Customer Reviews
One for the Hall of Fame - By: E. B. Rawlinson, 09 Aug 2008 
The combination of the great man Nat, & the man from England, ( His protege ) was a work of genious. The master (now a vocalist) & pupil as accompanying pianist.
I bought this album some years ago, & the CD version remainsin the glove box of my car, to soothe my savage breast, when confronting the other idiots on the road. Super music. Isn't it sad that the young people of today don't know what they are missing ?
An album for the ages. - By: Mary Whipple, 30 Aug 2005 Though Cole & Shearing came from totally different backgrounds, their approach to music was similar, &in this remastered CD of the original 1961 album, the two find the perfect blend of sound & mood, allowing each to be himself while complementing the other. Cole is a crooner here, singing mellow, usually romantic ballads, & often sliding down the scale to his lower notes. Shearing plays quiet, inventive, & "tinkly" accompanimentsin the background, without ever stepping on Cole's notes. Both are gentlemen of the old school who maintain a professionalism & formality which shows clear respect for the audience & for each other, while at the same time conveying a sense of controlled passion & warmth for the music.
Varying the sound from the easy swing beat of "Pick Yourself Up,"in which Cole offers gentle advice, rather than an assertive recommendation, to the Latin beat of "Serenata" & "The Game of Love," the very slow ballads of "Lost April" & "I Got It Bad," & the less familiar songs of "There's a Lullin My Life" & "Don't Go," Cole uses phrasings which make overly familiar lyrics suddenly come alive. Shearing, keeping his piano accompaniments relatively simple, adds to the moods Cole creates, while Ralph Carmichael, with the String Choir, fillsin the arrangements.
Three songs stand out: "Let There Be Love" begins with a bluesy piano intro & light percussion, until Cole & Shearing guide the song into somewhat louder & jazzier realms near the end. "Fly Me to the Moon" is sung much more slowly than usual, sounding more intimate & private as a result, as if Cole is singing directly to the audiencein phrasings that sound conversational. "The Game of Love," with its syncopated Latin beat has a great piano solo by Shearing, flute-y piccolo sounds, & a more integrated accompaniment with the strings. Cole's phrasing is reminiscent of Belafonte here.
For listeners more accustomed to the minimalist percussion & piano accompaniments of modern jazz & ballad soloists, the inclusion of the heavy strings of the String Choir may sound a bit dated & a bit intrusive, an overly romantic (Nelson Riddle-like) element commonly included on recordings at that time. Cole & Shearing adapt to the strings beautifully, leaving room for them while keeping their own styles simple. With beautiful songs rendered even more beautiful by the partnership of Cole & Shearing, this is an album for the ages. Mary Whipple
This CD brings together the mastery of 2 musical greats. - By: dcheetham1@aol.com, 08 Dec 2000 Nearly 40 years ago I bought the LP on which this CD is based. It started a musical love affair with both these fine artists. The bonus is that there are 3 extra tracks on the CD which weren't on the original LP. Hearing this CD again is like being reunited with an old friend.
