Nat King Cole – A Sentimental Christmas with Nat King Cole and Friends (LP, Warner)

The festive album: Christmas classics by Nat “King” Cole, technically refreshed and with current guest stars! Nat “King” Cole was not only a jazz pianist and one of the most successful pop singers of all time, thanks to his legendary interpretation of the famous “Christmas Song” and several Christmas album bestsellers in the 1950s and 1960s, he may be today the singer most associated with Christmas music. No wonder, his soft, warm, yet always radiantly clear voice is perfect for this repertoire. Nat “King” Cole’s Capitol Records label has now digitally “polished up” some of his most beautiful Christmas recordings and made them a little more timeless: Producer Jay Landers had the well-known arranger Jorge Calandrelli record new arrangements to Cole’s original vocal tracks, joining them on five tracks the current guests John Legend, Calum Scott, Kristen Chenoweth, Gloria Estefan and Johnny Mathis added. The result is a Christmas music enjoyment in a contemporary dream sound and with a mood guarantee.