Yeah, he was a fine jazz pianist. He had to be talked into singing, as I recall. Frank Sinatra had the very best take on the voice: “Nat Cole’s voice,” he said, “caresses a lyric.” So true.
It’s interesting, I’ve always thought of him as a pianist first and singer second.
I also have always been partial to Bill Evans, but that probably is because of my irrational attachment to Late 40s to early 60s Miles Davis, before Miles went off the deep end with Bitches Brew and the like. I also thought Cole relied a bit too heavily on pyrotechnics, which you see in the little clip posted. (although I think it was just the times)
The guitar analogy would be John McLaughlins bazillion notes a second style, or George Bensons antiseptic virtuosity, contrasted with Keith Richards simple and raw riff (much open G dominated) mastery or Stevie Ray Vaughn’s melding of soulful and emotional with carefully selective flair.
Stevie Ray Vaughn and I were at the same high school at the same time. He was a couple of years ahead of me, and I knew nothing about him or his guitar.
I did have the dreamiest boyfriend there who loved and played Bill Evans.
I know this is creepy, but I was at the concert in Wisconsin the night he was killed. Legend has it that Eric Clapton was supposed to go in that copter.
Yeah, he was a fine jazz pianist. He had to be talked into singing, as I recall. Frank Sinatra had the very best take on the voice: “Nat Cole’s voice,” he said, “caresses a lyric.” So true.
It’s interesting, I’ve always thought of him as a pianist first and singer second.
I also have always been partial to Bill Evans, but that probably is because of my irrational attachment to Late 40s to early 60s Miles Davis, before Miles went off the deep end with Bitches Brew and the like. I also thought Cole relied a bit too heavily on pyrotechnics, which you see in the little clip posted. (although I think it was just the times)
The guitar analogy would be John McLaughlins bazillion notes a second style, or George Bensons antiseptic virtuosity, contrasted with Keith Richards simple and raw riff (much open G dominated) mastery or Stevie Ray Vaughn’s melding of soulful and emotional with carefully selective flair.
Stevie Ray Vaughn and I were at the same high school at the same time. He was a couple of years ahead of me, and I knew nothing about him or his guitar.
I did have the dreamiest boyfriend there who loved and played Bill Evans.
Ah. Wikipedia says he left school after seven weeks in his senior year and moved to Austin.
Janis
I know this is creepy, but I was at the concert in Wisconsin the night he was killed. Legend has it that Eric Clapton was supposed to go in that copter.