Jazz Today: July 10, 1957 @ Los Angeles

July 10, 1957 “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore” by Nat King Cole with Billy May’s Orchestra at Capitol Tower, Los Angeles for Capitol Record (Just one of those things)

Following the collaboration between the “Duke” Ellington and the “Count” Basie introduced on July 6, now the “King” makes his appearance. This is a vocal track led by Nat “King” Cole with an orchestra, released by the major label Capitol Records, which evokes the good old days of a prosperous America. It climbed as high as number 17 on the Billboard album charts.

With his sweet voice and clear articulation, his style is a classic, model approach that prioritizes the melody while staying faithful to the original song. However, I believe what makes Nat’s style truly kingly is his ability to weave the song as if it were his own words, creating an elegant atmosphere that never feels cloying.

While the orchestra’s accompaniment, which nestles close to Nat’s vocals, is excellent, I would like to draw your attention to the bass, which swings exquisitely from the left side as the foundation of the swing in this track. This bassist, Charlie Harris, was also the performer on Cole’s famous songs “Unforgettable” and “Mona Lisa,” and he accompanied Cole for 13 years. The song was written by the “Duke,” Duke Ellington. It is wonderful to see the King singing a song composed by the Duke.

As was typical for Ellington’s compositions, this piece was originally an instrumental without vocals. However, because the melody became popular, Ellington reportedly agreed to add lyrics to it to help financially support his own big band, which carried heavy financial burdens.

Although Ellington attempted a vocal recording shortly after the lyrics were added, the American Federation of Musicians began a recording strike in 1942 against record companies over an increase in music copyright royalties, claiming that the records that had begun to spread at the time were depriving them of performance opportunities. Until it was resolved, which took about two years, major record companies could not record anything except for vocals, which were a loophole. This caused them to miss business opportunities and marked a major turning point.

While this story symbolizes the strike, it led to the decline of big bands, which were the mainstream of music at the time, partly due to World War II. Vocals, which were the loophole, took their place, and small-combo jazz, which was picked up by small and medium-sized record companies like Savoy that were not bound by the strike, became popular, bringing about a major shift in the music industry. Meanwhile, major record companies continued to grow despite this strike.

The Billy May Orchestra, which provides the accompaniment, has a great affinity for vocals and has performed with top-tier singers such as Frank Sinatra, who rode the tailwinds of the strike’s loophole to stardom, as well as Anita O’Day, Bobby Darin, and Bing Crosby. Its characteristics are said to be the use of muted trumpets and strings, which are also symbolically employed in this track.

Jimmy Rowles, who supported the rise of Diana Krall—one of Canada’s many divas and a leading figure in current jazz vocals—participates in this band. Rowles has a seasoned piano style that is particularly adept at vocal accompaniment, fitting perfectly with the musical direction of both Nat in this work and Krall.

And, just like the song introduced on July 6, the drums are featured as if to show that they are the source of the big band’s swing. When I looked up the drummer, I found that he was the younger brother of Lester “Prez” Young, and it seems the Young family is a musical dynasty.

Los Angeles, home to Capitol Records with its unique design modeled after stacked records, is dry year-round, and I feel that the recordings generally feature a crisp, airy quality. While it has an image of being warm all year round, the minimum temperature in winter is surprisingly low, around 10 degrees Celsius, and it carries an even drier atmosphere. In contrast, this track gives the impression of having a bit more summer heat and humidity added to it.

In terms of audio, the balance of the soundstage between the orchestra and the vocals, and how high the sound of the glockenspiel, which rings out vividly as an accent at 51 seconds, resonates will likely be the key points.

You can find the collaboration between the “Duke” and the “Count” here.

If you like the combination of vocals and jazz orchestra, please check out this Los Angeles recording by the Marty Paich Orchestra. Can you feel the winter atmosphere here?

If you are interested in works recorded in Los Angeles in 1957, the same year as this one, please check out this great performance of Ellington standards by a master trio.

Finally, if you are interested in the Savoy label, please check out this classic performance.