Live in Paris, 19 Avril 1960

Description

The 1950s saw the major turning point in Nat King Cole’s artistic career, as he had made a name for himself as a jazz pianist before becoming the great timeless crooner. Quincy Jones, still in his twenties, settled in Paris in 1959 and, with the help of Frank Ténot and Daniel Filipacchi, formed his own big band, which he led with swing and elegance. Norman Granz, the famous impresario, arranged the meeting between the two men in 1960 during a European tour by the crooner. A fan of Cole from the very beginning, he asked him, in front of a purist European audience, to plan a few trio tracks and take up the piano again, which he had set aside for several years. These tracks stand in contrast to the big band pieces and make way for fine improvisations.