The essential Nat King Cole
These compilations and reissues — all but the last two released during the past year-represent a good sampling of Nat ''King'' Cole:
The Nat King Cole Story
A two-CD sampler, heavy on
lusterless ballads, but notable for five selections by Cole's early
jazz trio. B+
The Complete Early Transcriptions of The King Cole Trio: 1938-1941
These four CDs of radio performances are heavy
with jivey novelties, showing Cole in his formative years and
documenting the kinds of songs popular with black audiences in the
era before R&B. B+
Nat King Col Trio: Jumpin' at Capitol
A
first-rate collection of the trio's best known recordings. The
autonomy of Cole's piano playing while he sings is amazing. A
Nat
''King'' Cole: Love is the Thing
The ballad crooner at his
peak in 1956, swamped in Gordon Jenkins arrangements for strings, but
singing the most evocative ''Stardust'' ever. A
The Complete After Midnight Sessions
Don't let the harsh sound of this early
CD keep you from hearing a 1956 jazz masterpiece. The Cole piano
never sounded better, nor did the Cole voice. A+
Just One of Those Things (and More)
Superb swinging 1957 and '58 versions of
standards, arranged by Billy May with plenty of dazzle, though ''A
Cottage for Sale'' makes no sense at all sung so fast. A
