Nat King Cole – Welcome To The Club (1959) [Audio Fidelity 2013] {SACD ISO + FLAC 24bit/88,2kHz}

As the 1950s came to a close, Nat King Cole (vocals/piano) continued creating stylish renditions of pop and jazz flavored standards. On Welcome to the Club (1959) the artist teams up with Dave Cavanaugh and the Count Basie combo — minus the maestro himself due to contractual restraints — for one of Cole’s most powerful collections supported by a big band. In fact, it is Cole’s unmistakable ultra-cool intonations that flawlessly reign in the fiery — and at times overbearing — ensemble arrangements. Right from the start, the vocalist proves that he can swing on the refined and syncopated opening title track “Welcome to the Club.” Cole effortlessly bops with a beat so catchy that toe-tappin’ and finger-snappin’ feel practically obligatory. The bluesy “Anytime, Anyday, Anywhere” adopts a slightly melancholy torch feel that Cole ably milks with his unblemished and supple delivery. The same holds true for the definitive take of Duke Ellington’s “Mood Indigo.” The number is swaddled with a suitably subdued score that Cole dutifully conveys to tremendous effect, making it one of the unmitigated zeniths of his association with Cavanaugh. While on the subject, “Wee Baby Blues” follows a bit later revealing another spot-on example of his expressive technique. The tempo picks back up on the rousing, well-heeled “Late, Late Show” that again re-establishes Nat King Cole as one of the premiere voices of mid-20th century jazz. His ability to reel off lyrics as if they were conversational is nowhere as evident as it is here. The pace picks up steam with the full-speed-ahead frenzy of “Avalon” and again, Cole exudes nothing but soul throughout this compact, yet unhurried rendition.

Tracklist:
01. Welcome To The Club
02. Anytime Anyday Anywhere
03. The Blues Don’t Care
04. Mood Indigo
05. Baby Won’t You Please Come Home
06. The Late Late Show
07. Avalon
08. She’s Funny That Way
09. I Want A Little Girl
10. Wee Baby Blues
11. Look Out For Love
12. Madrid

Mastered by Steve Hoffman at Stephen Marsh Mastering.

SACD ISO

mqs.link_NatKingCleWelcmeTTheClub1959AudiFidelity2013SACDIS.part1.rar
mqs.link_NatKingCleWelcmeTTheClub1959AudiFidelity2013SACDIS.part2.rar

FLAC 24bit/88,2kHz

mqs.link_NatKingCleWelcmeTTheClub1959AudiFidelity2013FLAC2488.2.rar