Before achieving international pop stardom with his vocal recordings for the Capitol label during the early-1950s, the great Nat King Cole (1917-1965) enjoyed considerable success fronting his own trio in Hollywood and resorting to a repertoire of jazzy/jivey/novelty numbers that made for irrestible listening. Initially backed by guitarist Oscar Moore abnd bassist Wesley Prince, singer-pianist Cole set for a smooth, crisp, appealing sound that gained him early popularity. Best exemplified in hit tunes such as Route 66, Scotchin' With the Soda, Sweet Lorraine or Hit That Jive Jack, the peculiar Nat Cole stye somewhat came to define the spirit of the war years. A first-class singer and a very brilliant pianist (inspired by Earl Hines) with an impeccable sense of subtle swing, Nat Cole did frequent "soundies" during this initial period in us career, and this DVD is a fascinating collection of those early film shorts produced for theatres or television. Backed by sidemen such as guitarists Oscar Moore and Irving Ashby, bassists Johnny Miller and Joe Comfort or l;ater percussionist Jac 'Mr Bong' Costanzo, Cole was in peak artistic form in these true musical gems from his early West Coast period.

TRACKS:
[1] Route 66
[2] Sweet Lorraine
[3] Little Girl
[4] Home
[5] The Trouble With Me Is You
[6] Calypso Blues
[7] For Sentimental Reasons
[8] That's My Girl
[9] Mona Lisa
[10] Because of Rain
[11] Too Young
[12] This Is My Night To Dream
[13] Nature Boy
[14] You Call It Madness
[15] Got A Penny, Benny?
[16] Come to Baby Do
[17] Errand Boy For Rhythm
[18] Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby
[19] I'm A Shy Guy
[20] Who's Been Eating My Porridge
[21] Frim Fram Sauce
[22] Oh, Kickeroony
[23] Now He Tells Me
[24] Breezy and the Bass
[25] Solid Potato Salad
[26] It's Better to Be By Yourself
[27] Always You

TOTAL TIME : 72:43
tracks 22-24 from Killer Diller, 1948, dir: Josh Binney
tracks 25-26 from Breakfast In Hollywood, 1946, dir: Harold Schuster

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