who is Nat King Cole? - jazz pianist & vocalist. ARTICLE BY COOL PIANO TEACHER LLC.

Who is Nat King Cole the Jazz Pianist?

Born in Montgomery, Alabama on March 17, 1919, Nat King became a renowned American singer and pianist in the late 1930s.

His smooth vocal style and soaring tenor made him one of the most popular and well-known singers of his generation.

Although he began as a guitarist, he soon discovered his true talent as a jazz piano player. His mother was a church choir director, and his father was a Baptist minister.

The late 1940s saw the development of a new kind of jazz. In 1956, Cole played at President Dwight D. Eisenhower's birthday party.

He also won the piano category in the Republican National Convention. 

In the spring of 1965, his album L-O-V-E peaked at number four on the Billboard Albums chart. In 1968, the Best of album became a gold record. 

The 1957 recording of "When I Fall in Love" became a top-selling single in the UK and spawned many films. 

His playful swing style still heavily influences modern day jazz pianists such as Diane Krall, who dedicated an entire album to him.

While his popularity was limited to the pop charts, he continued to perform live and on television. 

He was invited to play at President Dwight D. Eisenhower's birthday in 1956, and his performance was met with enthusiastic applause. 

In 1956, Cole performed at the Democratic National Convention to support Senator John F. Kennedy. In 1961, he was one of dozens of artists Frank Sinatra invited to perform at the Kennedy Inaugural Gala.

His career in music started when Nat King Cole joined a jazz trio in 1945. He highly respected by serious jazz pianists, although his popularity was based upon his vocal style.

The musician later remarked that his career as a vocalist was an "accident." 

In addition to originality, he wrote novelty songs that would spice up the band. 

His first big hit was titled "Straighten Up and Fly Right," which was inspired by his father's sermon. The song was a commercial success.

In 1999, Mosaic, an independent reissue label, acquired all the recordings by Nat King Cole. 

The company released a boxed set containing all of his Capitol records. It was the first time a single pianist played on Capitol's recordings. 

This marked the first time that a pianist had played the piano on a single recording. 

In addition, his singing had become more recognizable in the jazz scene.

When was Nat King Cole born? He was born in Montgomery, Alabama in 1915. 

His family moved to Chicago, Illinois, when he was four years old. 

He learned how to play the piano from his mother, Perlina. At twelve, he was convinced to play the piano by Nadine, a dancer. She persuaded the producers of the revue, Shuffle Along, to hire him.

The music of Nat King Cole was popular throughout the United States. 

He is one of the most celebrated jazz artists of all time. 

"Little-known fact" His songs are often based on traditional Jewish songs and stories. 

His piano playing resembles the styles of the early twentieth century, and his piano playing is quite unique. 

While his sound may be distinctive and distinct, his piano technique is remarkably authentic. 

He had an excellent command of both the keys and the keyboard.

In 1942, Nat King Cole and his Trio recorded the famous Christmas song "The Christmas Song," a classic that has become a holiday classic. 

During this time, the Trio recorded a string-accompanied version of "This Side Up," which was a rousing hit and shot to No. 1 on the pop charts. 

A year later, the trio recorded the trio's signature tune, "My Kind of Love." This song topped the charts in the United States and eventually soared to No. 1 on the jazz charts.

Nat King Cole was a jazz pianist who recalled his mentor Earl Hines when he was in his teens. 

In 1946, he won the Gold Award from Esquire magazine and in 1947, he won the Silver Award with his guitar-bass combo. 

The trio won the coveted Down Beat magazine small combo award. The piano-guitar-bass trio of the time captivated the public.to

To this day Nat King Cole as a jazz pianist is one of my top 10 jazz pianist to listen to and learn from.

©2022 Article by Cool Piano Teacher LLC