Nat King Cole - Hittin The Ramp: The Early Years 1936-1943 (CD)

Seven CD set. Released in partnership with the Nat King Cole estate, Resonance Records' Hittin' The Ramp: The Early Years (1936-1943) is the first large-scale collection of the pivotal early recordings of Nat's 29-year recording career. Most tracks are receiving their first official release in this meticulously restored set of original live-to-disk recordings. This collection draws upon a wide range of sources, including many newly-discovered tracks unearthed for the first time from archives located all over the world, such as "Trompin" (jukebox-only release for Cinematone, 1939), "What'cha Know Joe" (undocumented radio performance, 1940 - now the earliest known recording of Nat "on the air"), "The Romany Room is Jumpin'" (private recording, 1941) and "Beautiful Moons Ago" (longer alternate take, 1943). Sessions include Nat at age 17, playing piano in his brother's band in Chicago, 1936; the first King Cole Trio recordings from 1938, made for radio broadcast only, for Standard Transcriptions; further radio transcription sessions for Standard, Davis & Schwegler, Keystone, plus his first (uncredited) session for MacGregor, with vocalist Anita Boyer; the Ammor Records Session (Spring 1940 - the first commercial-release sessions for the trio), the Decca Recordings (1940-41), the small-label sessions for Excelsior and Premier labels (1943), many previously-uncirculated Armed Forces Radio performances, and, with producer Norman Granz at the helm, early jazz sessions with Lester Young (Granz historic, first session as a producer) and Dexter Gordon, originally released on Philo and Mercury, respectively. Boasting an extensive 60+ page booklet with rare photographs; essays by acclaimed author Will Friedwald and guitarist Nick Rossi (with a special focus on Oscar Moore); plus interviews and testimonials from Johnny Mathis, Tony Bennett, Quincy Jones, Harry Belafonte, John Pizzarelli, Freddy Cole, Michael Feinstein and many others.

Track List:

Disc: 1

1. Honey Hush
2. Stompin' at the Panama (Skoller's Shuffle)
3. Bedtime (Sleepy Moan)
4. Thunder
5. Mutiny in the Nursery
6. F.D.R. Jones
7. The Sheik of Araby
8. The Blue Danube
9. Button, Button
10. Jingle Bells
11. Swanee River
12. With Plenty of Money and You
13. Don't Blame Me
14. Lullaby in Rhythm
15. Dark Rapture
16. The Wiggly Walk
17. Flea Hop
18. Chopsticks
19. Patty Cake, Patty Cake
20. Blue Skies
21. Liza
22. Three Blind Mice
23. Caravan
24. There's No Anesthetic for Love
25. Dixie Jamboree
26. Ta-De-Ah
27. Riffin' at the Bar-B-Q
28. Harlem Swing
29. I Lost Control of Myself

Disc: 2

1. The Land of Make Believe
2. That Please-Be-Mine-Able Feeling
3. Dancing in the Street
4. You're So Different
5. I Wouldn't Have Known It
6. Let's Get Happy
7. Undecided
8. 'Taint What You Do
9. Do You Wanna Jump, Children?
10. Riffin' in F Minor
11. Ol' Man Mose Ain't Dead
12. Blue Lou
13. Honey
14. Russian Lullaby
15. Georgie Porgy
16. The Limp
17. Snug As a Bug in a Rug
18. Liebestraum
19. Fidgety Joe
20. Two Against One
21. Some Like It Hot
22. Crazy Rhythm
23. Moonglow
24. Don't Let That Moon Get Away
25. My Blue Heaven
26. I Was Doing Alright
27. I Can't Get Started
28. Old Man Moon
29. Carry Me Back to Old Virginny

Disc: 3

1. Moon Song
2. Baby, Won't You Please Come Home
3. Rosetta
4. Trompin'
5. You're My Life
6. Hoy Soy
7. Take 'Em
8. Scategoria
9. Rhythm Serenade
10. Rib Town Shuffle
11. Music'll Chase Your Blues Away
12. I'll Gather Up My Memories
13. A Fool's Affair
14. Jump, Jack, Jump
15. I Knew a Time
16. Mine You'll Always Be
17. Doin' the Bow Wow
18. Lilla Mae
19. I Like to Riff
20. On the Sunny Side of the Street
21. Black Spider Stomp
22. By the River St. Marie
23. Slew Foot Joe
24. 1-2-3-4
25. Crazy 'Bout Rhythm
26. Off the Beam
27. King Cole Blues
28. Jivin' with the Notes
29. Never Mind, Baby

Disc: 4

1. I'm a Perfect Fool Over You
2. Lovely Little Person
3. Love Me Sooner
4. Sentimental Blue
5. Goin' to Town with Honey
6. Syncopated Lullaby
7. Falling in and Out of Love
8. Let's Do Things
9. Jumpy Jitters
10. Nothing Ever Happens
11. What'cha Doin' to My Heart
12. Bedtime
13. Honey Hush
14. French Toast
15. Vine Street Jump
16. B Flat
17. You Send Me
18. Love Is My Alibi
19. Pogo Stick Bounce
20. Whatcha' Know, Joe?
21. Sweet Lorraine
22. Honeysuckle Rose
23. Gone with the Draft
24. This Side Up
25. Jumpin' with the Mop
26. Jam Man
27. Let's Try Again
28. Fudge Wudge
29. Smokey Joe
30. Windy City Boogie Woogie
31. Ode to a Wild Clam

Disc: 5

1. Let's Try Again
2. Whatcha' Know, Joe?
3. Lazy River
4. Georgia on My Mind
5. Rockin' Chair
6. A Little Jive Is Good for You
7. You've Changed
8. Babs
9. Scotchin' with the Soda
10. Slow Down
11. Early Morning Blues
12. The Romany Room Is Jumpin'
13. This Will Make You Laugh
14. Stop! the Red Light's on
15. Hit the Ramp
16. I Like to Riff
17. Call the Police
18. Are You Fer It?
19. That Ain't Right
20. Hit That Jive, Jack
21. Indiana
22. I Can't Get Started

Disc: 6

1. Tea for Two
2. Body and Soul
3. Vom, Vim, Veedle
4. All for You
5. Hip Hip Hooray
6. I Know That You Know
7. I'm Gonna Move to the Outskirts of Town
8. Pitchin' Up a Boogie
9. I'm Lost
10. Beautiful Moons Ago
11. Let's Spring One
12. Slender, Tender, and Tall
13. I've Found a New Baby
14. Rosetta
15. Sweet Lorraine
16. I Blowed and Gone
17. Solid Potato Salad
18. F.S.T. (Fine, Sweet ; Tasty)
19. Got a Penny
20. Let's Pretend
21. My Lips Remember Your Kisses
22. I'm An Errand Boy for Rhythm
23. Straighten Up and Fly Right

Disc: 7

1. Honey Hush
2. By the River St. Marie
3. I Like to Riff
4. Black Spider Stomp
5. Sweet Lorraine
6. Early Morning Blues
7. Gone with the Draft
8. Trompin'
9. Sweet Lorraine
10. Gone with the Draft
11. Scotchin' with the Soda
12. Gone with the Draft
13. The Romany Room Is Jumpin'
14. Hit That Jive, Jack
15. Beautiful Moons Ago
16. Honeysuckle Rose
17. I Know That You Know
18. Solid Potato Salad
19. My Lips Remember Your Kisses
20. Straighten Up and Fly Right