Nat King Cole at the piano - Penthouse Serenade

The year after he had formally disbanded his trio to turn his attention to vocal pop music, Nat "King" Cole reversed himself and went into the studio with guitarist John Collins, bassist Charlie Harris, and drummer Bunny Shawker and recorded the eight-song 10" LP Penthouse Serenade, a quiet, reflective set of standards like "Somebody Loves Me" and "Laura" that he performed instrumentally at the piano. The album confirmed that, whatever success he might be having as a singer, he hadn't lost his touch. In 1955, with the 12" LP gaining dominance, Cole went back into the studio with Collins, Harris, and drummer Lee Young (Lester Young’s brother) and cut four more songs to create a 12-track reissue of Penthouse Serenade that was his first full-length LP release. In 1998, Capitol Jazz again expanded the album, putting out a 19-track CD version by appending an alternate take of "I Surrender Dear" from the 1955 session and six tracks recorded with Collins and Harris (and, on most of them, percussionist Jack Costanzo) from January 1952, four of which were previously unreleased. The justification for these inclusions was that they featured the same personnel, and they are interesting in that they include alternate, non-orchestrated versions of Cole hits like "Too Young," "Walkin' My Baby Back Home," and "Unforgettable." But they are not in keeping with the rest of the album in that they are vocal tracks. Nevertheless, it's hard to argue with an album that, over the years, has grown from 23 to 51 minutes in length. William Ruhlmann/AMG Tracklisting Side 1: 1. Penthouse Serenade 2. Somebody Loves Me 3. Laura 4. Once In A Blue Moon 5. Don't Blame Me 6. Little Girl 7. Polka Dots & Moonbeams 8. Down By The Old Mill Stream 9. If I Should Lose You Side 2: 1. Rose Room 2. I Surrender Dear (take 2) 3. It Could Happen To You 4. I Surrender Dear (take 1) 5. Too Marvelous For Words 6. Unforgettable 7. Walkin' My Baby Back Home 8. Too Young 9. That's My Girl 10. Paper Moon Personnel: Nat King Cole, piano & vocal on Side 2, tracks 5 to 10 John Collins, guitar/ Charlie Harris, bass/ Bunny Shawker, drums on Side 1, tracks 1 to 4, 7 to 9, Side 2, track 1 Lee Young, drums on Side 1, tracks 5 & 6, Side 2, tracks 2 & 3 Jack Costanzo, bongos, conga on Side 1, track 4, 8, Side 2, tracks 5, 7, 9 & 10. Produced by Lee Gillette Recorded at MGM Studios, New York City on January 2, 1952 Side 2, tracks 5 to 10 at Capitol Studios, Los Angeles on July 18, 1952 Side 1, tracks 1 to 4, 7 to 9 Side 2, track 1 at Capitol Studios, Los Angeles on July 14, 1955 Side 1, tracks 5 & 6 Side 2, tracks 2 & 3. On Side 2, the tracks 4 to 10, this is their first time on vinyl