NAT "KING" COLE - Year by Year - Part 2

At the website, a discography for 1949 has been posted. Not news if you have the Mosaic set. Any additions, corrections, suggestions etc welcome as always.

Thanks DJ & Dale, yeah those Tangerine songs are delightful and hold together real well. If anything some work better in the company of the whole. It strikes me as a bit like Tell Me All About Yourself (better, if anything) in having a fairly persistant lively, swingy feel. Incredible few were issued at all, and the others kind of released "also ran." Goes to show, I guess, how amazing his body of work is that they could let stuff like that go.

When I make a "mix tape" or playlist for fun, it's usually just that. With this Tangerine idea though, that's one I'd actually consider releasing as an album were I in such a position to do so. "Better late than never" and all that. Y'know, perhaps I could put that "album" up at the website, say under "articles," as a sort of side line for fun.

Ben, as for favs in directors and lit. It may sound odd, especially from anyone with half a mind to dabble in writing, but I tend not to read a lot and when I do, to take any work I read "on its own" and try not to pick favorites among authors. Also I'm more given to some science fiction (C. J. Cherryh springs to mind). I like some classics too, there's a kind of thread among some of it I like to grab (like ol' Washington Irving). A lot of great writing unfortunately looses me quick. Maybe there's a bit to that which was so intrigued to hear Nat, despite being among the vocal greats, had virtually no vocal records in the early '50s save the odd (but great) Armstrong. Really odd that way, and sorry about that as it makes conversation on the subject a bit sketchy!

Directors are tough too, from Nat's time. The studio system dominated, with kinds of genre, "house" and star traits usually more overt than director style. That's not to say we don't have our own conformist pressures now of course. Hitchcock was something of an analomy. Ford. Possibly Minnelli... not many really. There are few of Hitch's I've seen that I've not enjoyed, so he is on the list anyway. Famously, from Japan there's Kurosawa, and I've loved all his classics I've seen. Hidden Fortress and all that. Red Beard (not the pirate, me hardy) is one from Kurosawa that many don't seem to have seen that's a very good film.

 

We've arrived in 1957!

Right, now everyone into the US, buy a '57 Chevy (Nomad model for the fam Ben) or Cadillac, MacIntosh gear, a few Fairchild compressors with a few trunk loads of tubes for 'em (you'll make a few dimes on those later!), shares in Disney (then still led by its founder), a Frigidaire 'fridge that'll last oh 100 years, Capitol original pressings (mostly west coast preferably), take in China Gate, save Capitol's disc masters and outtakes and deliver 'em to Micheal Cuscuna around 1990, do about a thousand other things I'm overlooking at the moment, grab some real Coca-Cola and meet me at a diner on Route 66! I'll be there in last years' Thunderbird. Doctor Who?

Oh where are we. 2008 and only MacIntosh is what it used to be. Shucks. Ah but Nat's music is still sublime and waiting for us to play it...

When 1957 started, Capitol Records was still just that. Capitol Records. It had been founded 15 years before by three guys (a record store owner, a songwriter and cash from a movie producer). The founders already had one act in mind: they hired the Nat King Cole Trio almost immediately and Nat's success played one of (if not the) biggest role in putting the company on the proverbial big-time map. By 1957 Capitol was a gigantic "coast to coast" operation and had just moved its headquarters and primary studio to its distinctive new (now-landmark) Capitol Tower in 1956.

But during 1957, Capitol Records was purchased by EMI. From here it might seem a bit strange it was sold, at least at that point, but it's always been a complex business and it's hard to say why things went as it did. Regardless of why, the change in ownership appears to have had remarkably little effect upon the rest of Nat's career. The changes going on there would have its effects upon many others however, and arguably was the beginning of the end for Capitol's classic pop "golden age," along with a certain new music style and cultural phenomena still catching on during 1957...

23. When Rock and Roll come to Trinidad

Uh oh. Rock and Roll come to Capitol Tower. It turn up looking a little pale mahn. It got a bad hang over. Seems it was about as well understood by some of our good folks at the studio as... say, music from Trinidad. So here we are, with a vaguely themed collection of presumed possibilities set to music vaguely themed to presumed rock and roll and calypso. One might imagine it being pitched to Harry Belafonte, and one might imagine they got the look they deserved. But it's no discredit to say that Nat might have been more generously disposed and game if it were all in fun. Oversimplified, even stereotypical fluff that comes off more like a mambo novelty. If taken as one, it's fun; one mustn't take it any deeper. They didn't.

24. China Gate

Already covered in the earlier thread. A unique and beautiful song IMH that more than makes up for artistic slightness of the prior number. It's another example, I feel, that effectively features some of the strengths of the classic pop song: great melody (with time/beat in service of a melodic structure, not visa versa as often may be the case in more recent popular styles) working with generally simple lyric to be at once easily understandable in musical and emotional terms, potent in subject and beautiful in form. Nat and a Chinese erhu (aka nanhu iirc) feature almost in spotlight against a spare, even dark backdrop. Nat sings an entreating lyric, the highlight of which to Dale and myself alike is the verse "Bowl of rice / bitter tea / is this all the good earth has to offer me?" (and not just because I'm fond of tea!) It's a unique and haunting entry in Nat's vast catalog.

(Footnote: "the good earth" is also a reference to a book of that title, then a very widely known work unusual in Western literature at the time in being a story concerning pre-revolutionary Chinese life; was "adapted" into a film in '37).

disc 4
25. Blue Moon
26. With You on My Mind
27. Don't Try
disc 5
01. Send For Me
02. Let's Make More Love (I Want Your Love)

Uh oh. Rock and Roll come back. Not a comet in sight, named Haley or otherwise. At least they're trying to "get it" here, if still in more of a doo-wop sensibility that they'd attempted before in If I May and a few others. There's a sax, electric guitar, drums, doo-wop-ish vocal group and suitable (mono) recording technique. The ridiculously over-qualified Trio is on their instruments and likewise Billy May is on hand to "arrange" (the furnishings? I dunno). But things are well set.

Whether the impetus for this session came from Capitol executives, marketing folks, A&R folks perhaps including the producer or Nat himself, I've no idea. But we're all here, so let's do it. Doo waaaaah!

The standard Blue Moon was revived many times, including as a doo-wop styled rock and roll version, the most popular of which was a manic tear through it by The Marcells. Nat's just too good of a singer at ballads not to be a bit too big for the ill-fitting early rock and roll style arrangement being tried here, but as a result it at least comes off well above the worst they'd end up with. Still they opted not to issue it, wisely selecting their next effort.

With You On My Mind comes off better. Nat's vocal, and how he sinks into the descending phrases, can stick with one, helping to make it memorable, or at least a little "catchy." He also did this one on TV and perhaps live. They might've had some feeling it'd be a hit record, and maybe it did ok, I'm not sure. It's a good B-side to its A-side of Send For Me.

Don't Try would've been good advice, had they taken it. Fortunately they didn't try releasing it.

Wah wah wah wah!

Send For Me proved the hit of the session and a hit as a single. For one thing, they hit on a musical idea they can work with. It's a kind of call-and-response of two notes, followed by two down, followed by a concluding more insistent trio. They can slide from two or three in any phrase, ascending or descending... simple, certainly, even crude, but it's something these more jazz oriented folks can make rock. Nat can also latch on more with his knack for working well on-the-beat lending itself to the stop-start patterns and beat here. "You'll never want any other," it has him assuring, and in this song it can be said with confidence. All in all it comes over fairly persuasive and catchy, pretty much all anyone was likely to be hoping for. Send For Me would even by re-recorded for stereo years later (even though I have no idea why).

Let's Make More Love (I Want Your Love), the next song urges, with a lusty (lecherous?) bent. Send for this guy and you'd better have that hotel for the whole weekend. Yet it's primitive and vigorous enough to work up a sweat (either that or you're bustin' a gut, I don't know). Nat and the swingin' vocal group cats The Herman McCoy Boys (what come down from the hills to the big city to rock and to roll, for sure-in') trade roles for a bit in the "break" to good effect. If these comments are a tad coarse, I'm not sure they'd not agree that were apt. It's pretty well done for what it is, actually, but once done with it they were probably not too fired to make more. Like a few of the others from this session, Capitol left this track unreleased, understandably this time.

One may feel the session was a credible attempt that resulted in dire rock or that they succeeded in at least one good record to show the current pop/rock'n'roll singles market. Either way it's a very clear indicator that the times were a-changin' for the elegant, finely crafted classic pop Nat had scored hit after hit after hit with earlier in the decade. Pretty early on, we find Nat and company working on feeling out some new approaches to try and stay on top of the game. My hunch is that Capitol and all involved were likely pleased with this effort.

 

Nat at the piano

Excerpt from The Oxford Companion To Jazz, 2000. In a chapter called the Pianists of the 1940s and 1950s written by Dick Katz. An appreciation by a fellow jazz pianist.

 

Wow--another fab essay by apileocole. I agree with everything you said, and you say it so well. You called the dogs for what they are--dogs. But I still kind of like them even if I cringe while listening to them. I guess my favorite of the dogs is Blue Moon. Send for Me is quite good, as you say.

Thanks for the Chevy. Uber cool. In the 90s we owned a Chevy Caprice. It wasn't a classic though, it was from 1977. Even though it was the first of the "downsized" cars it was still a monster. Got c. 12 mpg max. That must mean that the earlier generation, which was even bigger, got something like 9 mpg probably.

 

See today's Steve Hoffman post in another thread below about how echo was used at Capitol and how he used it for his remixes of Nat King Cole, Peggy Lee, and Frank Sinatra, along with more info on the DCC Love is the Thing.

Echo at Capitol...
.

 

Thanks kindly, it's great to share our thoughts on all this. Personally I'm apt to skip Don't Try but the others can be fun in an early r'n'r/doo-wop frame of mind and I've enjoyed them too. One can even enjoy most of their "clunkers" which certainly can't be said of all that many artists.

Condolences on the Caprice. I have a very low opinion of post-1972 to pre-late-'80s cars from almost all makers. Compared to a '57 Chevy, that '77 Caprice was like a cheap retro revival of classic pop - same badge, only worse in every way. Including the same or worse fuel economy than a '57 while producing less power. And utterly banal style. My grandpa had a '58 Impala for many years. That was a magnificent car. It was bigger & heavier than a '57 Chevy yet still bettered 12mpg. The best allies the Japanese makes could possibly have had in establishing massive success in the US market of the '70s were the 3 remaining US automakers. Obviously I'm very proud of them.

Anyhow I'm a bit under the weather the past few days. Virus. Sore throat etc. Just been resting a lot, having a lot of chicken soup, half-watching a load of dvds, poking into a few threads hereabouts and transcribing info to the discography at my site. Besides 1950-1954, it now has 1938, 1939, 1947, 1948 and 1949 and I'm plugging at 1946. While those with the Mosaic, Bear, Music & Arts, Vintage Jazz sets (...and others) have the years before and after 1950-1954 pretty much covered, I figure others might find it handy and it's nice to have such a reference around online in these here mod'rn times.

 

Agreed. The 77 Caprice was a bland and unimpressive car in pretty much every way. I think Detroit missed something by not having Nat pitch cars. Imagine him pitching a T-Bird or Lincoln, or regular Ford for his show in 1957. That would have been great. But they didn't do it.

Sorry you're not feeling well. Hope you recover soon. What DVDs are you watching? I've been watching the show MAD MEN on DVD. No NKC yet on the soundtrack that I've heard, much to my disappointment, but it sure would fit in well several places. Mad Men is a good show.

And while we're off topic, what do you think about this guy, Bryn Christopher singing a song called The Quest which was used in last season's finale of Grey's Anatomy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OaxUHbxQzTM

 

an interesting story Hoffman conveyed in this thread...

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=161819

post #5

Ever hear the ORIGINAL two-track Nat "King" Cole "LOVE IS THE THING" open reel? The 1957 stereo mix totally rules, much nicer than what came a few years later. Totally different mix than the stereo LP and the stereo four-track open reel. That first "binaural" mix (on the two-track open reel) is full range and fully dynamic, almost like the DCC remix I did. This tape was DESTROYED when they did the remix a year or so later. THAT newer mix (the one on the LP and four-track open reel) is noticeably muted in spots, dynamically compressed and filtered. Probably did that for cutting reasons and the open reel just followed along. A shame. If I had found that ORIGINAL binaural mix I would not have had to remix the album for the DCC.

wow, would love to hear this....

 

A friend of mine in the northwest was in a thrift shop recently and found a nice copy of the program for Nat's touring production of "Sights And Sounds." It's an interesting piece, and includes, for some reason, a lot of baseball-oriented photos of Nat.

Here are a few of them, along with the program cover...

 

Here are a few more photos from the "Sights And Sounds" program.

The picture of Nat and JFK evokes a lot of emotions ... Sad to think that both of these young men would be gone just a few years after the picture was taken.

The photo of Ralph Carmichael was nice to see, as I don't think I've ever seen a photo of him before. (Surely there are some photos of Ralph in the Bear Family books, and I just missed them?)

 

Wondering whether any Nat fans here have purchased the new Natalie Cole album released last week, "Still Unforgettable." I downloaded the album's obligatory "virtual duet" between dad and daughter, "Walkin' My Baby Back Home" and was pretty impressed. Definitely worth the 99-cent download from iTunes.

In fact, I also downloaded the video to the song (andother $1.99), but the video is just a bit disturbing as it features an actor, in silhouette, "playing" Nat. But the guy is doing all these arm-waving, smooth-jazz dance moves that are very uncharacteristic of Nat's more refined stage mannerisms. But, as I said, the musical side of the performance is quite nice...

I think this makes four "virtual duets" by Natalie and Nat: "Unforgettable," "When I Fall In Love," "The Christmas Song" and now "Walkin' My Baby Back Home."

Too bad their one REAL performance together, "Ain't She Sweet," doesn't get much notice!

 

I agree with you about the actual duet. Not too bad, certainly listenable. The video did kind of bother me bit. Maybe it would have been a little bit less creepy if 'Nat' wasn't so over the top.

Here's the video on youtube.

 

Thanks for posting the pix, Clark. I've got this program as well. It probably dates from the summer of 1961 (maybe 1962) when he was appearing at The Greek in Los Angeles. You can't really tell from this image, but in the photo with Willy Mays Nat is holding a copy of his then new release "Goodnight Little Leaguer" b/w "The First Baseball Game."

We did get a few shots of Ralph in the Bear book...check the section for the L-O-V-E album and you'll see him.

 

There are various accounts of the signing of the King Cole Trio to Capitol records. Both Ella Mae Morse and Lionel Hampton want to take some credit, but their claims run up against other versions.

Ella Mae Morse has a variation on the signing of the Trio. This is from the booklet to the Bear 4CD set Ella Mae Morse in 1997.



Ella Mae claims, in fact, that it was she who directed Johnny Mercer and Glen Wallichs to Nat King Cole in 1943. She says she convinced them to go to the club with her to hear the Trio. However she says Mercer and Wallichs had never heard them before, when some of the biographies say that isn’t so. “Johnny Mercer and Glen Wallichs had a deal. If one of them liked an artist and the other one didn’t, they would go ahead and hire the artist. And Glen says, ‘Well, I don’t know.’ And Johnny says, ‘I do, We like him. We’ll sign him.’ That’s the way they worked.”

Lionel Hampton in his autobiography says “…I went and told one of the founders, a guy who owned a record store called Music City, about Nat. The trio was playing at the Radio Bar, about half a block away, and I told the guy, whose name was Glen Wallichs, that he should go and hear Nat. He wasn’t enthusiastic, but they recorded Nat singing his song “Straighten Up and Fly Right,” mostly to appease me.”



Maria Cole says in her book that Nat and Glen Wallichs became friends when Nat came to play at the Music City store opening in 1940.

James Haskins says Johnny Mercer approached Nat with the idea of recording for Capitol.

Leslie Gourse says that Dave Dexter recalls that someone came in and offered to sell the masters to All for You and Vom, Vim, Veedle. Dexter went to Wallichs and Wallichs purchased them. “When All for You was released on the Capitol label and climbed onto the charts, Capitol asked Carlos to sign Nat to a contract in 1943.” “…In a Down Beat interview, Nat confirmed the story of how the trio went to Capitol. ‘One night at the 331 club in late ‘43 it was, Johnny Mercer and Glen Wallichs came in …and asked if I’d be interested in recording for them.’”

Daniel Epstein recounts the purchase the All For You masters and that Mercer had been a longtime trio enthusiast. “In fact he was one of the first fans to hail Nat’s talent at Jim Otto’s in 1938...” Epstein says that after All For You went on the charts, Capitol wanted to sign the Trio. “Carlos closed the deal in September.”

The accounts in the books by Epstein and Gourse sound the most reasonable to me.

 

AUTUMN LEAVES, Nat King Cole, and James Bond

It's that time again and I just discovered this online at:
http://www.steynonline.com/content/view/1373/28/

 

thank you Dale for such a great read!

 

Fine article, Mark Steyn. Thanks for sharing that find, Dale.

 

Blue Moon

May 14, 1957
Disc 4
25. Blue Moon
26. With You on My Mind
27. Don't Try
Disc 5
01. Send For Me
02. Let's Make More Love (I Want Your Love)

I can see why they released Send For Me, it had all the elements of a hit.
I like it except when I have heard it too many times.

Ben, I'm with you on sort of liking Blue Moon. It is sort of a guilty pleasure. Seriously, I think they made a mistake in not releasing it. The public has liked it when Mel Torme, Elvis, and the Marcels have done it.
And Nat's version holds my interest longer than the versions above.

Nat is spreading some elemental joy with that song I think. It is a tight well-executed arrangement. And having Plas Johnson (the Pink Panther) wailing in the interlude with the singers bopping in harmony behind him is fun.

Mel Torme got in trouble with the composer for his movie version.

From a Mel Torme obituary in The Scotsman, 1999.

Too bad Richard Rodgers couldn't have heard Nat's version. Heh.

 

Blue Moon is such a great tune...my favorite version of this though is not very easy to come across. the Tony Bennett version, which I'd first heard on a b-side to a single...also on the album "Long Ago...and Far Away"...this album never put out on cd and one of the early one's he tends to disown i think which is why its not out. a nice batch of tunes, not the most amazing of arrangements, but a nice solid listen IMO... Still his Blue Moon is one to know by Mr. Bennett....easy to find on vinyl, i've digitized a pretty nice copy for myself...it just sends me somewhere, his Blue Moon....

 

I will keep an eye out for a copy of the Bennett version, thanks. When I looked for a copy I saw a copy of the cover. Is that Frank DeVol, the Nature Boy arranger, listed as the conductor? I could barely read the print.

 

Early Capitol albums -- Nat King Cole

I found a great source for an early Capitol albums discography. The 78rpm and 10" LP albums list I assembled comes from the discography site, Both Sides Now Publications, used by permission. Credits below.

78-rpm Album Sets

A8........ The King Cole Trio [1945] 78rpm. 4-record set. Reissued as BC-8

BD-29..... The King Cole Trio, Vol. 2 [1946]

CC-59..... The King Cole Trio, Vol. 3 [1947]

DC-89..... King Cole For Kids

CC-135..... King Cole At The Piano [1949]

CC-139..... King Cole Trio, Vol. 4 [1949]

10" LPs

H-156..... Nat King Cole At The Piano [1950]

H-177..... King Cole Trio, Vol. 4 [1950]
(Also H-177 [195?] Alternate cover, based on the covers of the 8000 Telefunken Classical series.)

H/L-213..... Harvest of Hits - Nat King Cole [1950]
(The L prefix was used occasionally)

H-220..... King Cole Trio, Vol. 1 [1950]

H-3070.... King Cole For Kids [1951]
(from the 3000 Children's Series)

H/L-332..... Penthouse Serenade [1952]

H-357..... Unforgettable [1952]

H-9110..... Nat King Cole's 8 Top Pops [1952]
(from the 9100 "Top Hits" Series"

H/L-420..... Nat King Cole Sings For Two In Love [1953]​

These above listings are from a Capitol Album Discography " under construction", by Randy Watts, Mike Callahan, David Edwards, and Patrice Eyries, posted 3-08-08. Copyright by Mike Callahan.

Links:
Capitol label, Part 1 Capitol albums 1-149 (78rpm albums, 1944-1949)

Capitol label, Part 2 Capitol albums/EPs 150-299 (1949-1951)

Capitol label, Part 3 Capitol albums/EPs 300-449 (1951-1953)

Capitol label, Part 4 Capitol Albums/EPs 450-600 (1953-1955)

Capitol label, Part 5 Miscellaneous Early Series: 2000, 3000, 4000, 8000, 9000, 9100

What a great list. There are thumbnail shots of album covers for some of the albums. I even saw a 1946 album by Buddy Cole called Piano Cocktails. Some albums are not identified yet. These Discographies are part of the Both Sides Now Publications website. LP discographies are complete for most labels except for the remaining majors, Capitol, Columbia, Decca, and RCA. They say "a few small pieces of Columbia and Capitol [are posted]. The plan is to post the other majors 'eventually'."

Thank you, thank you.

 

Nat King Cole's first 12" LPs by year

The following is my amateur list. I noticed that some of the online discographies for Nat seem to have varying dates for the 12" LPs, at least up to 1956.

By the way, on T-332, T-357, and T-420, one can't go by the numbers. They are not sequential numbers, but transfer numbers first used for 10" LPs then used again for 12" LPs with a new prefix. Sequencing is hard to know with new prefixes like W (was that a pricing prefix?) and special series like T-9110.

T-332..... Penthouse Serenade [1955]

(CCMusic says 1955, AllMusic says 1955, & New World Encyclopedia site says 1955. I can't find any Capitol reference. Notes always mumble something about additional tracks were recorded in 1955.)​

T-357..... Unforgettable [1955]

(EMI says P-circled 1955 & C-circled 1955 Capitol Records on the back cover of the 1987 LP from The Capitol Years. However, Collectors Choice says issued in 1954 on the back cover of their 2007 reissue.)​

T-420..... Nat King Cole Sings For Two In Love [1955]

W-514..... 10th Anniversary [1955]

T-591..... King Cole Trio Vocal Classics [1955]

T-592..... King Cole Trio Instrumental Classics [1955]

T-9110.... Top Pops [1955]

T-680..... Ballads of the Day [1956]

W-689..... The Piano Style of Nat King Cole [1956]

(EMI says P-circled 1956 & C-circled 1956 on the back cover of the 1987 LP.)​

T-870..... This is Nat King Cole [1957]

Has anyone collected more information on any of these for the year they were issued?

 

Dale,

LPs with the W prefix were $1 more than those with the T. Additionally, only a few select Capitol artists had the W: Cole, Sinatra, Gleason, Kenton - perhaps a few others, but then only in rare circumstances. When Cole did get the T prefix it was typically only for a singles collection such as This is NKC or Ballads of the Day.

 

you know, I dont recall off the top of my head, but I'll pull it out later and let you know.

I found this online...

Tony Bennett (ldr), Ray Ellis (con, a), Ralph Sharon (a), Leon Cohen (r), Phil Bodner (as, ts, cl), Romeo Penque (as, cl), Danny Banks (bar), Billy Butterfield, Mel Davis, Doc Severinsen (t), Larry Altpeter, Urbie Green, D. Jett (tb), Al Caiola, William Mure, E. O'Connor, Bucky Pizzarelli (g), Frank Carroll (b), Moe Weschler (p), Terry Snyder (d), Tony Bennett (v)
a. CO 57973 (I Never Felt More) Like Falling In Love (Unknown)
Columbia 45: 4-41032 (1957)
b. CO 57974 I Am - 02:18 (Unknown)
Columbia 45: 4-40965 (1957)
Columbia 45: 4-41770 (1960)
Columbia LP 12": CL 1535 - More Tony's Greatest Hits (1960)
Columbia LP 12": CS 8335 - More Tony's Greatest Hits (1960)
c. CO 57975 In The Middle Of An Island - 02:18 (Unknown)
Columbia 45: 4-40965 (1957)
Columbia LP 12": CL 1229 - Greatest Hits (1958)
Columbia LP 12": CS 8652 - Tony's Greatest Hits (1958)
Columbia CD: SOY21552 - The Good Life
d. CO 57976 Blue Moon - 02:25 (Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers)
Columbia 45: 4-41298 (1958)
Omit Ray Ellis (a) on d. Ralph Sharon (a) on d only.

in case that tells you anything, this song was also on a single....

 

It just arrived! The latest Nat King Cole release is here, delivery today from Acoustic Sounds.

2008 LP Nat King Cole PENTHOUSE SERENADE on Pure Pleasure vinyl from Steve Hoffman and Kevin Gray.

The sound is... well, I'm in heaven.

More later,

Dale