King Cole Trio

In the traditional pop market, Nat King Cole is best known for major pop hits like "Mona Lisa", "Unforgettable," "Too Young" and "Walkin' My Baby Back Home". But Cole's roots were straightahead jazz, and before he was a pop superstar, he was a swing-oriented singer/pianist who had an improvising group that was billed as the Nat King Cole Trio. One thing that made the combo unique was the absence of a drummer; while about 98% of the small swing groups that were active in the ?30s and ?40s had full-time drummers, the Cole Trio only used piano, guitar and acoustic bass. Whether Cole was singing or favoring an instrumental approach, that piano/guitar/bass format was unique--and if the Nat King Cole Trio did work with a drummer, he was strictly a guest.







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