James Torme and his brilliant band delighted audiences at a unlikely Leigh on Sea venue last week into a laid back Jazz speakeasy. Mike Jones watched the gig and afterwards got a chance to chat to James.The band included the legendary John Altman who will be a future guest on Mike’s show

You can hear the interview again here 

James Tormé (who is the son of 3-time Grammy Award Winning jazz legend Mel Tormé), is taking the legacy he was born into even further – and causing a serious buzz in the process. Often appearing with outfits like the BBC Concert Orchestra, Ronnie Scott’s Orchestra and Les Paul Trio, the charismatic young star’s debut album has topped both the iTunes and Amazon Jazz Charts*.

Tormé is “the best male jazz singer to come along in 20 years” according to long time Verve Records president, Chuck Mitchell, the man who first discovered him. Having grown up spending time with a myriad of jazz legends (Bing Crosby, Peggy Lee, Duke Ellington, George Shearing, Buddy Rich & more), one begins to understand why. Tormé himself attributes as much of his ability as a performer to the “process of osmosis” as he does to his own show-business background. Explains Tormé, “There’s no question, I absorbed a lot from my dad, and his peers.” This is clear as soon as one hears his singing style, which draws from the “old school”, but with modern styling that makes it very current in today’s market.