Search - Nat King Cole :: Collection : Box Set, Volume 1

A Big "Thank You!" to the Guys at Collectors' Choice (This

Caesar M. Warrington | Lansdowne, PA United States | 01/21/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"As a music fan I am grateful for labels like Collectables, Wounded Bird and Collectors' Choice; if not for them, we would be missing much of the best from pop music's last 50 years.



After a successful catalog reissue campaign for Dionne Warwick, Sammy Davis, Jr. and Dean Martin, Collectors' Choice is now doing the same for one of the greatest talents in American music: Nat King Cole.



Prior to their Collectors' Choice reissue, some of the albums included in this box set were available only as expensive and hard to find imports, the others not being available on CD at all.



The NAT KING COLE: COLLECTION BOX SET VOLUME 1 spans the Capitol Records years, from 1952-1965. Each of the 9 CDs consists of two albums with original liner notes and artwork. Although the box set is being sold as a "limited edition," the individual CDs are now separately available as well.



The CDs include the following:





Disc 1: COLE ESPANOL (1958) / MORE COLE ESPANOL (1962)



The 1958 album was partially recorded in Havana with Cuban musicians, the other in Mexico City. Neither have ever been on CD.





Disc 2: JUST ONE Of THOSE THINGS (1957) / LET'S FACE The MUSIC! (1964)



Big swing arrangements from Billy Mays. LET'S FACE The MUSIC! features the rarity of Nat playing organ.





Disc 3: LOVE IS The THING (1957) / WHERE DID EVERYONE GO? (1963)



A concept album about the beginnings of romance, LOVE IS The THING was Nat King Cole's first collaboration with Gordon Jenkins and his first stereo album, which went on to stay at #1 on the charts for eight weeks! WHERE DID EVERYONE GO? was another concept album, this time dealing with love gone wrong and disillusionment with romance. It is a more downbeat affair with Jenkins' string arrangements serving as the backdrop to Nat's moody vocalizations.





Disc 4: SINGS FOR TWO IN LOVE (1953) / SINGS BALLADS Of The DAY (1956)



Originally released in 1953, SINGS FOR TWO IN LOVE featured arrangements by Nelson Riddle and was Nat's first vocal album for Capitol Records. The album here is from the 1955 reissue for the (then) new 12-inch LP format and includes additional material that Cole and Riddle put together for the extra space.

SINGS BALLADS Of The DAY was a sort of greatest hits collection compiling 12 of the man's singles that were recorded between 1954 and 1955.





Disc 5: RAMBLIN' ROSE (1962) / DEAR LONELY HEARTS (1962)



Both from the same year, these two Country-themed titles were big successes, displaying the versatility of the man as a singer and a band leader.





Disc 6: PENTHOUSE SERENADE (1952) / THE PIANO STYLINGS Of NAT KING COLE (1956)



The two albums were all-instrumental recordings. People often forget what a great piano player Nat was; if he never sang a note, he would still be ranked as one of the great jazz pianists of all time.

Originally a 10", PENTHOUSE... was his first record for Capitol; this version is from the 1955 12" LP reissue.

PIANO STYLINGS... was another Nelson Riddle collaboration. Personally chosen by Cole himself, the 16 selections are half accompanied by strings and the other half by orchestra.





Disc 7: SINGS ST. LOUIS BLUES (1958) / LOOKING BACK (1965)



In 1958 Nat portrayed composer W.C. Handy in the film, ST. LOUIS BLUES. The album here is not the soundtrack to that movie; rather it is what we nowadays call "songs inspired by the film." The recording combines Handy's blues stylings with the big band sound of the 50s.

LOOKING BACK was a posthumously-released collection of singles and rarities. This reissue strips away the rhythm tracks that were added by Capitol, who thought such things would give these songs a more "up-to-date" sound.





Disc 8: THE TOUCH Of YOUR LIPS (1961 / I DON'T WANT To BE HURT ANYMORE (1964)



These recordings feature Nat King Cole's work with arranger Ralph Carmichael.

I DON'T WANT To BE HURT ANYMORE was Nat's third and final country-tinged release, fronting a band that consisted of James Burton, Glen Campbell and Don Robertson.





Disc 9: WELCOME To The CLUB (1959) / TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF (1960)



These two releases were Nat's way of reaching back to his jazz roots.

Also known as BIG BAND COLE, WELCOME To The CLUB has Nat teaming up with the Count Basie Big Band and includes a bonus track, "Madrid," a title that was originally intended for but dropped from the album.



"

Nat King Cole Collection Vol. 1

Stephen W. Boalt | Ventura, CA | 12/15/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Nat King Cole Collection is WONDERFUL. For the segment of humanity that loves real singers, real orchestra's, creative arrangers and painstaking digital restoration we are so grateful. I love the collection and the effort that went into this excellent package. Nat Cole was a one of a kind communicator, with a voice that respoinded so well to the great Neuman microphones, with real MIXERS who actually MIXED the album as it was being performed. These tracks stand up so well today and thank God that stereo came into existance in 1957 & 1958, opening up the reality of actual performance audio for the listener. For all of the singers reading this review, listen to Nat, over and over and you will become a better singer and communicator. I especially love the orchestrations done for Nat Cole by Ralph Carmichael on "The Touch of Your Lips" CD. Just those cuts make this collection VALUABLE. Steve Boalt, Ventura, CA"