Arranged by Ralph Carmichael, with trumpet solos by Bobby Bryant! Includes Nat's classic reading of "LOVE", plus "Girl From Ipanema", "More", "Coquette", "Swiss Retreat", and "My Kind Of Girl". LP, Vinyl record album

Late Nat King Cole – an album from the early 60s for Capitol, featuring expansive arrangements from Ralph Carmichael! The style here is a bit more flowery than on Nat's earlier work – with him singing in kind of a grand voice, amidst large orchestrations and occasional backing chorus vocals – in a mode that's not as smooch or intimate as his classic Capitol sides, but which still has some nice merits – especially in the way that Nat's voice seems to still have a tremendous amount of presence in the setting. Titles include "I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face", "Hymn To Him", "With A Little Bit Of Luck", "The Rain In Spain", and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A nice little session that's one of Nat's last great vocal albums – thanks to some solid jazz backing by George Shearing. Shearing's group here is a super-hip west coast Latin one, with Emil Richards on vibes, Al Hendrickson on guitar, Al McKibbon on bass, and Shelly Manne on drums. Most tracks have them augmented by some larger backings by Ralph Carmichael – which creates this dreamy jazzy pillow for Nat to sing over. Cole's voice is still super-sweet and super-sexy, and the record is a good mix of ballads and more jazzy material. Titles include "Lost April", "Azure-Te", "September Song", "Don't Go", "There's A Lull In My Life", and "Serenata". LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent funky work – both new and old, with a feel that's perfect for fans of messed-up rock breaks! Side one is new breaks and loops by DJ Pete Hothead – all with a nice sinister feel to them – and side two includes such great lost breaks as "Switchblade Theme" by Ralph Carmichael, "Sour Soul" by Pool Pah, "Aladdin's Story" by The Glimmer Twins, "Have It Or Grab It Or Go" by Gershon Kingsley, and more! One of our favorites, and with a nice messed up loud sound! LP, Vinyl record album

A set that recreates the sweet harmony style the first four King Sisters brought to the music world in the late 50s – but updates their sound wonderfully with some hip 60s flair! Ralph Carmichael handles the arrangements, and he borrows from a lot of the best sorts of 60s pop vocal modes – touches of bossa here, groovy jazz there, mixed in with the warmer strings that are usually the Carmichael approach! There's a bit of Jimmy Bowman-esque bass bumping along the bottom at times, which makes for an especially nice groove – and titles include "Goin Out Of My Head", "Girl Talk", "The Shadow Of Your Smile", "Call Me", "I'm Old Fashioned", "Bluesette", "I Get The Blues When It Rains", and "Don't Go To Strangers". LP, Vinyl record album

Mel Torme gives Barbara McNair some mighty big props in the notes to this one – and hearing the set, we certainly have to agree! The record may well be McNair's most dramatic of the 60s – still a mix of vocal and jazz styles with a touch of soul – but also done with a bit more dynamism in the arrangements, and sung in a bold, powerful voice that's quite different from some of her more easy-going Motown recordings of later years. A good portion of the work here is from 60s shows, but Barbara sings the tunes with a personal style that gets past their roots – and backings are by Ralph Carmichael, in a way that's sweet one minute, swinging the next! Titles include "The Best Is Yet To Come", "My Love Is A Wanderer", "The Friendliest Thing", "On The Other Side Of The Tracks", "If Love Ain't There", and "For Lonesome Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Early work from vocalist Barbara McNair – a session that's done in a Nancy Wilson blend of jazz, soul, and class! Ralph Carmichael handled the arrangements on this one, and the record bounces along in a groovy way that reinvigorates familiar tunes – a mode that's way more than just one of those "hey, here's a new singer with the same old tunes" – and lets Barbara step out with one of the strongest vocal sessions of her 60s years! Carmichael's approach is a lot less soul-based than that of McNair's Motown sessions – but that's ok with us, because we actually think she opens up a bit more in this sort of a setting – especially on some of the torchier or more jazz-based tracks. Titles include "When In Rome", "The Wang Wang Blues", "I've Got Your Number", "What Are You Afraid Of", "Secret Love", "So Long Dearie", and "Don't Rain On My Parade". LP, Vinyl record album