Mel Torme's 1950s collaborations with West Coast arranger-pianist Marty Paich cemented his stature as an uncompromising jazz vocalist. The synergy between the two is comparable to Frank Sinatra's work with Nelson Riddle. Torme and Paich reunited in the late 1980s for two Concord albums: one a studio set, the other recorded live in Tokyo and mixing Torme and Paich favorites ("Too Close for Comfort") with pop, Latin, and jazz standards. Torme's sole misses are studio-recorded renditions of Donald Fagen's "The Goodbye Look" and "Walk Between the Raindrops." By eschewing Fagen's sardonic humor, the performances sound merely lounge-like. The concert's opening instrumental, a Basie-esque "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" underscores the rhythmic punch that always balanced Paich's California cool. With both men gone, it's fortunate Concord captured their reunion so completely. It also leaves a sense of regret that the pair didn't explore the magic a while longer while they were able. --Rich Kienzle