Nat "King" Cole Albums (43)
'Nat King Cole Sings My Fair Lady'
Release Date 2/26/2008
Tracks 11
Label Collectors' Choice Music
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What The Critics Say
This interesting LP features singer Nat King Cole near the end of his life; he only had two more albums left. Joined by an orchestra and a vocal group, the Merry Young Souls, conducted by Ralph Carmichael, Cole enthusiastically performs 11 songs from My Fair Lady, and not only sings the tunes, but in a few cases has spoken monologues in which he acts out the parts of Henry Higgins and Alfred Doolittle. At the height of his fame, the vocalist clearly enjoyed this project, which is really of greater interest to fans of the show than to Cole's earlier jazz followers. Among the songs performed are "I Could Have Danced All Night," "On the Street Where You Live," "Get Me to Church on Time," and "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face." ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
More Cole Español was Nat King Cole's third album of songs sung in Spanish, following Cole Español (1958) and A Mis Amigos (1959). Recorded in Mexico City with Mexican singers and musicians, but arranged and conducted by Ralph Carmichael, the collection demonstrated that Cole had made significant advances as a singer in Spanish in a few years. Cole Español had found him providing tentative, phonetically learned syllables over pre-recorded tracks imported from Cuba, giving him the sound of someone trying to avoid making mistakes. A Mis Amigos, cut in Rio de Janeiro during the South American tour promoting Cole Español, was better, but still not a truly complete fit for Cole. He still didn't sound like he always knew what he was singing, and he still seemed to be working on his pronunciation, but on More Cole Español he was clearly having a lot more fun. In part, this had to be because the arrangements were more rhythmic and uptempo, and Cole must have been taking enthusiasm from the Mexican musicians who accompanied him. And he must have been more familiar with material that included crossover hits like "Vaya con Dios." Whatever the reasons, More Cole Español was his most successful effort at making music for fans south of the border. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
From HearMusic's Opus Collection line comes Stepping Out of a Dream, a collection of Nat King Cole's higher quality songs as deemed by the compilation experts. The collection focuses on the work from the '50s and '60s, making only passing reference to his earlier piano work. The feature that sets this compilation apart from the numerous other Cole retrospectives is the song selection. The producers avoided the most obvious choices and the standards of Cole's career, replacing them with a number of basic standards from the jazz repertoire imbued with his outstanding sense of delivery and timing. On items that did become well known as Cole pieces, an alternate recording is often used, mixing up the bag a bit and keeping the album fresh compared to the standard set of numbers used on the average Cole album. The highlights are in each song with his vocals, though the recordings here make little capitalization of his signature smoky sound (which admittedly developed more toward the end of the period covered). The songs sometimes jump with a little of his earlier jiving feel and sometimes wander through a basic ballad powered only by his lush voice. It is a generally nice album. Pick up the standard fare for the classic signature songs, but snag this one, as well, for a somewhat fuller look at Cole's sound. ~ Adam Greenberg, All Music Guide
'Sharing the Holidays With Nat King Cole and Friends'
Release Date 1/1/2002
Tracks 12
Label Medalist
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What The Critics Say
Although it features a few other singers, Sharing the Holidays With Nat King Cole and Friends focuses on the charming croon of Nat King Cole. Although it is missing his famous version of "The Christmas Song," the songs offered here are still wonderful explorations of his talents as both a pianist and a pop singer. ~ Bradley Torreano, All Music Guide
'Jazz at the Philharmonic'
Release Date 2/13/2001
Tracks 8
Label Jasmine
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'Live at the Circle Room'
Release Date 1/1/1999
Tracks 17
Label Bluenote
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What The Critics Say
A number of live broadcasts by the Nat King Cole Trio have turned up on European independent labels, but this is the first to appear on Capitol. In spite of the usual background noise from a night club, including a cash register, rattling glasses, and the inevitable audience conversations, the sound of these newly discovered performances is far superior to the unauthorized releases of other live dates on labels like Musidisc, Duke, and Swing House. Most of the songs covered were recorded by the trio for Capitol, but there are exceptions: "C Jam Blues," two takes of "My Sugar Is So Refined" -- which deserved a better fate -- and, surprisingly, "I Found a New Baby." Cole's warm vocals are flawless, and the trio's playing is more than up to par. Needless to say, this is an essential release for anyone who enjoys Nat "King" Cole. ~ Ken Dryden, All Music Guide
'Christmas Is for Kids'
Release Date 9/1/1995
Tracks 9
Label Cema Special Markets
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What The Critics Say
Every now and then, the endless budget-line repackagings of Nat King Cole's seasonal material yield a refreshing spin on the subject; Christmas Is for Kids is one of those rare cases in point, with its sweet and lively renditions of "Frosty the Snowman," "All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth" and seven others sure to delight listeners of all ages. ~ Marvin Jolly, All Music Guide
'Christmas with Nat and Ella'
Release Date 9/1/1995
Tracks 10
Label EMI-Capitol Special Markets
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'Merry Christmas from Cole & Fitzgerald'
Release Date 9/1/1995
Tracks 10
Label Cema Special Markets
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