Nat King Cole - At The Sands (Expanded Edition / Remastered 2002) (1960/2002)

While this isn't Nat "King" Cole's only live recording quite a few in-person performances exist from his days in the 1940's as jazz pianist and occasional vocalist with the Nat "King" Cole Trio it's one of the greatest energy rushes ever recorded from this master entertainer. Cole's infectious energy, totally clear diction and superb musicality make this a great set and prove that a fine artist could move a Las Vegas crowd without sacrificing subtlety or taste. The opening "Ballerina" buzzes with anger and sorrow totally missing from Vaughn Monroe's 1947 hit on this song. With "The Surrey with the Fringe on Top" Cole proves that a Rodgers and Hammerstein song can be just as good a vehicle for jazz singing as the Rodgers and Hart repertoire. Slower songs like "I Wish You Love" and the easy, loping swing of "My Kinda Love" (one of the many 1920's songs Cole rehabilitated) provide needed respites from the ferocious energy level. "Miss Otis Regrets" has a somewhat overwrought arrangement but Cole's delivery perfectly interprets the dry wit of Cole Porter's lyric. The finale, "Joe Turner's Blues" (from Cole's role as W. C. Handy in the biopic "St. Louis Blues"), is stomping R&B that proves, despite the title of the main bonus track, that Mr. Cole DID rock 'n' roll. "Mr. Cole Don't Rock 'n' Roll" is ironic in that three of the songs in it were actually covered by rock acts: "Mona Lisa" by Conway Twitty (and Sun Records artist Carl Mann before him), "Too Young" by Donny Osmond and "Nature Boy" by the Great Society, the short-lived San Francisco band Grace Slick fronted before she joined Jefferson Airplane. The other two songs are Duke Ellington covers: "In a Mellotone" (that's how Duke spelled it) and "What'cha Gonna Do" (which is actually "Things Ain't What Tney Used to Be" by Duke's son Mercer Ellington). The bonus tracks don't add much, but the main album is so good, who cares?