Great listening for anyone who remembers him at his best
Old Guy | 07/18/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is a excellent mix of well known Nat King Cole hits and very easy to listen to songs that show the true talent of this great singer. I give it five stars simply on it's merit and enjoyment. But one I wish was on this CD is "Those Lazy, Hazy, Crazy days of Summer". Why it isn't I don't understand. But,I haven't found it yet on any other NKC mix either. Don't let that stop you though. You'll enjoy every song that is on this CD."
Are The Rest Of Us Out Of Step?
10/07/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Only diehard audiophiles will find fault with this release. Believe me, the sound is just fine. All but one track were 24-bit digitally remastered at Capitol between 2003 and 2005, while track 27 is a 1991 Elektra Entertainment Group production.
Tracks 2 to 6 are by The King Cole Trio consisting of Nat, guitarist Oscar Moore and bassist Johnny Miller. Track 10 is by The King Cole Trio consisting of Nat, guitarist Irving Ashby and bassist Joe Comfort. Track 20 is by The King Cole Trio consisting of Nat, guitarist John Collins and bassist Charlie Harris.
All this is contained in the 28 page insert containing six pages of notes by daughter Natalie, numerous candid photos of Nat and his family, in performance, touring, etc., including one in studio with Natalie, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Lee Gillette and Carlos Gastel, another of the Trio (Nat, Ashby and Miller) from 1947, one with John F. Kennedy, one meeting Queen Elizabeth, and one hamming it up with Sammy Davis, Jr.
There are also reproductions of two telegrams to Nat, one from JFK dated March 1960 regarding Nat's offer to help in his election campaign, and another dated December 1964 from Martin Luther King, Jr., when Nat was in hospital seriously ill with lung cancer.
As for the selections, the insert also contains a listing of the tracks showing composers and, where applicable, the orchestras involved. There are no label or chart details, however.
Even so, as many of the other reviews have already pointed out, this is simply one of the best single-disc Nat "King" Cole volumes on the market today."