Personnel: Nat King Cole (vocals, piano); Nat King Cole; John Collins, Oscar Moore (guitar); Harry Bluestone (violin); Lee Young, Norris "Bunny" Shawker (drums); Jack Costanzo (bongos); Harry "Sweets" Edison (trumpet). Recording information: The Sands Hotel, Las Vegas, NV (11/30/1943-08/18/1964). Photographer: William Claxton. Arrangers: David Cavanaugh; Nelson Riddle. A single-disc anthology can't truly do justice to the many facets of Nat King Cole's career, but the superlative 28-track THE VERY BEST OF NAT KING COLE makes an air-tight case for the crooner as one of the greatest pop singers of the pre-rock-&-roll era. All of his hits are here, including his signature songs "Unforgettable," "Mona Lisa," and the truly mysterious yet lovely "Nature Boy," along with perhaps the definitive readings of the pop standard "Stardust" and the swing classic "Straighten Up and Fly Right." It's impossible to go wrong here.

• Released: 5/2/2006
• Format: CD
• Genre: Pop