Search - Nat King Cole :: Definitive Nat King Cole

Jazz man fan

B. London | Chicago | 04/16/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"If you are a Nat King Cole afficianado you will welcome this album for your collection. Long before Nat became a superstar [ a title he absolutely deserved] on Capital during the 50's-60's he was well known to the jazz artists of the 30's-40's for his incredible piano playing. On this album he sings a kind of nightclub lounge performer with just bass and guitar.In fact, so well appreciated by his swing contemporaries, his trio was the basis for the fantastic Oscar Peterson trios with bass and guitar to follow. The guitarist is the incredibly tasty Oscar Moore, and you also get to hear some Lester Young tenor sax, and a nice helping of alto star willie smith from the Lunceford great big band days. The sound except for one or two "old" sources, basically this is 44-48 times, is quite fine. Nat sings beautifully, effortlessly as always, and the pianistics are out of this world."