Search - Nat King Cole :: Macgregor Years (1941-1945)

The many 5 star tracks outweigh some 3 & 4 star tracks...

jasonlovesjazz | Seattle, WA, USA | 07/18/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I own over 15 discs of Nat King Cole. I generally prefer his trio work to the later stuff, with one notable exception being the "Big Band Cole" album with Count Basie and Stan Kenton. But of all my Nat King Cole albums, so many of my favorite tracks come from "The MacGregor Years". Some of my favorites, I'd never even heard of before (Little Joe From Chicago, Rhythm Sam, Solid Potato Salad). Other favorite tracks are standards performed with that irrefutable King Cole Trio swing (On The Sunny Side of the Street, Besame Mucho, Do Nothing Til You Hear From Me). The light yet intense groove they lay down is so tight it just makes me smile every time I throw this on.



I can't deny that there are a few weak tracks. In fact, when I ripped this set to mp3, I skipped over most of the tracks with guest vocalists. (Luckily, there aren't too many.) If this were sifted down to 2 discs, it would easily be 5 stars, but as is, it rates 4 stars, only for the inconsistency. If you know you'll rip it to mp3, consider my vote 5 stars because the good tracks are priceless."