Here's singer Mel Torme on stage, mid-song. Based on other Torme images from the period and the cut of his double-breasted suit, I'm guessing this is about 1947 or '48, when he began to wear his hair a little curly on top.
The image at top comes from Betty's fabulous collection of photos, sent along by her friend Chris. Betty has donated all of her prints, including this one, to Rutgers University's Institute of Jazz Studies. But since she and Chris also are big JazzWax readers, they wanted you to see them, too.
Assuming this image is from the late '40s, Torme was recording for the Musicraft, Glendale and Capitol labels, which in my opinion is his finest period.
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JazzWax clip: Here's Mel Torme singing Gone With the Wind with the Dave Barbour Four (piano, bass, guitar and harp) in 1947.
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