Non-Capitol Transcriptions (1939-1945)

Nat Cole (v, p), Oscar Moore (v, g), Wesley Prince (v, b)

Nat Cole (v) on a-c, e-g; Oscar Moore (v) on a-c, e-g; Wesley Prince (v) on a-c, e-g.

Dates

We have elected to revise the dates traditionally assigned to the trio's transcription sessions for Standard. In some cases, this has resulted in quite significant changes, particularly for the earliest sessions believed to have stemmed from Autumn 1938, such as this one. This reassessment is based on a review of Victor matrices assigned to recording sessions held in Los Angeles. Notes appear for each session in which a date deviates from the generally accepted one.

This session — the trio's very first — has traditionally been assigned a date of September 1938. Based on the aforementioned review of Victor matrix numbers, we think it more likely that it took place in early January 1939.

Keystone Reissues

Several of the Standard and Davis & Schwegler transcriptions were purchased and subsequently reissued by the Keystone Broadcasting System, another transcription company. While efforts are made to document these Keystone reissues, they will appear only in the session notes; new issues will not be created for the Keystone transcription discs.

KBS 408
"Mutiny in the Nursery" / "F.D.R. Jones" / "The Sheik of Araby" / "With Plenty of Money and You"

KBS 444
"The Blue Danube"

Nat Cole (v, p), Oscar Moore (v, g), Wesley Prince (v, b)

Location

Several sources list Radio Recorders as the venue for this session, although it should be deemed tentative.

Commercial Releases

In addition to the transcription discs pressed by Davis & Schwegler (and later, Keynote), D&S also pressed these sides (and those of the following two sessions) on commercial 78 rpm releases (D&S 108 through D&S 119).

There is some uncertainty about which sides were coupled together, however. The following appear together for at least some pressings:

116/118
112/122 (not a King Cole Trio recording)
108/114

An acetate with no label (seen online), also pairs 116 & 117.

Keystone Reissues

All titles reissued on KBS 111, KBS 159, and KBS 201N.

Nat Cole (v, p), Bonnie Lake (v), Oscar Moore (v, g), Wesley Prince (v, b)

Nat Cole (v) on a-b, d; Bonnie Lake (v) on a-c; Oscar Moore (v) on a-b; Wesley Prince (v) on a-b.

Dates

Some sources suggest the January 1939 sessions all stem from January 14, 1939. Since this is unlikely, the sessions are presented here as three standalone dates, with only the first bearing a date of January 14.

Location

As with the previous session, some sources place this and the following date at Radio Recorders in Hollywood. Both the Teubig discography and the VJC booklet claim this session was arranged by Bonnie Lake and took place 'across the street from the NBC facilities'. If geographically close to NBC Studios, then Radio Recorders, located at the time nearly four miles south of NBC at 932 S. Western Ave., is highly unlikely.

A much more plausible location is the Hollywood House of Music recording studio at 5205 Hollywood Blvd., owned by Glenn Wallichs. In July 1940, Wallichs would open his Music City record store at the corner of Sunset and Vine. Shortly thereafter, the building’s second floor would become the first offices of the newly-founded Capitol Records.

Composers

Hap Kauffman, who co-wrote "I Lost Control Of Myself", was an early manager of the King Cole Trio.

Keystone Reissues

All titles appeared on KBS 159N and KBS 166. Teubig says all titles were also issued on KBS 118, while the VJC notes say KBS 288.

Juanelda Carter (v), Nat Cole (v, p), Oscar Moore (v, g), Wesley Prince (v, b)

Juanelda Carter (v) on a-c; Nat Cole (v) on a, d; Oscar Moore (v) on d; Wesley Prince (v) on d.

Date

Refer to previous session.

Location

Refer to previous session.

Personnel

Juanelda Carter is better known by her stage name, Judy Carol.

Song Titles

Titles are reported here as they first appeared in the Catalog of Copyright Entries, between 1937 and 1939, which differ from how they appear on the earliest transcription and/or 78 labels and subsequent CD issues.

For example, "You're So Different" becomes "You're So Diff'rent", while "Let's Get Happy" is displayed as "Let's Get Happy Tonight".

Composers

Most sources credit Sammy Fain and Mitchell Parrish as the composers of "You're So Diff'rent". However, there is a Davis & Schwegler copyright of this tune from 10 November 1938 credited to Nat Leslie.

Keystone Reissues

All titles appear on KBS 107, KBS 113, and KBS 166.

Nat Cole (v, p), Oscar Moore (v, g), Wesley Prince (v, b)

Nat Cole (v) on b-d; Oscar Moore (v) on b-d; Wesley Prince (v) on b-d.

Dates

October 1938 is the date traditionally assigned to this session. Based on a recent review of Victor matrices, we believe it was likely held in late January 1939.

Nat Cole (v, p), Oscar Moore (v, g), Wesley Prince (v, b)

Nat Cole (v) on a-e, g; Oscar Moore (v) on a-e, g; Wesley Prince (v) on a-e, g.

Dates

November 1938 is the date traditionally assigned to this session. Based on a recent review of Victor matrices, we believe it was held much later, probably the first week of February 1939.

Keystone Reissues

KBS 432
"Flea Hop" / "Chopsticks" / "Patty Cake, Patty Cake"

KBS 444
"The Wiggly Walk" / "Liza" / "Caravan"

Nat Cole (v, p), Oscar Moore (v, g), Wesley Prince (v, b)

Nat Cole (v) on b-c, e, g; Oscar Moore (v) on b-c, e, g; Wesley Prince (v) on b-c, e, g.

Dates

February 1939 is the date traditionally assigned to this session. Based on a recent review of Victor matrices, we believe the session likely occurred early the following month.

Songs

"Ol' Man Mose Ain't Dead" appears as "Old Man" in the initial copyright registration.

Keystone Reissues

KBS 432
"Ol' Man Mose Ain't Dead"

KBS 511
"Honey"

Nat Cole (v, p, cel), Oscar Moore (v, g), Wesley Prince (v, b)

Nat Cole (v) on a, c, e, g-h, (cel) on f; Oscar Moore (v) on a, c, e, g-h; Wesley Prince (v) on a, c, e, g-h.

Pauline Byrns, Vince Degen, Howard Hudson, Mack McLean, Bill Seckler (v), Nat Cole (p, cel), Oscar Moore (g), Wesley Prince (b), Pauline And Her Perils (acc)

Nat Cole (p) on a-b, d-h, (cel) on c.

Dates

April 1939 is the date traditionally assigned to this session. Based on a recent review of Victor matrices, we believe this session actually took place in late May.

Keystone Reissues

The four titles with master number PMS 036218 appear on KBS 286.

The KBS number is not currently known for the four titles with master number PMS 036219.

Nat Cole (v, p, cel), Oscar Moore (v, g), Wesley Prince (v, b)

Nat Cole (v) on b-c, e, g, (cel) on f; Oscar Moore (v) on b-c, e, g; Wesley Prince (v) on b-c, e, g.

Dates

May 1939 is the date traditionally assigned to this session. Based on a recent review of Victor matrices, this session likely occurred on or around June 10, 1939.

Composers

There is a copyright registration for "You're My Life" from late 1938 credited to Milton Harrison Lees, Jr., although it cannot be determined if this is the same composition that Cole recorded.

Keystone Reissues

All titles with master number PMS 036258 appear on KBS 511.

KBS 48 & 120
"You're My Life"

KBS 122 & 234N
"Black Spider Stomp"

The VJC notes say "Hoy Soy" was issued on KBS 48 & 120. Teubig says no to 120, but he also fails to include "Hoy Soy" on KBS 48.

Nat Cole (v, p), Oscar Moore (v, g), Wesley Prince (v, b)

Nat Cole (v) on a-b; Oscar Moore (v) on a-b; Wesley Prince (v) on a-b.

Dates

June 1939 is the date traditionally assigned to this session. Based on a recent review of Victor matrices, it most likely occurred on either August 22nd or 23rd.

Matrix Numbers

The matrix numbers for these sides have previously been documted as 034643. We believe this to be an error; an inadvertent transposing of the six (6) and the first four (4). In support of this theory, we can observe the master number sequence assigned to a 9/12/39 Lydia Mendoza session: 036499 is not followed by 036500, as one might expect, but instead by 042100. A similar pattern is observed elsewhere during this period, making it unlikely that 034643 was ever used.

Nat Cole (v, p), Oscar Moore (v, g), Wesley Prince (v, b), Bill Brower (vn), Spike Jones (pro)

Nat Cole (v) on e; Oscar Moore (v) on e; Wesley Prince (v) on e.

Though these discs have never been found, according to Cole scholar Gord Grieveson, the session paperwork was filed with the Los Angeles AFM local. The documentation apparently includes the above performances and also lists violinist Bill Brower, though it is unclear what role he played on this date. It is also not known which of these titles are instrumental and which feature vocals. At minimum, it can be assumed that "I Like To Riff" featured unison vocals, while "I Want The Waiter With The Water" and "Jumpin' Jive" are also possibilities.

Nat Cole (v, p), Oscar Moore (g), Wesley Prince (b)

Dates

"Trompin'" is the only recording of Cole for Cinematone known to survive. While it may well have been recorded at the September 1939 session, it was most likely part of another undocumented date, along with other performances that remain unknown.

The Dreamers (v), Nat Cole (p), Oscar Moore (g), Wesley Prince (b)

Dates

August 1939 is the date traditionally assigned to this session. Based on a recent review of Victor matrices, it likely occurred at the very end of October 1939. Additionally, all prior discographies have placed all of the trio's recordings with The Dreamers as being from a single August 1939 session. However, it seems a second session was likely held a week or so later.

Personnel

The Dreamers consisted of Ormonde Wilson, General White, Leonard Bluett, and Carl Jones.

Matrix Numbers

Teubig assigns master number 061324-1 for all eight titles, while the numbers reported here (PMS 042205-1 & PMS 042228-1) are as they appear in the notes of the Naxos set, which are more consistent with the known Standard matrix numbers.

Keystone Reissues

KBS 48 & 120
"Music'll Chase Your Blues Away" / "I'll Gather Up My Memories" / "A Fool's Affair" / "Jump, Jack, Jump"

KBS 122 & 234N
"I Knew A Time" / "Mine You'll Always Be" / "Doin' The Bow Wow" / "Lilla Mae"

The Dreamers (v), Nat Cole (p, cel), Oscar Moore (g), Wesley Prince (b)

Nat Cole (cel) on b.

Dates

See the previous session for more about this date.

Nat Cole (v, p), Oscar Moore (v, g), Wesley Prince (v, b), Lee Young (d), Leon Rene (pro)

Nat Cole (v) on a-b, d; Oscar Moore (v) on a-b, d; Wesley Prince (v) on a-b, d.

These recordings are often cited as the Trio's first commercial recordings, which is not quite accurate. Similar to the recordings for Cinematone in the previous year, AMMOR's discs were intended only for jukeboxes and not for commercial sale.

Dates

Some sources date this session April 18, 1940. For now, this session displays Teubig's dating.

Location

At the time of this session, the studio at 5505 Melrose was owned by Recordings Inc., who would go out business before the year was through. Subsequently, it became Decca's Hollywood studio.

Master Numbers

The Savoy release (600) assigned new matrix numbers: 521 & 522 becomes 598 & 599, respectively.

Nat Cole (v, p), Oscar Moore (v, g), Wesley Prince (v, b)

Nat Cole (v) on a-c; Oscar Moore (v) on a-c; Wesley Prince (v) on a-c.

Dates

Traditionally cited in discograhies as being from May 1940, it is our contention that this session likely occurred immediately prior to to the trio's May 10, 1940 commercial session with Lionel Hampton, or possibly the day prior.

Nat Cole (v, p), Maxine Johnson (v), Oscar Moore (g), Wesley Prince (b)

Nat Cole (v) on g, i-j, l; Maxine Johnson (v) on a, c, h, k.

This was the final Trio session for Davis & Schwegler, who folded shortly after these sides were recorded. Subsequently, Keystone purchased all of the Trio's D&S masters and began reissuing them. As such, the songs from this session were first issued by Keystone.

Personnel

Maxine Johnson was sometimes spelled Maxene.

Keystone Reissues

KBS 173 was reissued as KBS 192N. KBS 85 was reissued as KBS 282.

Nat Cole (v, p), Oscar Moore (v, g), Wesley Prince (v, b)

Nat Cole (v) on c, g, i; Oscar Moore (v) on i; Wesley Prince (v) on i.

Dates

November 1940 is the date traditionally assigned to this session. Based on a recent review of Victor matrices, it likely occurred no more than a few days after November 11, 1940.

Composers

Teubig says McHugh-Adamson wrote "You Send Me", but that is not the same song recorded here.

Several sources credit "Pogo Stick Bounce" to Eden Ahbez, composer of "Nature Boy". Cole himself stated that Ahbez brought him two other songs at the same time as "Nature Boy", one of which was called 'Pogo Stick'. Ahbez scholar Brian Chidester believes that this session's "Pogo Stick Bounce" is not the work of Eden Ahbez.

Anita Boyer (v), Nat Cole (v, p), Oscar Moore (v, g), Wesley Prince (v, b)

Nat Cole (v) on b; Oscar Moore (v) on b, f; Wesley Prince (v) on b, f.

Label Credit

The ensemble is credited as "Anita Boyer & Her Tomboyers".

Composers

See note from previous session regarding "Let's Try Again".

"It Started All Over Again" was incorrectly listed as "You Started All Over Again" on the original MacGregor transcription. This error led Teubig to crediting "You Started All Over Again" to Emery Deutsch and Jimmy Rogan. However, it is likely that he confused this composition with the earlier "You Started Something".

Nat Cole (v, p), Oscar Moore (v, g), Wesley Prince (v, b)

Nat Cole (v) on a-b, d, f, h; Oscar Moore (v) on a-b, d, h; Wesley Prince (v) on a-b, d, h.

Dates

February 1941 is the date traditionally assigned to this session. Based on a recent review of Victor matrices and the trio's known itinierary, it almost certainly occurred after February 20 but before the trio opened in Chicago on March 7. A week after the start of their engagement in Chicago, they would record for Decca on the 14th.

Composers

Most sources incorrectly credit Marvin Fisher as the composer of this "Let's Try Again".

Nat Cole (v, p), Oscar Moore (g), Wesley Prince (b)

Nat Cole (v) on a-c.

Dates

As with earlier transcriptions for Davis & Schwegler and Standard, the MacGregor transcriptions are notoriously difficult to date precisely, and there is considerable variation among the sources. Though it will conflict with most of the previously published sources, the MacGregor sessions are reported sequentially, according to the assigned matrix numbers. Although most other sources generally adhere to this, several sessions typically appear out of order.

For this session, Teubig mistakenly assigns matrix 572 instead of 550, which may have resulted in him dating the session as January or February 1944. The Music & Arts set dates it May 23, 1944. Roy Holmes gives a date of November 1943. Based on the matrix number assigned, Holmes' date seems closest. In most instances, however, Teubig's dates adhere more closely to what is reported here.

Nat Cole (v, p), Johnny Miller (v, b), Oscar Moore (v, g)

Nat Cole (v) on a, c-d; Johnny Miller (v) on d; Oscar Moore (v) on d.

Dates

Holmes and Teubig both date this session December 1943 (Teubig says circa). The Music & Arts set gives a date of May 12, 1944.

Composers

A 1943 copyright registration for "Solid Potato Salad" lists only De Paul and Ray. A registration from the following year, however, adds Hughie Prince.

MacGregor Repressings

All titles appeared later on LB. 1375

Ida James (v), Nat Cole (p), Oscar Moore (g), Johnny Miller (b)

Dates

Teubig = ca. December 1943
Holmes = December 1943
M&A = May 7, 1944

MacGregor Repressings

LB. 1352

Nat Cole (v, p), Oscar Moore (g), Johnny Miller (b)

Nat Cole (v) on a, c.

Dates

Teubig says January or February 1944, but also mistakenly lists the matrix number as 563, which may account for the latter date.

M&A gives a date of May 22, 1944, but also seems to have a typo in the matrix number, saying 653.

Holmes gives a date of December 1943.

Nat Cole (v, p), Johnny Miller (v, b), Oscar Moore (v, g)

Nat Cole (v) on a-b, d; Johnny Miller (v) on a, d; Oscar Moore (v) on a, d.

Dates

Teubig = January or February 1944
M&A = March 7, 1944, with matrix #652
Holmes = March 7, 1944

Nat Cole (v, p, cel), Oscar Moore (g), Johnny Miller (b)

Nat Cole (v) on a-b, d, (cel) on a.

Dates

Teubig & Holmes = January 1944
Music & Arts = May 24, 1944

MacGregor Repressings

LB. 603

Nat Cole (v, p), Ida James (v), Johnny Miller (v, b), Oscar Moore (v, g)

Nat Cole (v) on d; Johnny Miller (v) on d; Oscar Moore (v) on d.

Dates

Teubig & Holmes = January 1944
Music & Arts = May 22, 1944

MacGregor Repressings

LB. 409
LB. 611
LB. 1389

Ida James (v), Nat Cole (p), Oscar Moore (g), Johnny Miller (b)

Dates

Teubig & Holmes = January 1944
Music & Arts = May 12, 1944

MacGregor Repressings

LB. 14
LB. 410
LB. 602
LB. 114

Anita O'Day (v), Nat Cole (p), Oscar Moore (g), Johnny Miller (b)

Dates

Teubig & Holmes = February (circa for Teubig) 1944
Music & Arts = May 26, 1945

MacGregor Repressings

LB. 1412

Nat Cole (v, p), Oscar Moore (g), Johnny Miller (b)

Nat Cole (v) on a-c.

Dates

Teubig = May 1944
Holmes = March 7, 1944
M&A = May 24, 1944

Anita Boyer (v), Nat Cole (p), Oscar Moore (g), Johnny Miller (b)

Dates

Teubig = July 1944
Holmes & M&A = April 1944

As Teubig notes, the August 1944 issue of Metronome mentioned that Anita Boyer 'may also transcribe several numbers with the Cole trio'. Contrary, then, to dates by Holmes and the Music & Arts set, July 1944 seems the most likely period for this and the following session.

Composers

Both Teubig and the Music & Arts set misattribute the composers for "I Never Knew", confusing it with the Gus Kahn-Ted Fio Rito song of the same name.

Anita Boyer (v), Nat Cole (v, p), Oscar Moore (g), Johnny Miller (b)

Nat Cole (v) on a.

Dates

Teubig = July 1944
Holmes = May 1944
M&A = April 1944

MacGregor Repressings

LB. 622

Nat Cole (v, p), Oscar Moore (g), Johnny Miller (b)

Nat Cole (v) on a-b, d.

Dates

All of the major sources believe this is from July 1944. That may very well be the case, although it probably took place during the start of August.

The August 5, 1944 issue of Billboard, with a dateline of July 29, says 'two recording dates have been set for C.P.P. MacGregor Transcriptions. King Cole Trio will cut nine tunes, and Nil Mendez [sic] will wax a group'.

There were a total of nine masters recorded on matrix MMo 608 & MMo 609, the only pairings from this period with that many tunes recorded.

As the trio recorded several masters for MacGregor (master numbers 608-609, 612-615), it's likely they all took place in the first week of August, just prior to the Trio leaving town on a tour (they opened in Milwaukee on August 11).

Nat Cole (v, p), Johnny Miller (v, b), Oscar Moore (v, g)

Nat Cole (v) on a, c-d; Johnny Miller (v) on a, d; Oscar Moore (v) on a, d.

Nat Cole (p), Oscar Moore (g), Johnny Miller (b)

a, b;   c, d;   e, f  performed as medleys

Dates

Some sources place the date of this transcription session as November 21, 1944. Given the Trio's itinerary that week (likely playing the Apollo Theater in Harlem), we have rejected that date.

MacGregor Repressings

One source claims this was initially pressed on LB. 47, but there is no indication to believe that this is accurate.

Nat Cole (p), Oscar Moore (g), Johnny Miller (b)

a, b;   c, d;   e, f  performed as medleys

Dates

See note from previous session. It's also a possibility these titles were recorded at the previous session.

Claire Barrie, Merna Barrie (v), Nat Cole (p), Oscar Moore (g), Johnny Miller (b), The Barrie Sisters (acc)

Personnel

Listed on the original label and subsequent reissues as "The Barrie Sisters", Merna and Claire are nevertheless most often seen as The Barry Sisters.

Dates

Though they were well out of town by this time, the August 26, 1944 Billboard mentioned this session and all five tunes recorded.

Nat Cole (v, p), Oscar Moore (g), Johnny Miller (b)

Nat Cole (v) on a, c-d.

Dates

See note from earlier MacGregor session (MMo 612).

MacGregor Repressings

1420

Nat Cole (v, p), Johnny Miller (v, b), Oscar Moore (v, g), Tony Janak (pro)

Nat Cole (v) on a, c-f; Johnny Miller (v) on d; Oscar Moore (v) on d.

Songs

"Any Old Time" was later renamed "I'd Love To Make Love To You" and recorded for Capitol.

"A Trio Grooves In Brooklyn" was later renamed "This Way Out" and recorded for Capitol.

Composers

The V-Disc of "Any Old Time" credits Fun Livingston, Irving Melsher, and Jack Wolf. However, these are composers of a different song by the same title.

Nat Cole (v, p), Oscar Moore (v, g), Johnny Miller (b)

Nat Cole (v) on a-d; Oscar Moore (v) on a.

Dates

Teubig = c. July 1945
Holmes = April 1945
M&A = May 24, 1944

Songs

"Keep Knockin' On Wood" was registered with the copyright office on April 3, 1945.

Nat Cole (v, p), Oscar Moore (g), Johnny Miller (b)

Nat Cole (v) on a-d.

Dates

Teubig = c. July 1945
Holmes = May 1945
M&A = January 1945