You're Torturing Me / No More Trouble Out Of Me (Digital 45)

The exceptionally talented vocalist Herb Lance first came into prominence in the late 1940s, exposed to the listening public by virtue of his stand-out performances at the legendary jazz club Smalls Paradise in Harlem. Blessed with a rich baritone voice, Lance was tagged as the "Sepia Sinatra." His first big success came in 1949 with the single "Candle Glow" b/w "Close Your Eyes." "Close Your Eyes" first entered the national charts on April 9, and rose as high as #4 in it's 18-week run. When the dust had settled, it was the #5 Best Jazz 'N Blues Record of 1949. Lance's sound drew comparisons to popular crooners like Billy Eckstine and Herb Jeffries, and he was quickly booked at high profile shows with Dinah Washington, Earl Bostic and other A-listers. Lance also proved to be a fine songwriter. Sometime in 1952, he wrote a song called "Mama, He Treats Your Daughter Mean." The great Ruth Brown recorded it in December of that year and it became a #1 R&B hit for her. After a brief stint with Mercury Records, Lance signed with New York based indie Bruce Records in 1954, although he only released one single on the imprint, "You're Torturing Me" b/w "No More Trouble Out Of Me," which curiously received no press at all - probably from lack of promotion by. Early in 1955, Herb hooked up with Dizzy Gillespie and became the male vocalist with his orchestra. The rare Bruce Records single has since become a treasured item among Lance collectors and is presented here newly remastered.