The Forgotten 1949 Carnegie Hall Concert

Recorded at a November 4, 1949 concert by Nat King Cole & His Trio at Carnegie Hall, this pleasant set finds Cole in easy and elegant form, both as a singer and a pianist, and as a bandleader and MC as well, as he and his trio glide through graceful versions of “Sweet Lorraine,” “How High the Moon,” a medley of “For All We Know” and “Embraceable You,” and several other numbers that feature different members of the band before the Woody Herman Orchestra steps in for the final number, a rousing “More Moon.” It’s a period piece, but it’s also fun listening, and it captures Cole when he was still more jazz than pop. – Steve Leggett