybicki Quartet
Live at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola, Jazz at Lincoln Center (NYC).
Matthew Rybicki, bass
Dan Nimmer, piano
Dominick Farinacci, trumpet
Marion Felder, drums

Estaté - João Gilberto (vocals, guitar)

Sing in Portuguese by composer João Gilberto.

Translation:

Ah, summer!
Your warm embrace is like a kiss remembered
Once full of love but now it's just an ember,
Like something in the heart one wants to lose.

Ah, summer!
The sun that woke and warmed us every morning,
That painted splendid sunsets every evening
Is useless now, except to sear my soul.

Another winter comes and
All the petals dying on the rose
A thousand petals lie beneath the snow—
At least perhaps some peace might come again.

Ah, summer!
You gave your fragrant scent to every flower
And filled us with a love of so much power
So I could slowly perish in its pain!