Capitol Records, in conjunction with King Cole Partners, LLC have shared the new holiday record “A Sentimental Christmas with Nat “King” Cole and Friends: Cole Classics Reimagined,” which pairs newly restored recordings of legendary jazz and pop singer Nat “King” Cole with new contemporary duet partners like John Legend and Gloria Estefan.
Over the course of his 20-year career from the 1940s until his premature death in the 1960s, Cole was one of the most successful vocalists in music, known for his smooth, sultry baritone voice. Emerging as a pianist in the Chicago jazz scene, Cole topped the first Billboard Album Chart with his 1945 debut “The Nat King Cole Trio” and never looked back, landing over 150 singles on the pop, R&B, and even the country charts, selling more than 50 million units and turning Capitol Records’ Hollywood building into “the house that Nat built.” Cole was also the first African-American musician to host a radio special broadcast and the first African-American to host a national network TV show with “The Nat King Cole Show” on NBC.
Released on CD, vinyl, digital purchase, and streaming services, the album was co-produced by the all-star trio of Grammy winners Jay Lander and Dave Reitzas and Oscar nominee Jorge Calandrelli; Reitzas mixed and mastered the record, while Calandrelli arranged and conducted. Reitzas also worked on the Grammy-winning duet “Unforgettable,” which similarly combined remastered Nat “King” Cole recordings with contemporary partners, pairing him with his daughter Natalie Cole.
“A Sentimental Christmas with Nat “King” Cole and Friends: Cole Classics Reimagined” follows the release of the lead single “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire),” a duet with John Legend. The record also includes “Deck the Halls/Joy to the World” with Johnny Mathis and “O Holy Night” with Calum Scott, among others, as well as unaccompanied songs including “Auld Lang Syne” and “O Little Town of Bethlehem/Silent Night.”
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