L-O-V-E – NAT KING COLE****

L-O-V-E/The Girl From Ipanema/Three Little Words/There’s Love/My Kind Of Girl/Thanks To You/Your Love/More/Coquette/How I Love To Love You/Swiss Retreat

The album L-O-V-E contains the final tracks Nat King Cole recorded shortly before his passing. Appreciation of Nat's music has continued to grow since his untimely death. (US:4)

"While we are faced with the disheartening notion that the 1965 record is indeed his last, there is also a sense of hope and jubilance upon listening to it. Cole returns to his jazz roots after a few pop music detours and the songs are lightly coated with gorgeous Ralph Carmichael arrangements, and an orchestra filled with graceful strings and inspiring brass."

"One of the most arresting things about the record is how upbeat it is. Cole swings like crazy all over L-O-V-E, handling his favourite topic with cheerfulness and energy. The songs are merry, each swinging with a blissful sense of get-up-and-go. Some tracks are evidently more subtle than others, but the themes of hope and love inculcate the recording from start to finish."

"With the common thread of love moving fluently through the album, Cole takes on familiar hits and gives them new swagger. The title track bounces gleefully and finds him pleading but never overstating his case. The light bounce of the song leads into the straightforward retooling of The Girl From Ipanema wonderfully."

"Considering the gravity of his health situation, he was in remarkably good voice, and responded well to Carmichael's lush/brassy arrangements on songs like More, The Girl From Ipanema, and My Kind Of Girl, the latter allowing Nat Cole to revisit his jazz roots one final time. Perhaps the most swinging cut of all is Swiss Retreat, with Cole's deep, rich baritone gliding along effortlessly over Bobby Bryant's trumpet."

"This is a must have album, even if only for the obvious reason of it being NKC's final record. From a music standpoint, while there are certainly better Nat King Cole albums, L-O-V-E is still an exceptional effort throughout. A tribute to the determination of a man with the knowledge his life was slipping away, and evocative of the multi-talents of this musical genius who was known as a 'king' among his peers, and not just by name."