Natalie Cole, still unforgettable

One of the great things about the final months of the year is that it is during this time when record labels come up with most of their major releases. The main reason of course is to take advantage of the increased buying power during the Christmas season. But for music lovers it feels like opening one wonderful present after another as the new CDs pour in.

I must admit that I have been feeling that way these past few weeks, somewhat giddy over all those great new albums, I just want to listen to one after the other. And this week, the new release I cannot seem to get enough of is Still Unforgettable, which is Natalie Cole’s second tribute recording for her legendary father, Nat King Cole.

It was 17 years ago when Natalie came up with Unforgettable With Love. Though already famous for hit tunes like Mr. Melody, Miss You Like Crazy, Inseparable, Starting Over Again, and others, she decided to take a drastic change of pace by singing the standards popularized by her father. It was a tall order. Singing his father’s songs did not do anything for Frank Sinatra Jr. The same thing could have happened to Natalie who was then recovering from drug addiction.

That did not happen. Instead of freezing her in a Nat Cole box, Unforgettable expanded her fan base to include several generations. The songs, The Very Thought of You, Paper Moon, Mona Lisa, Smile, Nature Boy, etc. were great. Natalie sounded fantastic. And there was the added novelty of her singing the cut Unforgettable with her Dad’s vocals, thanks to the magic of new technology. Unforgettable has since won several Grammys and sold millions of copies worldwide. Those are more than enough reasons to do another.

Still Unforgettable adheres to the same formula. Nat King Cole songs, Natalie singing and one father-daughter duet, in this case Walkin’ My Baby Back Home. Some bonus tracks that were not necessarily recorded by the elder Cole have been added. All the Things You Are, Besame Mucho, Busted, How Do You Keep The Music Playing and The Man That Got Away. So buyers get a good bargain in 19 songs in the CD, most of which are treasured works from the great American songbook.

And that is really the main appeal of the album. It is made up of old, familiar and romantic songs. The Nat Cole connection makes a good handle but oldies covers is what this is about. Truth to tell, though Nat did record the songs, we associate some of them with other legends. Like my favorite You Go to My Head is that of Sinatra’s. So are Nice N Easy and The Best is Yet to Come. But Beautiful and Lollipops and Roses belong to Jack Jones. And others.

But all that is really immaterial. Natalie did this for Dad and that is it. Besides, who cares about that when Natalie is here again with an impeccably chosen collection. Natalie is one artist who has never made a bad album and it is largely because she chooses her materials well. And she picked truly beautiful love songs for this one.

Also included are Come Rain or Come Shine, Coffee Time Somewhere Along the Way, Why Don’t You Do Right? Here’s That Rainy Day, The Best is Yet to Come, Something’s Gotta Give, Until the Real Thing Comes Along and It’s All Right with Me.

Incidentally, I would also describe as impeccable Natalie’s choice of Christmas songs for her Holly & Ivy album. It is one of the best I have ever heard. Her singing is absolutely beautiful. It is so smooth, probably how silk would sound. And it was not just the songs or her voice.

After so many years of listening to it, I still cannot get over how she paced the CD. How she starts out happy and jazzy with Jingle Bells and then tones down the tempo to get all quietly sentimental with the traditional The Holly and the Ivy and a Nat Cole tribute in The Christmas Song, which they now call Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire.

Of course, the downside is Holly & Ivy does not include one of the most heart-tugging of contemporary Christmas carols, My Grown-Up Christmas List. Natalie was the first artist to record the David Foster song and her version is still the best.

Come to think of it, if I remember right, Foster, played a big part in the first Unforgettable as producer of the title track. So it was quite a surprise not to find his name in the credits to the new album.

But no matter, add this one to your Christmas list, you will surely enjoy it.