Monty Alexander - Calypso Blues: The Songs of Nat King Cole (2009)

Tracklist

01. Calypso Blues, Pt. 1
02. Ramblin' Rose
03. To the Ends of the Earth
04. Again
05. Send for Me
06. Almost Like Being in Love
07. Hajji Baba
08. Too Young/Faith Can Move Mountains
09. Never Let Me Go
10. Can't See for Looking
11. Fascination
12. Sweet Georgia Brown
13. Calypso Blues, Pt. 2


I wouid like to thank my mother, May Louise, who loved the songs and voice of Nat King Cole, the soundtrack for many lovers in the fifties and sixties. His voice even inspired a certain youth of ten years of age - I am speaking of yours truly, I remember experiencing a real and true little boy crush on a certain little girl that lived down the street. Nat King Cole singing "Too Young" was and still is the soundtrack of that memorable experience.

Nat was an ever-present sound in the house in which I grew up in Kingston, Jamaica. My parents had many of his records. Not only would we play our favorite calypso artists but also Bing Crosby, Louis Armstrong, Tony Bennett, and Perry Como. However, Nat King Cole ruled the Alexander gramophone player.

My greatest Nat King Cole moment happened when he came to Jamaica. I was thirteen years old at the time, and I snuck out ot school to see him live on stage at the Carib Theater, which was a mere fifteen minutes bus ride from school. I witnessed the smoothest, the sharpest, most swinging, most gracious gentleman in a shiny grey suit, sitting sidesaddle on a piano bench. I saw something I did not know before: Nat King Cole played the piano! No one had told me. This was a great awakening, and a whole new world opened up for me, because I saw a man play the piano like no one I had seen before. In the ensuing years, I determined that this man didn't just play wonderfully on the piano; he was one of the all times baddest cats ever! He was so fast, so fleet, so light, and he did all with the greatest of ease while swinging so hard. It was as if each note he played smiled at you. In spite of his amazing technique, he was a master of the art of restraint (like Count Basie). He is truly one of the great influences in the history of modern jazz piano.

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