Nat King Cole: Nat King Cole Sings - George Shearing Plays CD Track Listing

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Nat King Cole Nat King Cole Sings - George Shearing Plays (1962)
Originally Released 1962\nCD Edition Released 1987\nRemastered CD Edition Released August 1, 2000\n\nAMG EXPERT REVIEW: Although it would have been interesting to hear Nat Cole play some piano and perhaps accompany a vocal by George Shearing instead of exclusively the other way around, this session was a big success. Cole is in prime form on such songs as "September Song," "Pick Yourself Up," and "Serenata." Shearing's accompaniment is tasteful and lightly swinging, and the string arrangements help to accentuate the romantic moods. This CD adds three "new" selections from the same sessions to the original program. -- Scott Yanow \n\nAmazon.com Editorial Review\nIt would be difficult to think of a more perfectly matched pair than this. Shearing and Cole had so much in common--both were brilliant pianists, both had combined good jazz with popular success. They were even born in the same year. Nat Cole's velvet voice sounds even better with the rhythmic spice of Shearing's quintet, plus strings and percussion. The numbers on this 1961 album are all superb examples of classic American song, by such composers as Duke Ellington, Jerome Kern, and Matt Dennis. Each one is given a fresh and original treatment by arranger Ralph Carmichael. One of the tracks, "Let There Be Love," went on to become a hit single. The overall impression is of emotional warmth beneath a cool, elegant surface. Not surprisingly, Shearing still cherishes this album as one of his favorites in a long career. All that plus three bonus tracks. Unmissable. --Dave Gelly \n\nAmazon.com Customer Review\nFrom the Oyster comes the Pearl, or, in this case, Pearls, October 13, 2004\nReviewer: Mark E. Farrington (Albany, NY)\nA poor soul, stuck in this post-9/11 era of ours, might be forgiven, after listening to this impossibly beautiful disc, for thinking of a lost time of breezy, assured prosperity, new jet travel, Jack & Jackie in the White House, and a feeling of "We've got all the time in the world to enjoy these vouschsafed pleasures...Come on in and have at it." \n\nAnd of course, it wasn't so simple: even in his exclusive Hancock Park home, Nat & his family had to deal with racism, IRS harrassment and other controversies... And Geroge Shearing's life, while fulfilling, has hardly been easy, being blind... Still, from the oyster comes the pearl- in this case, 15 pearls (or tracks). \n\nOften the "Shearing Quintet Sound" gets imitated and sounds, well, superficial and "cocktail-y." But in the hands of its creator, this style NEVER sounds like a surface-level bluff; it's beauty, borne of real-life struggle... And after THAT, one can relax, let it unfold and "pleasure" us with its surprises. One of those surprises: beholding the seemingly predictable voicings of melodic phrases that you KNOW are coming; when your "prediction" is fulfilled, you get not only a "logical satisfaction" but a surprise "pleasure hit." Case in point: the instrumental bridge to "Azure-Te." You "know" what's coming, but the FEELING, regardless of how many times you play this track, is a fresh surprise. It has to do with style, discipline and empathy- applied to collective phrasing from one musical "clause" to the next. \n\nAnd speaking of instrumental bridges, just listen to those in "Pick Yourself Up" (track 2) and "Serenata" (track 9); kaleidoscopically unexpected harmonic colors in a relaxed groove- propelled by Shearing and Shelly Manne's drums. \n\nNot to mention Nat's seemingly loose but potent, jazz-inflected delivery of words and music ("I Got It Bad," "Azure-Te, "A Beautiful Friendship"). \n\nThen, see for yourself if track 8, "Fly Me To The Moon," isn't the ultimate in sheer, sensual seduction. (Indeed, to get anything within even hailing distance of this track, we've had to wait- for over 40 years ! - for Michael Bublee's "Put Your Head on My Shoulder." Use BOTH with caution...) \n\nAnd for autumnal tang, "September Song," and "Lost April" with its lament over April's "numbered days" ("...so when they passed/Love couldn't last..."), are worthy jazz/pop equivalents of the andante in Mozart's 39th Symphony. Which makes one realize that, although an album like this seems to flow out of some kind of eternal "spring" from which several MORE could have come... yet, this musical partnership never happened again. Still, there's so much variety of mood, texture and tempo, within this one album, that it nearly "makes a world of its own," and envelopes you in a feeling of such well-being that the autumnal regrets ("the sand particles") become pearls. So, in the end, no regrets: just beautiful collaborative music, in a class of its own. Life is too short NOT to have music like this on hand. \n\nAmazon.com Customer Review\nCole + Shearing = PERFECTION!!!, September 12, 2000\nReviewer: The Fancy One "blackprincess" (New York, NY) \nAs I listened to this CD, in the back of my mind I kept wishing that it were Nat King Cole playing such excellent jazz piano. He certainly was capable. But his career as a singer took off like a jet, and his turns as a musician became fewer and fewer. However, Cole had a reputation for trying new things and liked collaborating with different artists to come up with something fresh and interesting. This CD is just one of the rewards of Cole's versatility. \n\nGeorge Shearing is an excellent jazz pianist that has a style amazingly similar to Nat Cole's. And it's no wonder -- they both have credited ivory tinklers Earl Hines, Art Tatum and Teddy Wilson as their influences. Shearing and his Quintet (especially Emil Richards on vibes) bring the songs here to life with their intimate, jazzy and bluesy nuances...a perfect background for Cole's smoky baritone. Nat swings and seduces you on every irresistable track, and even gets on the Latin tip ("The Game Of Love"). I am totally feeling these particular tracks: "September Song," "Beautiful Friendship," "Pick Yourself Up," "Azure-Te," "Fly Me To The Moon", "Serenata", "There's A Lull In My Life" and "I Got It Bad." Cole also revisits a couple of tunes he originally did with the King Cole Trio, "Lost April" and "I'm Lost." But hands down, the best track on this CD has GOT to be "Let There Be Love"!! It is the epitome of COOL. It is no wonder that this song became so popular when Nat did it in 1962, that it became a permanent part of his act. \n\nThese tracks sound just as fresh and new as if they were recorded yesterday! I highly recommend NAT "KING" COLE SINGS/GEORGE SHEARING PLAYS for anyone who has an appreciation for good music! So whatcha waiting for? Get it NOW! You will not be sorry.\n\nHalf.com Album Credits\nEmil Richards, Contributing Artist\nShelly Manne, Contributing Artist\n\n\nAlbum Notes\nThis edition of NAT "KING" COLE SINGS/GEORGE SHEARING PLAYS contains three bonus tracks from the same recording sessions which did not appear on the original album.\n\nPersonnel: Nat Cole (vocals); Ralph Carmichael (conductor); Al Hendrickson (guitar); Paul Horn, Wilbur Schwartz, Justin Gordon (flute, piccolo); Lloyd Ulyate (trombone); George Shearing (piano); Emil Richards (vibraphone); Al McKibbon (bass); Shelly Manne (drums); Carlos Vidal (congas); Nick Martinez, Luis Miranda (percussion).\n\nProducer: Lee Gillette, Tom Morgan.\nReissue producer: Michael Cuscuna.\n\nRecorded at Capitol Studios, Los Angeles, California from December 19-22, 1961. Includes liner notes by Pete Welding.\n\nDigitally remastered by Ron McMaster.\n\nThis 1961 recording is a wonderful collaboration between two jazz titans. In fact, it's a shame singer Nat "King" Cole and pianist George Shearing didn't make more albums together. Inviting Shearing to play on this record is an example of Cole's musical selflessness. (A noted pianist himself, Cole might have been insulted by Capitol's suggestion to work with Shearing. Thankfully, history proved otherwise.)\n\nComprised of 12 tracks plus three bonus takes, NAT "KING" COLE SINGS/GEORGE SHEARING PLAYS combines the intimacy of a piano quartet with the immense sound of a string orchestra. A gentle, swaying "September Song" and a surprisingly subdued "I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)" are two fine examples of the record's relaxed mood. Cole and Shearing's interpretation of "Fly Me to the Moon" is especially stirring; performed as a slow ballad, Bart Howard's melody is captured in all its natural beauty on this rendition like never before. For fans of Cole and/or Shearing, this is a must-have disc.
This jazz cd contains 15 tracks and runs 47min 4sec.
Freedb: c60b060f

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