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Sessions of 1952

January 2, 1952
January 10, 1952
January 11, 1952
March 31, 1952
July 1, 1952
July 18, 1952
July 24, 1952
July 28, 1952
July 31, 1952
August 12, 1952
December 30, 1952

1952

January 2, 1952

WMCA Studios, New York

Nat Cole (piano/vocal), John Collins (guitar), Charlie Harris (bass), Jack Costanzo (bongos/congas)

(unknown1) Walkin’ My Baby Back Home
(unknown2) Too Marvelous For Words
(unknown3) Too Young
(unknown4) That’s My Girl
(unknown5) It’s Only a Paper Moon
(unknown6) Unforgettable

January 10, 1952

Capitol Recording Studio, 5515 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, California

Nat Cole (vocal), Nelson Riddle (arranger/conductor), John Collins (guitar), Charlie Harris (bass), Jack Constanzo (bongos), all others unknown

(9557) You Will Never Grow Old
(9565) Easter Sunday Morning
(9570) You Weren’t There
(9571-9) Somewhere Along the Way
(9572?) Too Soon

Note: The union contracts have been lost for this session

January 11, 1952

(Session #2485, 2:00 – 6:00 p.m.) Capitol Recording Studio, 5515 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, California

Nat Cole (vocal), Pete Rugolo (arranger/conductor), Uan Rasey, Joe Triscari, Shorty Rogers, Conrad Gozzo (trumpet), Si Zentner, Walter Benson, Jimmy Priddy (trombone), Gus Bivona, Alex Gershonoff (alto sax), Bob Cooper, Don Lodice (tenor sax), Chuck Gentry (baritone sax), Buddy Cole (piano), John Collins (guitar), Charlie Harris (bass), Jack Costanzo (bongos), Shelly Manne (drums)

(9224-7) It’s Crazy
(9249-6) You Stepped Out of a Dream
(9572-7) Where Were You
(9579-5) Summer is a Comin’ In
(9580-3) Funny

March 31, 1952

Possibly New York

Nat Cole (vocal), Dave Cavanaugh (arranger/conductor), probably John Collins (guitar), Charlie Harris (bass), Jack Costanzo (bongos/congas), all others unknown

(unknown1) Rough Ridin’
(unknown2) Can’t I

July 1, 1952

MGM Studios, Los Angeles

Nat Cole (piano/vocal)

(unknown1) My Flaming Heart
(unknown2) I Just Love You

Note: This session features the soundtrack recordings for the MGM film Small Town Girl.
Note: Collective personnel are known for this date.

July 18, 1952

(1:00 – 4:00; 4:30 – 7:30 p.m.), Capitol Recording Studio, 5515 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, California

Nat Cole (piano), John Collins (guitar), Charlie Harris (bass), Jack Costanzo (bongos/congas*), Bunny Shawker or Lee Young (drums)

(9472-23) Penthouse Serenade
(9473-22) Rose Room*
(9478-23) Down by the Old Mill Stream*
(9479-35) Laura
(9474-21) Polka Dots and Moonbeams
(9475-23) Somebody Loves Me*
(9476-25) Once in a Blue Moon*
(9477-21) If I Should Lose You

Note: All of the above titles were first recorded by the same personnel on March 31 or April 3, 1952 (probably in New York). The tapes from that first date were rejected and no longer exist.
Note: Bunny Shawker has traditionally been credited as the drummer on this session. However, Lee Young appears on the union contract, not Shawker.

July 24, 1952

Capitol Recording Studio, 5515 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, California

Nat Cole (vocal), Nelson Riddle (arranger/conductor), The Ray Anthony Orchestra, Martin White, Chris Griffin, Dean Henckle, Bruce Bruckert, Jack Laibach (trumpet), Keith Butterfield, Ken Trimble, Dick Reynolds, Walter Shields (trombone), Earl Bergamn, Buddy Wise, Jim Schneider, Billy Usselton, Leo Anthony (reeds), John Collins (guitar), Charlie Harris (bass), Archie Freeman (drums)

(10436-3) Don’t Let Your Eyes Go Shopping

July 28, 1952

(Session # 2716, 2:00 – 6:00 p.m.), Capitol Studios, 5515 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles

Nat Cole (vocal), Nelson Riddle (arranger/conductor), Mischa Russell, Victor Bay, Walter Edelstein, Alex Beller, Henry Hill, Harry Bluestone, Erno Neufeld, Jacques Gasselin (violin), Stanley Harris, Paul Robyn (viola), Armand Kaproff, Eleanor Slatkin (cello), Robert Lawson (sax), Pete Candoli, Vito Mangano (trumpet), Francis Howard, William Schaefer, Ed Kusby, Paul Tanner (trombone), Ann Mason Stockton (harp), Buddy Cole (piano), Jack Costanzo (bongos), John Collins (guitar), Charlie Harris (bass), Lee Young (drums)

(10442-14) Strange
(10443) How

July 31, 1952

(Session #2718, 2:00 – 7:00 p.m.), Capitol Recording Studio, 5515 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, California

Nat Cole (vocal), Nelson Riddle (arranger/conductor), Mischa Russell, Victor Bay, Walter Edelstein, Alex Beller, Henry Hill, Harry Bluestone, Erno Neufeld, Jacques Gasselin (violin), Stanley Harris, David Sterkin (viola), Armand Kaproff, Victor Gottlieb (cello), Robert Lawson (sax), Pete Candoli, Carlton McBeath (trumpet), Francis Howard, Paul Tanner, Ed Kusby, Si Zentner (trombone), Ann Mason Stockton (harp), Buddy Cole (piano), John Collins (guitar), Charlie Harris (bass), Lee Young (drums), Jack Costanzo (bongos)

(10448) Sweet William
(10449-8) Because You’re Mine
(10450) Sleeping Beauty
(10451) I’m Never Satisfied

Note: Bob Cooper, Maxwell Davis (sax), Mannie Klein, Ollie Mitchell (trumpet), and Alvin Stoller (drums) appear on the contract. It is believed they played on June Christy sides conducted by Pete Rugolo. They most likely did not appear on the Cole session.

August 12, 1952

(Session #2726, 8:00 p.m. – 12:30 a.m.), Capitol Recording Studio, 5515 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, California

Nat Cole (vocal), Nelson Riddle (arranger/conductor), Victor Bay, Nathan Ross, Alex Beller, Walter Edelstein, Mischa Russell, Harry Bluestone, Felix Slatking, Henry Hill (violin), Stanley Harris, David Sterkin (viola), Eleanor Slatkin, Armand Kaproff (cello), Harry Klee, Champ Webb, Ted Nash (reeds), John Cave, Vince de Rosa (french horn), Pete Candoli, Vito Mangano (trumpet), Francis Howard, Jimmy Priddy (trombone), Ann Mason Stockton (harp), Buddy Cole (piano), Jack Costanzo (bongos), Charlie Harris (bass), John Collins (guitar), Lee Young (drums), unknown vocal chorus*

(10488) My Flaming Heart
(10489-8) Faith Can Move Mountains*
(10490) Too Soon
(10491) Small Towns are Smile Towns

Note: Cole possibly plays piano on 10488.

December 30, 1952

Capitol Recording Studio, 5515 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, California

Nat Cole (vocal), Nelson Riddle (arranger conductor), John Collins (guitar), Charlie Harris (bass), Lee Young (drums), all others unknown

(10949-18) Mother Nature and Father Time
(10950-12) Pretend
(unknown1) When I’m Alone
(10956-5) A Fool Was I

Note: The union contracts for this session have been lost.

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