Nat King Cole Bear Family box?

[ghost of miles]

I hope it happens--I'd buy that one in a sec as well. I know there'd be some overlap with the Mosaic, but that Mosaic's been OOP for what--at least 10 years now, or something like that? And there'd be quite a lot of material that didn't make the Mosaic.

Sent you a PM.

[ghost of miles]

"JTaylor" is so well-informed about this set partly because he's a huge Cole fan, and partly because he's the set's co-producer! This article was posted to Yahoo Songbirds a couple of weeks ago; I didn't make the connection until earlier today, when I glanced at it again as I was working on an Afterglow program:

Stardust Memories

A Richmonder helps create the definitive Nat King Cole box set.

by Brent Baldwin

Richmond (Virginia) Style Weekly, August 2, 2006

Recent VCU philosophy graduate Jordan Taylor has always had a thing for great

American crooners. Ever since he was a child in Long Beach, Calif., he enjoyed

singers from Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby to Nat King Cole. "That music was

always around," he recalls, "probably since I was in the womb. I've always loved

it and had a fascination with it."

Taylor, 27, has no musical background himself -- although he did try to learn

saxophone "for about ten minutes." His family moved to Richmond when he was 14,

and he attended Douglas Freeman High School before enrolling at VCU.

In 2004, he learned that a small German record label, Bear Family Records, was

putting together an extensive Nat King Cole box set featuring the popular

singer's complete recordings for Capitol Records. Taylor contacted the label to

offer them a rare photograph from an old trumpet player friend who played on an

original Cole session. He didn't realize it then, but the e-mail would have a

domino effect.

"From there, they just kept sending me more stuff [concerning the Cole box]," he

says. "I can't quite say why they trusted me, but they did."

Pretty soon, Taylor's duties included editing a 200-page essay by Will Friedwald

(author of well-known books on Sinatra and Bessie Smith), putting together

captions for numerous photos, and perhaps the most challenging role of all,

going through tape comparisons of the original Cole material with later

versions.

"The problem was, after Cole died, they overdubbed a bunch of stuff to make it

more contemporary," he explains. "It was a challenge to find the originals. Many

of them had never been heard before."

The project became a labor of love. Taylor took a semester off, partly so he

could concentrate on the lengthy, detail-oriented work. He also took a trip to

San Francisco to locate the names of former session players in an old musicians'

union log, which led to countless hours of phone interviews.

"These were musicians who have largely been anonymous for 50 years but they

played on some of the most famous recordings of all-time," he says. "I think

they got a kick out of being remembered."

"Now, the massive Cole box set ("Stardust: The Complete Recordings of

1955-1959") is finished and available for around $280 dollars. It contains 11

CDs (two of them in Spanish) plus a fancy coffee table book filled with

impressive color photos.

Taylor wound up logging so much work that he was given a co-producer credit; he

has also already finished work on a follow-up volume covering the years from

1960 to 1964.

Richard Weize, owner of Bear Family Records, says that he was "very pleased"

with Taylor's work on the project -- without offering much more of an

explanation on why he was chosen.

"He is a very thorough expert on Nat King Cole," Weize says. "I don't think that

anybody could have done a better job."

The box set isn't available in many stores, Taylor notes, because it is so

expensive. But he adds that various specialty distributors, such as CD Wolf

Music from Texas and Amazon are carrying it (one can also check the label's

website at http://www.bear-family.de/ ).

"Scholarship is lacking for Cole for whatever reason," Taylor adds. "A lot of

people know him as a cheesy balladeer and that really doesn't do his musical

talent justice. He was a great jazz pianist first. He died young but still had a

very diverse career."

For now, Taylor doesn't know exactly what career awaits him -- but he'll have

plenty of glimmering oldies.

for your work on this & the forthcoming 1960-64.

[vajerzy]

Wow!! That's cool!!

I read Style Weekly almost every week- and I missed this article!!

I want to purchase 55-59....anyone have a good place to buy?? (ie- inexpensive?)

[ghost of miles]

$198 at CDWolf (not sure what the shipping is).

Trying to look up the price at Deep Discount CD (where shipping's free), but it's taking forever for my computer to load the page.

[ghost of miles]

Hmmm... $217 at Deep Discount, even w/the free shipping. Unless CDWolf really sticks it to you on the postage, he's probably your best bet.

Edited August 23, 2006 by ghost of miles

[Chuck Nessa]

Too much money for too much material in my mind.

[Jim R]

Too much money for too much material in my mind.

Man... I gotta learn to be concise like that.

[vajerzy]

Has there been, or any plans for a box set for material prior to 1955??

[jtaylor]

Here's the track listing for Bear Family, Volume 2:

CD-1:

1. : Ballerina

2. : Funny (Not Much)

3. : The Continental

4. : I Wish You Love

5. : You Leave Me Breathles

6. : Thou Swell

7. : My Kinda Love

8. : The Surrey With The Fringe On Top

9. : Where Or When (instrumental)

10. : Miss Otis Regrets (She's Unable To Lunch ...)

11. : Joe Turner's Blues

12. : Mr. Cole Won't Rock And Roll

13. : Introduction

14. : Wild Is Love

15. : Wild Is Love

16. : Hundreds And Thousands Of Girls

17. : It's A Beautiful Evening

18. : Tell Her In The Morning

19. : Are You Disenchanted?

20. : Pick-Up

21. : Beggar For The Blues

22. : World Of No Return

23. : In Love Again

24. : Stay With It

25. : Wouldn't You Know

26. : He Who Hesitates

27. : Wild Is Love (reprise)

CD-2:

28. : Steady

29. : My Love-1

30. : Magic Night

31. : Is It Better To Have Loved And Lost?

32. : Someone To Tell It Too

33. : Baby Blue

34. : When It's Summer

35. : You Are Mine

36. : Away In A Manger

37. : I Saw Three Ships

38. : Silent Night

39. : The First Noel

40. : Joy To The World

41. : Deck The Halls

42. : Hark The Herald Angels Sing

43. : Adeste Fideles 1

44. : Adeste Fideles 2

45. : O Tannenbaum

46. : A Cradle In Bethlehem

47. : God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen

48. : Caroling, Caroling

49. : O Little Town Of Bethlehem

50. : The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You)

51. : Buon Natale Means (Merry Christmas To You)

52. : The Happiest Christmas Tree

53. : Toys For Tots (Marine Corps Release)

CD-3:

54. : If I Knew

55. : I Remember You

56. : Sunday, Monday Or Always

57. : A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square

58. : My Need For You

59. : Poinciana

60. : The Touch Of Your Lips

61. : You're Mine, You!

62. : Illusion

63. : Funny (Not Much)

64. : Not So Long Ago

65. : Only Forever

66. : Lights Out

67. : It's Only A Paper Moon

68. : Sweet Lorraine

69. : (Get Your Kicks On) Route 66

70. : Straighten Up And Fly Right

71. : (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons

72. : Embraceable You

73. : Answer Me My Love

74. : Darling Je Vous Aime Beaucoup

75. : Smile

76. : Pretend

CD-4:

77. : The Sand And The Sea

78. : A Blossom Fell

79. : Nature Boy

80. : Too Young

81. : Somewhere Along The Way

82. : Unforgettable

83. : Monas Lisa

84. : Send For Me

85. : If I May-1

86. : Looking Back

87. : Goodnight Little Leaguer

88. : Take A Fool's Advice

89. : The First Baseball Game

90. : Because You Love Me

91. : Make It Last

92. : Capuccina

93. : Let True Love Begin (Let's Begin Again)

94. : Let True Love Begin (Let's Begin Again) (with

95. : chorus)

96. : Love

97. : I Heard You Cried Last Night

98. : Orange Colored Sky

99. : To The Ends Of The Earth

100. : Non Dimenticar

101. : Blue Gardenia

102. : Night Lights

103. : Calypso Blues

104. : I Am In Love

105. : Lush Life

106. : Walkin' My Baby Back Home

107. : Ballerina (Dance, Ballerina, Dance)

CD-5:

108. : Ebony Rhapsody

109. : Day In, Day Out

110. : Too Little, Too Late

111. : When My Sugar Walks Down The Street

112. : Cold, Cold Heart

113. : Let's Face The Music And Dance

114. : Something Makes Me Want To Dance With You

115. : I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself...

116. : The Rules Of The Road

117. : Warm And Willing

118. : Bidin' My Time

119. : Moon Love

120. : Azure-Te

121. : A Beautiful Friendship

122. : Everything Happens To Me

123. : Pick Yourself Up

124. : September Song

125. : Let There Be Love

126. : I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good

127. : Serenata

128. : The Game Of Love

129. : Fly Me To The Moon (In Other Words)

130. : Guess I'll Go Back Home

131. : I'm Lost

132. : Don't Go

133. : There's A Lull In My Life

134. : Lost April

CD-6:

135. : Step Right Up

136. : Magic Moment

137. : The Right Things To Say

138. : Look No Further

139. : La Feria De Las Flores

140. : Guadalajara

141. : La Golondrina (The Swallow)

142. : Tres Palabras (Withut You)

143. : Piel Canela

144. : Solamente Una Vez (You Belong To My Heart)

145. : Las Chiapanecas (While There's Music, ...)

146. : Vaya Con Dios (May God Be With You)

147. : Adios Mariquita Linda (Adios And Farewell...)

148. : No Me Platiques

149. : Aqui Se Habla En Amor (Love Is Spoken Here)

150. : A Media Luz

151. : Dear Lonely Hearts

152. : Ramblin' Rose

153. : Nothing Goes Up Without Coming Down

154. : The Good Times

155. : Who's Next In Line?

156. : When You're Smiling

157. : Wolverton Mountain

158. : One Has My Name, The Other Has My Heart

159. : Skip To My Lou

160. : Sing Another Song (And We'll All Go Home)

161. : Your Cheatin' Heart

162. : Goodnight, Irene, Goodnight

163. : I Don't Want It That Way

164. : Twilight On The Trail

165. : He'll Have To Go

CD-7:

166. : Farewell To Arms

167. : Happy New Year

168. : When The World Was Young

169. : Spring Is Here

170. : No, I Don't Want Her

171. : Say It Isn't So

172. : Am I Blue?

173. : Laughing On The Outside

174. : I Keep Going Back To Joe's

175. : The End Of A Love Affair

176. : That's All There Is

177. : Someone To Tell It To

178. : If Love Ain't There

179. : Where Did Everyone Go?

180. : Miss You

181. : Oh How I Miss You Tonight

182. : All Over The World

183. : Lonesome And Sorry

184. : My First And Only Lover

185. : Near You

186. : Why Should I Cry Over You?

187. : Yearning

188. : All By Myself

189. : It's A Lonesome Old Town

190. : Misery Loves Company

CD-8:

191. : In The Cool Of The Day

192. : Those Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days Of Summer

193. : Felicia

194. : You'll See

195. : Mr. Wishing Well

196. : On The Sidewalks Of New York

197. : Get Out And Get Under The Moon

198. : After The Ball Is Over

199. : There Is A Tavern In The Town

200. : On A Bicycle Built For Two

201. : In The Good Old Summertime

202. : That Sunday, That Summer

203. : Our Old Home Town

204. : Don't Forget

205. : You Tell Me Your Dream

206. : That's What They Meant

207. : Wouldn't It Be Loverly?

208. : I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face

209. : I Could Have Danced All Night

210. : With A Little Bit Of Luck

211. : You Did It

212. : Show Me

213. : I'm An Ordinary Man

214. : Hymn To Him

215. : Get Me To The Church On Time

216. : The Rain In Spain

217. : On The Street Where You Live

CD-9:

218. : Silver Bird

219. : My True Carrie Love

220. : I Don't Want To Be Hurt Anymore

221. : A Rag, A Bone, A Hank Of Hair

222. : People

223. : Let Me Tell You, Babe

224. : Brush Those Tears From Your Eyes

225. : You're Crying On My Shoulder

226. : Was That The Human Thing To Do?

227. : Only Yesterday

228. : Road To Nowhere

229. : Go, It You're Going

230. : I'm Alone Because I Love You

231. : Don't You Remember?

232. : I'm All Cried Out

233. : I Don't Want To See Tomorrow

234. : You're My Everything

235. : L-O-V-E

236. : Wanderlust

237. : Marnie

238. : More And More Of Your Amore

239. : The Ballad Of Cat Ballou

240. : They Can't Make Her Cry

241. : How I'd Love To Love You

242. : Coquette (Little Coquette)

CD-10:

243. : More

244. : Your Love

245. : My Kind Of Girl

246. : Thanks To You

247. : There's Love

248. : Swiss Retreat

249. : The Girl From Ipanema

250. : Three Little Words

251. : No Other Heart

252. : Je Ne Repartirai Pas (french version)

253. : Les Feuilles Mortes (french version)

254. : Le Bonheur C'est Quand On S'aime (french)

255. : Crois-Moi Ca Durera (french version)

256. : Passing By (french version)

257. : L-O-V-E (italian version)

258. : Tu Sei Cosi Amabile (italian version)

259. : Amor (spanish version)

260. : Tu Eres Tan Amable (spanish version)

261. : Muetterlein (german version)

262. : L-O-V-E (german version)

263. : I Don't Want To Be Hurt Anymore (japanese)

264. : L-O-V-E (japanese version)

265. : Kareha (japanese version)

CD-11:

266. : Magic Night

267. : Is It Better To Have Loved And Lost?

268. : Baby Blue

269. : When It's Summer

270. : You Are Mine

271. : It I Knew

272. : Looking Back

273. : Take A Fool's Advice

274. : Because You Love Me

275. : Make It Last

276. : Capuccina

277. : Let True Love Begin (Let's Begin Again)

278. : Magic Moment

279. : Farewell To Arms

280. : Happy New Year

281. : Felicia

282. : You'll See

283. : Mr. Wishing Well

284. : Silver Bird

285. : People

286. : Let Me Tell You, Babe

287. : Marnie

288. : No Other Heart

289. : Unforgettable

290. : Felicia

291. : A Rag, A Bone, A Hank Of Hair

292. : I Don't Want To See Tomorrow

293. : Song Of Raintree Country

[ghost of miles]

Any word yet on the release date? Not that I'll be able to afford it till spring... JT, I'm featuring the 1955-59 box on Hour 2 of Afterglow this evening. I'll have more info up in a sec in the jazz radio forum.

[jtaylor]

Any word yet on the release date? Not that I'll be able to afford it till spring... JT, I'm featuring the 1955-59 box on Hour 2 of Afterglow this evening. I'll have more info up in a sec in the jazz radio forum.

Still no word on a release date yet; as soon as I hear something I'll pass it along.

Looking forward to hearing what you selected for tonight's program.

[jtaylor]

Just found out it looks like BF is shooting for a December 4 release.

[ghost of miles]

Release appears to be imminent.

[jtaylor]

Copy for Volume 2:

JUST RELEASED:

In stock now and ready to ship

bcd16717

NAT KING COLE: L-O-V-E - The Complete Capitol Recordings 1960 - 1964

BCD 16717-KL

11-CD Box Set (LP size) with 184-page hardcover book

Nat King Cole (1919-1965) was the most popular male singer of his generation, and, along with Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley, one of the four best known male vocalists of all time. Making Cole's story all the more remarkable, he began his career not as a pop singer but as one of the greatest of all jazz pianists. Yet by the time he had made the transition from jazz to pop, he had sold more records and racked up more hit singles than anyone in the immediate post-war era, even Frank Sinatra. He was also the first Afro-American pop music superstar - and still the greatest.

Cole's baritone voice was sweet and pretty, and most of his greatest successes were with love songs. Still, he had the greatest time of any singer ever, and was equally well-versed in swinging rhythm numbers and blues. In his combination of tenderness and bluesy energy, Cole was a founding father of R&B and a major influence on the soul movement – as cited by Charles Brown, Ray Charles and many other later stars. Like Frank Sinatra, he collaborated closely with the greatest pop orchestrators of all time, particularly Gordon Jenkins, Billy May, Ralph Carmichael, and in particular, Nelson Riddle.

In many ways, the last five years of his recording career was his most successful period: despite the insurgence of rock 'n' roll and other non-traditional pop musics, Cole was riding higher than ever. He had more big hits in these years than ever before, and he mastered the technique of turning hit singles into best selling albums. The years 1960-1964 found Cole collaborating extensively with a new and outstanding musical director, the highly talented Ralph Carmichael, as well as creating some of his best -remembered albums with old friends like Billy May and Gordon Jenkins. There also were wonderful one-shot projects like his team-up with the great pianist George Shearing and Cole’s only official live recording.

This new 11-CD set is the first complete collection of all of Nat Cole's recordings from the final half -decade of his career, a total of 292 masters.

- The set includes all of the following albums, in many cases including rare 'bonus' material from the same sessions:

- Cole's only in-concert recording, 'Live At The Sands' (1960) – universally regarded as one of the great live albums of all time.

- 'Wild Is Love' – Cole's only original-story concept album, containing the classic title song, and his last collaboration with the great arranger Nelson Riddle (1960).

- 'The Magic Of Christmas' – The King's only all-original Christmas concept album, a collection of traditional carols that marked his first project with the wonderful musical director Ralph Carmichael (1960).

- 'The Touch Of Your Lips' – One of Cole's all-time greatest ballad albums, with sumptuous arrangements by the brilliant Mr. Carmichael (1960).

- 'Nat King Cole Sings / George Shearing Plays' – Another brilliant collection of love songs, Cole's only meeting with the marvelous jazz pianist, backed by more deluxe string arrangements from Ralph Carmichael – including many bonus tracks (1961).

- 'The Nat King Cole Story' – Cole's massive autobiographical statement of 1961, in which he recreated his classic hits of the '40s and '50s in state of the art stereo with the original orchestrations in an elaborate three-LP package – including several bonus tracks.

- 'Let’s Face The Music!' – Cole's last teaming with his old chum Billy May proved to be one of the hardest-swinging albums of his career, in which he not only swung the hell out of 12 great songs but contributed five solos (the only ones of his career) on electric organ (1961)!

- 'More Cole Espanol' – Cole's final Spanish-language album brought him South of the border to Mexico City, both musically and literally! With Ralph Carmichael (1962).

- 'Ramblin’ Rose' – Cole’s first mega-hit of this period, a blockbuster country song "by two Jewish boys from Brooklyn" that became one of his all-time best-sellers and led to an equally succesful album (1962).

- 'Dear Lonely Hearts' – The second of Cole's country albums. (1962).

- 'Where Did Everyone Go' – The only time that Cole recorded a set of saloon-and-suicide songs in the style of Frank Sinatra’s 'Only The Lonely.' An all-time classic if under-appreciated album of quality pop music, orchestrated in high style by the great Gordon Jenkins and featuring several all-time Cole classics, such as the title song and the haunting I Keep Going Back To Joe’s (1962).

- 'My Fair Lady' – Cole's marvelous but little-known recording of the complete score to the 1956 classic musical by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Lowe, with marvelous orchestrations by Ralph Carmichael (1963).

- 'Those Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days Of Summer' – One of the biggest hits of the early '60s, and a song that all but defined an era, expanded into a marvelous sing-a-long album – 12 warmly nostalgic songs of the good old summertime, featuring Cole, Carmichael's orchestra and a large chorus. Includes That Sunday, That Summer, among the most beautiful songs Cole recorded in the later period (1963).

- 'I Don't Want To Be Hurt Anymore ' – Cole’s final country album, the most modern sounding of the three, with sophisticated charts by Ralph Carmichael, and including many bonus tracks and singles (1964).

- 'L-O-V-E' – Cole's last hit was a German import by Bert Kaempfert that he and Ralph Carmichael worked into a classic album, all of hard-swinging, Basie-esque love songs with a continental flavor. Cole's final album featured some of the best singing (and swinging!) of his entire career.

- Plus over 40 singles, nearly none of them ever reissued on LP or CD, including some wonderful, hidden gems, such as :

- Several outstanding showtunes, such as Look No Further from 'No Strings,' and Magic Moment from 'The Gay Life.'

- Cole's little-known 1960 reunion session with Stan Kenton and his Orchestra.

- Cole's only date with arranger Richard Wess, which resulted in the swinging Cappuccina.

- A marvelous selection of foreign language versions of his hit songs, most never commonly available in any country!

- Several outstanding movie songs, including Cole's vocals from his last film, the classic comedy-western 'Cat Ballou.

- Most of these singles tracks have only been heard in the last 40 years with over-dubbed rhythm section – this package marks their first compilation in the orginal, untampered masters, as they were meant to be heard.

The hardcover book features the usual Bear Family amenities: 184 pages of full-color photos from the Capitol vault, extensive analysis and background by Will Friedwald, the definitive Cole scholar, as well as a complete discography and tune index by Michel Ruppli, Jordan Taylor, Russell Wapensky & Richard Weize

[Alec]

So now the question is: who has the best price?

[Adam]

I really wish Bear Family wasn't so expensive...

[vajerzy]

CD Wolf is selling it on Ebay for 199.00

[ghost of miles]

CD Wolf is selling it on Ebay for 199.00

CD Wolf is generally the best price for Bear boxes.

[gmonahan]

CD Wolf is selling it on Ebay for 199.00

CD Wolf is generally the best price for Bear boxes.

And their website notes that all the Bear boxes are going up 10% on December 1. For the Cole boxes, that means a nearly $20 increase on each one. I'd planned already to get those for myself for Christmas, so I've gone ahead and ordered them now to save the forty bucks. I've looked all over the 'net, and CD Wolf has the best prices on those that I've found. Also pretty good shipping rates.

[ghost of miles]

So now the question is: who has the best price?

These days it appears to be Caiman--$194 plus $2.59 shipping. Weak dollar=high BF price.

[Matthew]

I was in Seattle the other day, and I noticed that Collector Choice has put out a limited edition that mirrors first Bear box, and Amazon has it for $94.00. Looks worth checking out.

[jtaylor]

I was in Seattle the other day, and I noticed that Collector Choice has put out a limited edition that mirrors first Bear box, and Amazon has it for $94.00. Looks worth checking out.

They used the Bear Family mastering.

[Big Beat Steve]

So where's everybody crying out loud about bootlegging and ethics now? :D

[Bluerein]

Collector's Choice is a respected company which I'm sure pays for their reissue products in a propper way. Correct me if I'm wrong!