Marvin Gaye shows another wonderful side of his talents in the early Motown years – a classy, crooing approach that was perfect for this tribute to Nat King Cole! There's a great mix of jazz and soul going on here that's a bit different than some of Marvin's other Motown work of the 60s – and although some tracks are quite Cole-like at times, with a surprisingly accurate approximation of Nat's style – there's plenty others that almost seem to point towards the growing sophistication in Gaye's style that would emerge more strongly at the end of the 60s. Titles include "Straighten Up & Fly Right", "Nature Boy", "Unforgettable", "Send For Me", and a pretty great reading of "Calypso Blues", with a nice stepping groove! LP, Vinyl record album

Adam Wade is fantastic here – a singer with a sound that could easily rival Nat King Cole or Johnny Mathis, but who also gets a slightly deeper current of soul! Arrangements are full and rich – often with a bit of vocals behind Wade's lead – but the sophisticated charts never get in the way of the more personal touches, which really help the tunes sparkle with a nice sort of imagination, and occasional touches of jazz. Titles include "Gloria's Theme", "We Kiss In A Shadow", "My Reverie", "I Have Dreamed", "For You", and "Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry". LP, Vinyl record album

Natalie Cole's stunning debut for Capitol Records in the mid 70s – a real surprise, and a set that should have had the singer blossoming even more than she did at the time! As with some of the other Capitol soul sessions of the time, the album's done very firmly under the guidance of Charles Jackson and Marvin Yancey – a pair who give Natalie just the right sort of backing to launch her career – a sound that's full and rich, deeply sophisticated – but also still plenty soulful, almost in the mode of some of Minnie Riperton's work at the time. Given the pair's Chicago roots – and the arrangement help from Richard Evans – that comparison is no surprise, and Natalie rises to the occasion nicely. Titles are all originals too – and include "Needing You", "Joey", "I Can't Say No", "Something For Nothing", "I Love Him So Much", "You", "Your Face Stays On My Mind", and the huge hit "This Will Be". LP, Vinyl record album