Jazz Vocalist Gregory Porter to release ‘Nat King Cole & Me’ (VIDEO)

Posted by | Ray Cornelius 

Grammy-winning jazz vocalist Gregory Porter is paying tribute to his music idol—Nat King Cole—in a new project titled, Nat King Cole & Me. The album will be released this October 27 and features such classic Cole tunes as “Mona Lisa,” “Nature Boy” and “L-O-V-E.”

According to JAZZCORNER.COM, Porter enlisted help for the recording from 6-time Grammy winning arranger Vince Mendoza along with pianist Christian Sands, bassist Reuben Rogers and drummer Ulysses Owens + special guest trumpeter Terence Blanchard.

“He was one of a kind. He left such great music – such beautiful things to listen to that you can’t help but be influenced by that extraordinary timbre, style, and ultimate cool,” Porter enthuses. “It’s only natural that I go to the root of my inspiration and where I come from. And that root would be my mother and gospel music and Nat King Cole,” Porter says.

Check out Porter’s rendition of “Smile” below along with the CD’s track list:

1. Mona Lisa (Ray Evans/Jay Livingston)
2. Smile (Charlie Chaplin/John Turner/Geoffrey Parsons)
3. Nature Boy (Eden Ahbez)
4. L-O-V-E (Milt Gabler/Bert Kaempfert)
5. Quizas, Quizas, Quizas (Farres Osvaldo)
6. Miss Otis Regrets (Cole Porter)
7. Pick Yourself Up (Jerome Kern/ Dorothy Fields)
8. When Love Was King (Gregory Porter)
9. The Lonely One (Lenny Hambro/ Roberto Heller)
10. Ballerina (Carl Sigman/ Bob Russell)
11. I Wonder Who My Daddy Is (Gladys Shelley)
12. But Beautiful** (Johnny Burke/Jimmy Van Heusen)
13. Sweet Lorraine** (Cliff Burwell/Mitchell Parish)
14. For All We Know** (J. Fred Coots/Sam M. Lewis)
15. The Christmas Song (Mel Tormé/Robert Wells)

**only available on deluxe edition

Photo Credits: RayCornelius.com and Metro.co.uk