Nat King Cole - At the Sands (14 tracks) +Album Reviews

Command Performance after hours for friends ~ Nat King Cole

J. Lovins | Missouri-USA | 03/16/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Capitol Records presents "Nat King Cole At The Sands", featuring the velvet voice from heaven as we sample one of the finest only On-Stage Recordings ever recorded...live at the Sands in Las Vegas recorded January 14, 1960 on the first 12 tracks...at the Capitol Studios in Hollywood recorded September 2. 1959 tracks 13 & 14...no other singer in the business had the warmth that this man gave during a performance. Along with Frank Sinatra, Cole built the Capitol Towers and brought them fame and fortune. Cole in my estimation did more for Capitol Records than any other recording artist of that time (and that my friend is saying something)...plus he was a great human being and treated his fellow artists and fans with the utmost respect.

Nat had a tenderness in his voice, completely flawless...he could never deliver a bad tune...his style and signature of making a song his own has never been duplicated. Within this compilation are 14 heartfelt ballads and swingin' tunes...Some are timeless that remain classics, while others are songs that have never seen the light of day...a collectors dream come true...more selections from the greatest entertainer of our time!

In alphabetical order are the 14 selections:

BALLERINA (C. Sigman/B. Russell)

CONTINENTAL (C. Conrad/H. Magidson)

FUNNY (NOT MUCH) (Neil/Broughton/Prince/Merrill)

I WISH YOU LOVE (C. Trenet/A. Beach)

IN A MELLOW TONE (Duk Ellington) (bonus track)

JOE TURNER BLUES (W. C. Handy)

MISS OTIS REGRETS (SHE'S UNABLE TO LUNCH TODAY) (Cole Porter)

MR. COLE WON'T ROCK & ROLL (J. Sherman/N. Sherman) (bonus track)

MY KINDA LOVE (I. Alter/J. Trent)

SURREY WITH THE FRINGE ON TOP (R. Rodgers/O. Hammerstein II)

THOU SWELL (R. Rodgers/L. Hart)

WHATCHA' GONNA DO (Nat Cole) (bonus track)

WHERE OR WHEN (R. Rodgers/L. Hart)

YOU LEAVE ME BREATHLESS (F. Hollander/R. Freed)

Entire collection is a stand out in my book...America never had a more widely beloved ambassador (except for Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong), hope this is a glimpse into the future of better things coming our way if the recording industry ever wakes up to the listeners and fans of good music.

You can't go wrong with any of Cole's albums that are now on CD...many are hard-to-find and some not well known...highlights and stand outs are the entire album with brilliant counter melodies interwoven with lingering arrangements by Nelson Riddle, Pete Rugolo and Dave Cavanaugh...Nat's backup musicians are John Collins on guitar, Charlie Harris on bass and Lee Young on drums with Antonio Morelli conducting the Orchestra....featuring Nat's original style are simply captivating...Nat sings this from the heart and you're loving it...throughout the evening sample this with your favorite partner...as Nat completely takes charge savoring wonderful memories of the good times...now we can relive the songs that gave us so much pleasure...remember Nat was with us for such a short time...just sit back, give a listen and enjoy the songs we've come to love over these past plus sixty years...gotta love it!

Nat was awarded a posthumous plaque to the Rock 'N' Roll Hall of Fame, naming him one of the major early influences on rock 'n' roll...they'll never be another pass this way again...thank you Captiol for this release of Nat "King" Cole for the decades of music that followed...his songs will remain with us always and forever...just the way we like 'em!

Total Time: 49:00 on 14 Tracks ~ Capitol 38694 ~ (8/13/2002)"

Great surprise to see in store again

Gregory | La. | 09/06/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Of ALL the "live LPs" in my collection , I have wanted three to be transfered to cd the most .
#1)Vikki Carr, #2)Nat King Cole, and #3)Natalie Cole . The second most wanted was released first!
To hear BALERINA , FUNNY , I WISH YOU LOVE , WHERE OR WHEN , MISS OTIS REGRETS and the great rarely heard MR COLE WONT ROCK AND ROLL in a live setting are the best. Mr. Cole had a way of making every ear in a room , feel he was singing just for it . This cd proves it .
Crisp clear transfer on the sound will astound you and will make you think this was recorded last week .
The sounds of his voice are so wonderful and enchanting I ordered the two dvds I found had been released also .
Dont miss out, get this cd today !!!
Maybe the two others will be released on cd.....soon!"

GOOD AND LEGENDARY!!! GO, NAT!!

USA | USA | 10/08/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"IT WAS FAIRLY BLIND FAITH THAT CAUSED ME TO BUY THIS CD. I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN EXPOSED TO NAT KING COLE'S MUSIC THRU MY MOM AND GRANDMOTHER. I WONDERED WHAT A LIVE RECORDING OF NAT'S WOULD SOUND LIKE AND I AM VERY HAPPY I PURCHASED THIS CD.

MY FAVORTIE TRACK IS 'MR. COLE WON'T ROCK & ROLL'. IT IS HILARIOUS TO HEAR 'MONA LISA' & 'NATURE BOY' SANG WITH A 50'S-60'S ROCK BEAT:) THE AUDIENCE IS LOVING EVERY MOMENT OF IT TOO!!!

VERY GOOD THAT SOMEONE THOUGHT TO REISSUE THIS CD FOR THOSE OF US WHO ENJOY THE MUSIC OF OUR PARENTS ERA. ITS A GOOD CD!!"

NAT KING COLE TAKES ON VEGAS

Giovanni | Chicago, IL | 02/26/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"One of the few remaining albums that hadn't been released on CD by Nat "King" Cole has finally arrived and the wait was worth it. Doubters sneered at Nat's going back to doing live shows around this period, considering his Trio days were far behind him now and situations didn't particularly call for it, but once again, the doubters were wrong, and Nat's warm personality, easy vocal style, and superb piano playing came across just as smooth as it did in those millions of records sold. Backed by Las Vegas' premier bandleader Antonio Morelli, and with superb charts to boot, Nat wowed 'em again while rattling off some of his favorites (BALLERINA and FUNNY) and treated the audience, mostly fellow performers and industry people (this show being recorded after Nat's earlier performances) to one-timers not laid down on wax for studio projects (sadly) like the hauntingly lovely French chanson, I WISH YOU LOVE, the cheeky and swingin' THE CONTINENTAL and the rip-roarin' Rodgers & Hart evergreen THOU SWELL. Some real rarities here include the difficult to sing yet poignant tale from the immortal Cole Porter, MISS OTIS REGRETS, done stylishly by Nat, equipped with a rich, warm and haunting arrangement by Nelson Riddle. An unusual selection might appear to be the Oklahoma song THE SURREY WITH THE FRINGE ON THE TOP, but Nat takes the reins and drives this home with a swingin' arrangement and makes it work as if it was written especially for him, a great special bridge and ending built in helps Nat make this number shine. Nat switches from using his chops to chopsticks, per se, midway through the program with another tip of the hat to Rodgers & Hart, when he and the orchestra put across the classic WHERE OR WHEN, where he's featured on the ivories, which he was pretty good at before he became one of the world's best and most beloved vocalists. This track should be more than enough incentive to buy this CD, but two more novelties included here put it over the top: First off, JOE TURNER'S BLUES finds Nat in a relaxed but swingin' groove unparalleled anywhere else in the program. Finally, the magnum opus here, if you will, MR. COLE WON'T ROCK 'N ROLL, a nearly eight minute excursion that pokes fun at the recent upheaval in popular music of the time, sweetened with bits and pieces of Nat's earlier hits. This one has to be heard to be appreciated. Capitol/Blue Note included two previously unreleased studio tracks that don't necessarily fit here, but are well worth the listening to, since, as the liner notes indicate, they were some of the last of Nat's piano - only sides recorded before his most untimely death."

What's not to like about Nat's only on-stage recording???

Paul Tognetti | Cranston, RI USA | 11/10/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have often remarked that Nat King Cole was incapable of making a bad record. So when I happened upon "Nat King Cole At The Sands" I thought I'd put my theory to the test. I was unfamiliar with a majority of the tunes from this "live" 1960 concert performance. And to say the least the master did not disappoint!

Listening to "At The Sands" reminded me of just how warm and wonderful a performer the late Nat King Cole was. He is one of a handful of artists I could listen to for hours at a time. His fans were estatic when Capitol finally released this album on CD back in 2002. For here was a "live" performance that showcased the many talents of this American icon.

Of course, everyone loves the opening track on this disc, his 1957 hit "Ballerina". But there are many more gems for you to discover here. Of the many tunes I was previously unfamiliar with I particularly enjoyed "I Wish You Love", a tune imported from France and Cole Porter's delightful ditty "Miss Otis Regrets (She's Unable To Lunch Today)". Fans of jazz and the King Cole Trio are sure to enjoy the three instrumentals on this disc that include the Rodgers and Hart standard "Where Or When" and the Duke Ellington classic "In A Mellow Tone". Nat was never better at the piano!!! And for a complete change of pace check out the rousing "Joe Turner Blues". Nat managed to whip his audience into quite a frenzy with that number! Finally, don't miss the wild and wonderful novely number "Mr. Cole Won't Rock & Roll." Lasting nearly 8 full minutes this selection is sure to put a smile on your face.

Unlike some of the other Nat King Cole reissues "At The Sands" has been lovingly remastered for your listening enjoyment. The accompanying 12 page booklet enchances your enjoyment of this memorable performance by one of this country's all time greats. If you are at all interested I would snap this one up now because the reality is that selections like this one are often available for a limited time and then discontinued without notice. Very highly recommended!!!!"

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