Nat King Cole

HIGH-DEFINITION PREMIUM VINYL PRESSING FOR SUPER FIDELITY

INCLUDES 2 BONUS TRACKS

4 1/2 STARS ALL MUSIC GUIDE

Appearing at a time when for the grand public Nat King Cole was more of a singer and entertainer than a jazz pianist, this album was a reminder of Nat’s superlative skills as an instrumentalist. For the remainder of his successfulcareer –which ended with his sudden death in 1965 due to lung cancer– he continued singing more and more, and playing less and less. This splendid instrumental album was to be one of his last hits as a pianist (as opposed to a singer and entertainer), presenting the classic Nat King Cole Trio plus his usual collaborator Jack Costanzo.

PERSONNEL:

• NAT “KING” COLE, piano
• JOHN COLLINS, guitar
• CHARLIE HARRIS, bass
• BUNNY SHAWKER, drums (on A1-A4 & B1-B4)
• LEE YOUNG, drums (on A5-A6 & B5-B7)
• JACK COSTANZO, bongos & congas (on A4 & B2)

Recorded at Capitol Studios, Los Angeles. A1-A4 & B1-B4: July 18, 1952. A5-A6 & B5-B7: July 14, 1955.

(*) BONUS TRACKS:

• [A7]: Nat King Cole (p), Irving Ashby (g)
• Joe Comfort (b), Jack Costanzo (bgo,cga).
• New York, March 22, 1949.
• [B7]: From the Penthouse Serenade sessions, but not included on the original LP.

SIDE A:

• 01. PENTHOUSE SERENADE
• 02. SOMEBODY LOVES ME
• 03. LAURA
• 04. ONCE IN A BLUE MOON
• 05. DON’T BLAME ME
• 06. LITTLE GIRL
• 07. LAUGH! COOL CLOWN (*)

SIDE B:

• 01. POLKA DOTS AND MOONBEAMS
• 02. DOWN BY THE OLD MILL STREAM
• 03. IF I SHOULD LOSE YOU
• 04. ROSE ROOM
• 05. I SURRENDER DEAR
• 06. IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU
• 07. I SURRENDER DEAR [alt. tk.] (*)