NAT 'KING' COLE and his TRIO - AFTER MIDNIGHT

Originally on Capitol W782 (1957)
Reissued by Analogue Productions

Rating: 9.5/ A+

Category: Jazz / Crooner
Format: vinyl (3x 180g at 45rpm)
Nat Cole (vocal/piano/arranger), John Collins (guitar), Charlie P. Harris (bass), Lee Young (drums)
Produced by: Lee Gilette
Recorded at: Capitol Recording Studio, Hollywood, California, August 15, September 14, 21 and 24, 1956 Recording Engineer: John Kraus
Remastered and Lacquer cut by Kevin Gray and Steve Hoffman at AcousTech Mastering
Pressed at: RTI, California, USA

I was disappointed that the outer artwork did not reflect the very high standards that went into this reissue project.  Although a three LP set brings it's own set of challenges regarding packaging and the fact that the new squarer jackets that AP are now using, correct the previous cardboard problems - which at times got unglued; I still feel the visual and tactile presentation could have been handled better.  It's my opinion that a premium price (as such is the case) commands a premium packaging.

The records are housed in their inner see-through 'slippery' 'plasticised' sleeves (no paper).  The 180g vinyl was black, shiny, flat, dead silent and with the dead wax starting about an inch from the label perimeter; in other words perfect.  The label is a reproduction of the "rainbow" era. The word MONO seems as if it's been added at the '9 o'clock' position.  If I'm not mistaken the "rainbow" label represented the "FULL SPECTRUM IN SOUND" and came out only in 1958 (therefore didn't exist yet for the original 1957 release date) in STEREO and MONO versions but the latter did not mention it anywhere on the label. 

Even if we accept the 'rainbow' label, the CAPITOL oval logo would be positioned at '9 o'clock' instead of noon.  Thus the original first pressing should resemble more the above pictured label.  Strangely the label on their Just One of Those Things reissue is closer to the original.  Also "2010 EMI " appears instead of the original miniature peripheral "MFD BY CAPITOL RECORDS INC. USA" minor quibbles but not up to par with CLASSIC RECORDS or others in the artwork department and somewhat diminishing the authenticity I find.  Fortunately a full size folded insert explains the behind scenes of  After Midnight and the elaborate remastering project.


Every song on this special edition album is a real gem.  Absolutely no filler up material, even the bonus tracks keep it's interesting 'til the end.  Nat is indeed the King of the vocals showing tremendous range, richness and refinement with every phrase.  I can think of only one other male singer that can conjure up such command of his 'natural instrument' all the while making it sound so effortless and that would be Frank Sinatra.  Oddly both were at the top their game at the same period sharing the same label; late fifties to early sixties, Capitol.  The Chairman, more extrovert & showman, the King showing more restraint & refinement. 

The Collins-Harris-Young jazz Trio (not unlike the Baker-Harris-Young trio of the later Philly Sound era) provide the swinging backbone to Nat's piano and vocals chops without discounting the fine solos of alto sax, trumpet, violin and trombone making their appearance.  With such classics as "Sweet Lorraine", "Caravan", "It's Only a Paper Moon" and "Route 66" in the hands of a Master, you can't possibly go wrong.



The Sound 

Sony C-37 a perennial favorite at Capitol

                                                                                                                    

Recording Engineer John Kraus did a fantastic job capturing the King's voice with great immediacy, natural warmth, huge non clipped dynamics, swinging modulations and no annoying sibilance ("Route 66" excluded); to combine all of these together is extremely difficult and yet he makes it sound so easy.  The piano comes out clear in the upper registers, non boxy nor veiled like we often encounter on Van Gelder recordings or some 1950's jazz lp's; nevertheless it lacks the weight and presence of the Real Thing and the realism of the Count Basie "88 Basie Street" album I evaluated in a prior post (see Post-3).

Notice the large diaphragm mike



Enjoying what one does best



The Bass has a nice presence but also shows a slight temerity in the lowest notes.  Guitar, alto sax and trumpet exhibit great tone and natural bite.  The drums possesses a lively feel with the snare brush revealing great harmonic complexity and see-through density.  It's almost sad when one thinks of the immense lack of refinement nowadays in upper octave and general treble reproduction since the early to mid 1980's, the (1983) Basie '88 being the exception to the rule.

 

Nat in a pensive mood in the original control booth

  

AcousTech Mastering - Now that's what I call serious woofer cone area displacement

Meanwhile in the 'Batcave'... The 'Dynamic Duo' of  (Re)Mastering  - Steve Hoffman & Kevin Gray - have done it once again.  Instead of taking the easy road they've painstakingly took great care to go back to the ULTIMATE SOURCE: the ORIGINAL SESSION TAPE, not the assembled PRODUCTION MASTER or 'DUB MASTER' but the 1/4" MONO FULL TRACK WORK PARTS bringing us closer to the actual event and avenue.

One of the 2 Original Full Track Mono Tapes

Cut at 45rpm at just the right level, not too 'hot' to sound hard nor too low to sound soft, giving us large dynamic burst over a black background and a solid vividness. 

The team at work

Kevin Gray inspecting the 'Crown Jewel'

As soon as the very first seconds travels up the vibrating cantilever down to the moving speaker cone while "Just You, Just Me" springs to life, you know you're about to experience something very rare: the utter presence of real musicians breathing life in your company.  I guarantee it is spooky!  The sound is intimate and non-mechanical, i.e. you forget the electronics and the complicated path between the original event captured in time and the reconstruction over half a century later for you in your home at the time of your choosing.

I wouldn't qualify the presentation as FAT MONO, rather I keep that attribute more for Monk's Brilliant Corners or Rollins's The Sound of Sonny, both on Riverside, dito Hoffman-Gray.  Here it's seems narrower, a bit leaner (but not lean per say), faster & lighter.  I did a short (2 song) comparison between this issue and the previous 33rpm audiophile reissue by Pure Pleasure for sonics.  The latter was also excellent and held it's own with a bit more bass and low mids giving the voice a chestier palpability and a weighier Bass (earning a 9.2/10) but the newer 45rpm predictably surpassed the 33rpm for upper harmonic resolution, extension, transparency and dept leaving the general impression of greater dynamics and sheer 'speed', particularly noteworthy on the percussion's in "Caravan".  Combining the best of both worlds would have probably pushed it up to a 9.7/10; having to choose only one I'd still go for the 45rpm if price is not a factor.

In the hands and ears of the Pros - Hoffman / Gray - a job well done

In conclusion, artwork quibbles aside, this is one of my favorite record purchases in a long time.  Close to perfection in many areas, I consider it one of the MOST TRANSPARENT AND DYNAMIC TAPE TO VINYL TRANSFERS I'VE EVER HEARD.


TOP 5 ALL TIME JAZZ/CROONER RECORDING FOR MUSIC AND SOUND.


Can't wait to hear more from this wonderful series.  Kudos to all involved.
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RECORD EVALUATIONS ALWAYS IN THE MAKING