My Singing Teachers

A jazz vocalist since the 1940s, Torme has encountered many legendary figures in his field. His analysis of the contributions to American music of such greats as Jerome Kern, Ella Fitzgerald, Judy Garland and Bing Crosby, to name just a few, is astute and articulate. Although loosely organized around the influence other music makers have had on Torme's career, the book is less an autobiography than a series of vignettes about the lives and the musical innovations of his various colleagues. This approach is both asset and liability, providing a rich and complex view of the fabric of American music but tersely giving these memoirs a sometimes dry, encyclopedic feel. Photos not seen by PW. (Sept.)