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Mel Tormé Swings Shubert Alley is a 1960 album by Mel Tormé, arranged by Marty Paich.

Reception

The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings selected the album as part of its suggested “core collection” of essential recordings.

The AllMusic review by John Bush awarded the album 5 stars out of 5 and stated:”Though the nominal concept for Mel Tormé’s Swings Shubert Alley is Broadway standards, this last moment of pure Tormé brilliance moves much too fast and hard for the concept to be anything but pure swing. Of course it starts out with a bang with the punchy “Too Close for Comfort.” Tormé sounds like he’s racing the band to the finish of the song on this one (and a few others, like “Too Darn Hot” and “Surrey with the Fringe on Top”), on the latter he repeats the title over and over again with that exuberant voice. As with his other classic swing albums, Tormé does insert a few slower songs; here, “Once in Love with Amy,” “A Sleepin’ Bee” and “Old Devil Moon” are downtempo, with a smile. The overall mood, however, is unrestrained enthusiasm, and it makes for an excellent record.”

Track listing
“Too Close for Comfort” (Jerry Bock, Larry Holofcener, George David Weiss) – 3:59
“Once in Love with Amy” (Frank Loesser) – 3:08
“A Sleepin’ Bee” (Harold Arlen, Truman Capote) – 3:29
“On the Street Where You Live” (Alan Jay Lerner, Frederick Loewe) – 2:51
“All I Need Is a Girl” (Stephen Sondheim, Jule Styne) – 3:03
“Just in Time” (Betty Comden, Adolph Green, Styne) – 3:23
“Hello, Young Lovers” (Oscar Hammerstein II, Richard Rodgers) – 3:06
“The Surrey with the Fringe on Top” (Hammerstein, Rodgers) – 2:57
“Old Devil Moon” (Yip Harburg, Burton Lane) – 2:46
“Whatever Lola Wants” (Richard Adler, Jerry Ross) – 3:18
“Too Darn Hot” (Cole Porter) – 2:44
“Lonely Town” (Leonard Bernstein, Comden, Green) – 3:39

Personnel
Mel Tormé – vocals,
Al Porcino – trumpet
Stu Williamson – trumpet
Frank Rosolino – trombone
Vincent DeRosa – french horn
Art Pepper – alto saxophone
Bill Perkins – tenor saxophone
Bill Hood – baritone saxophone
Marty Paich – piano, arranger
Red Callender – tuba
Joe Mondragon – double bass
Mel Lewis – drums

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Released: 1960
Recorded: 1960
Length: 38:23
Label: Verve
Producer: Russell Garcia