An Incandescent Voice
Nat King Cole: An Incandescent Voice.
Everyone knows about Nat King Cole the magisterial singer, but the popular vocalist first came to prominence in the jazz community as an inventive pianist and group stylist. Possessing a gorgeous touch, unerring taste, melodic imagination and a harmonic and rhythmic approach that hinted at the forthcoming innovations of bebop, Cole was a favorite among musicians and discerning listeners.
He started out playing jazz piano, and he was one of the best. His trio — piano, bass and guitar — turned rhythm and melody into a seamless mix. For that alone, we would celebrate Nat King Cole.
But what defined his greatness, and his groundbreaking success, wasn’t his playing. It was his voice. Nat King Cole’s voice was liquid, soothing. His pitch was impeccable. And there’s a word you hear a lot when people talk about Nat King Cole: relaxed.
“When you start listening to him, one of the most important things is he keeps you relaxed,” says Cole’s younger brother, Freddie Cole.
“The amazing thing about Nat’s voice is that it has this kind of incandescent quality to it,” music historian Will Friedwald says. “It’s like some kind of magic spell is being cast.”
And singer Aaron Neville: “He just hypnotized me. It was like medicine to me. If I had got a spanking or something that day, Nat would smooth it all out.”
Mona Lisa,” “Nature Boy,” “The Christmas Song,” “Rambling Rose” and “Walking My Baby Back Home” are just a few of his songs. He had so many hits, he helped put the fledgling Capitol Records on the map.
Via NPR.Org
Explore and Enjoy Nat King Cole website here
