Customer Reviews

Nat King Cole Sings George Shearing Plays

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

As 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.

George 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.

These 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.

If you can only buy one Nat King Cole Album, it should be this one. The arrangements are great,Shearing compliments the Singer superbly, and I've never Heard Nat sound better. Every song is a gem. My favorites are "Let There Be Love", "There's A Lull In My LIfe", and his re-recording of "Lost April", which he did originally on the Original "Unforgettable" album. All in all, this is a real treat for Cole fans. As if all this wasn't enough, the sound engineering on this CD is magnificent. One can catch every Shearing nuiance, and the lush Bravura of Cole's Baritone. Years after his death, his fans are still numerous, and among them Engelbert, who does a tribute to him in his Act. Buy this one, you won't regret it.

A 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."

And 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).

Often 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.


And 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.

Not to mention Nat's seemingly loose but potent, jazz-inflected delivery of words
and music ("I Got It Bad," "Azure-Te, "A Beautiful Friendship").

Then, 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...)

And 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.

Though Cole and Shearing came from totally different backgrounds, their approach to music was similar, and in this remastered CD of the original 1961 album, the two find the perfect blend of sound and mood, allowing each to be himself while complementing the other. Cole is a crooner here, singing mellow, usually romantic ballads, and often sliding down the scale to his lower notes. Shearing plays quiet, inventive, and "tinkly" accompaniments in the background, without ever stepping on Cole's notes. Both are gentlemen of the old school who maintain a professionalism and formality which shows clear respect for the audience and for each other, while at the same time conveying a sense of controlled passion and warmth for the music.

Varying the sound from the easy swing beat of "Pick Yourself Up," in which Cole offers gentle advice, rather than an assertive recommendation, to the Latin beat of "Serenata" and "The Game of Love," the very slow ballads of "Lost April" and "I Got It Bad," and the less familiar songs of "There's a Lull in My Life" and "Don't Go," Cole uses phrasings which make overly familiar lyrics suddenly come alive. Shearing, keeping his piano accompaniments relatively simple, adds to the moods Cole creates, while Ralph Carmichael, with the String Choir, fills in the arrangements.

Three songs stand out: "Let There Be Love" begins with a bluesy piano intro and light percussion, until Cole and Shearing guide the song into somewhat louder and jazzier realms near the end. "Fly Me to the Moon" is sung much more slowly than usual, sounding more intimate and private as a result, as if Cole is singing directly to the audience in phrasings that sound conversational. "The Game of Love," with its syncopated Latin beat has a great piano solo by Shearing, flute-y piccolo sounds, and a more integrated accompaniment with the strings. Cole's phrasing is reminiscent of Belafonte here.

For listeners more accustomed to the minimalist percussion and piano accompaniments of modern jazz and ballad soloists, the inclusion of the heavy strings of the String Choir may sound a bit dated and a bit intrusive, an overly romantic (Nelson Riddle-like) element commonly included on recordings at that time. Cole and Shearing adapt to the strings beautifully, leaving room for them while keeping their own styles simple. With beautiful songs rendered even more beautiful by the partnership of Cole and Shearing, this is an album for the ages. n Mary Whipple

This excellent CD features the legendary Nat King Cole singing with George Shearing on piano. The Shearing quintet and string choir do wonders to enhance the natural beauty of these numbers. Just one listen and you'll be hooked!

The CD track set begins with "September Song." George on piano and the strings create a beautiful flourish for the beginning; and when Nat comes in this number positively takes flight! Nat's voice is in excellent form and he never misses a beat. Wow! "I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)" equals the beauty of "September Song" in every way; Nat King Cole delivers "I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)" without a superfluous note; and the musicians play flawlessly. The combination of Nat's vocals and the Shearing masters creates a singular beauty that shines remarkably brilliantly.

"Let There Be Love" start off with the piano and percussion playing an upbeat melody; when the strings come in they work wonders for the arrangement. Nat sings "Let There Be Love" with great sensitivity, too. "Fly Me To The Moon" features Nat singing a rarely heard opening verse; and "Everything Happens To Me" sports a sophisticated melody as Nat's character laments his bad luck in life. "Everything Happens To Me" is a great bonus track on this album.

Fortunately for us, there are two more bonus tracks on this CD. "The Game Of Love" gives us a love ballad with a great late1950s/early 1960s Latin melody; and "Guess I'll Go Back Home" creates a pensive mood with its sensitive use of piano, percussion, strings--not to mention the amazing vocals by Nat King Cole. "Guess I'll Go Back Home" makes a strong ending to this charming CD.

The liner notes include an extensive, informative essay by Pete Welding; and you get the song credits, too. The excellent artwork impresses me; and the reverse cover of the artwork includes a brief commentary by George Shearing himself.

At the end of the day, Nat King Cole and George Shearing made a wonderful set of tracks for this fine CD. The three bonus tracks at the end truly make it worth buying. I highly recommend this CD for fans of Nat King Cole and George Shearing; and people who like classic pop vocals will cherish this CD for years to come.

Enjoy!

To me the birth of the super group didn't start with Crosby, Stills and Nash, it happened a few years earlier when the combined talents of Nat Cole and George Shearing recorded this album for Capitol Records. Shearing's playing is impeccable and Cole is in great voice. Both artists had perfected a very distinctive sound and the blending of their sounds is a feat of musical alchemy unrivaled. "Fly Me To The Moon", a song that landed on every album recorded in the early sixties is done superbly. "Azure-Te", is one of my all time favorite recordings. I can't help feeling sad everytime I listen to "Guess I'll Go Back Home", it makes me miss Cole's simple expression of sentiment. We should be greatful that recordings such as these keep his legacy alive.

This is the epitome of relaxing, subtle jazz. The arrangements define tasteful and Mr. Cole has never sounded better. An absolute must for the jazz fan, and a beautiful contrast to the swinging Billy May Sessions, which I also highly recommend.

For lover's of classic pop melody's song and played be these two outstanding people is an absolute delight. Nat Cole was one of the finest singers of his era and George Shearing's career is amazing. Together this album will bring listeners hours of enjoyment.

This album represents one of those rare moments where all the stars were in alignment, although in this case not by chance. Take Nat Cole's warm baritone, add George Shearing's jazzy yet subtle piano, and wrap them in the room-filling sound of Ralph Carmichael's lush yet subtle string arrangements. Then take a dozen or so first-rate songs by the 20th century's greatest composers, record them in exquisite detail in one of the best studios in the world, and package the resulting recordings in one of the classiest and coolest record jackets imaginable. And half a century later this album is as beautiful and relevant as ever. And it all looks so easy.

This album of the meeting of 2 giants in the music world is a classic. Shearing would try another meeting with a singer, John Pizzarelli but that cd while pleasant is not in the same mode as this album. The songs are a perfect fit for this duo, in fact some of them were repeated for this recent album with the singer/guitarist: "Azure-Te", "Let There Be Love", "September Song", etc. Throughout, Cole blends smoothly with Shearing's gossamer piano stylings with Ralph Carmichael's arrangements complimenting both superbly. This is nice easy listening album to listen late at night with your sweetheart or if alone, a glass of wine or cognac!!