James Torme Wins The Prestigious Chuck Niles Jazz Music Award

LOS ANGELES (Top40 Charts/ Torme Entertainment) - Acclaimed young singing-star and C.E.O. of Tormé Entertainment, James Tormé has won the 2007 Chuck Niles Jazz Music Award. Tormé, who is also the son of jazz legend Mel Tormé, competed against two other bands in the finals of the Chuck Niles Jazz Music Competition, which was held at the Temecula Valley International Jazz Festival (California), on Saturday July 14th. The award is handed out each year to the artist who best embodies the Niles genre of music: big band, swing, be-bop, Latin and vocalists.

Chuck's wife Nancy, and daughter Tracy selected James as the winner. "This is the Chuck Niles award, so we try to keep in mind who my father would have chosen," said Tracy as she described the selection process. "He loved straight-ahead jazz as opposed to modern-fusion jazz. But really these artists are all innovative and talented."

Chuck Niles spun jazz on American radio for more than 50 years and was renowned for his mellifluous voice and vast knowledge of jazz history. He was known in the music world as the voice of jazz in Los Angeles. Niles died in 2004, at the age of 76.

It is a fitting end to a six-week period during which Tormé also recorded his first full-length album, entitled James Tormé Live At On The Path, as well as performing with The New West Symphony to a sold- out crowd (and a standing ovation) at the Countrywide Center For The Performing Arts in July 2007. Of his new album James explains, "This is my first full-length release, and it is completely live. There is no post-production at all; the music is exactly how it happened. Just like my dad's live records back in the day. To be able to record an album like this, and offer it to the public without any kind of electronic 'tuning' or manipulation is very rare these days, so I'm extremely proud."