Nat King Cole broke the pop barrier with his smoky, smooth vocals, stringing along a huge number of solid hits right after his first, "Straighten Up And Fly Right," soared up the charts in 1943.
As a singer he was called "the best friend a song ever had," but he was essentially a jazz performer at heart. Even those later tracks crafted for the pop charts belie a piano technique, vocal phrasing, and on-the-mark orchestration that are indebted to his early roots in jazz.
Ramsey Lewis and John Pizzarelli have tailored a tribute to Cole, from his hits along with those singular tracks of sophisticated cool jazz that have influenced their own. The concert features 16 of Cole's most beloved tunes, from "Sentimental Reasons" and " Body and Soul" to "Route 66," "Unforgettable," and, of course, "Straighten Up And Fly Right."
PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE:
SUNDAY, MAY 1st @ 3 PM
