Mel Tormé(1925-1999)

Composed the music and words to "The Christmas Song" ("Chestnuts roasting on an open fire") with songwriting partner Robert Wells (Bob Wells).

One of the joys of a jazz singer is to try to keep a dimension of constant improvisation in relation to what he sings. But--and it's a big but--only if you never lose sight of the original musical value which the composer put in it. And above all, if you don't sacrifice the most important element of a popular song: the words.