The Early Years (1936-1943)

Eddie Cole (v, b), Tommy Thompson (as), Bill Wright (ts), Kenneth Roane (t), Nat Cole (p), Jimmy Adams (d)

Label Credit

The group was credited as "Eddie Cole's Solid Swingers" on the original issues.

Song Titles

The song titles are as they appeared on the original Decca 78s. Later LP and CD issues typically use "Stompin' At The Panama" and "(Bedtime) Sleep, Baby, Sleep".

Harry Meyerson (pro), Helen Forrest (v), Lionel Hampton (vib, p, d), Nat Cole (p), Oscar Moore (g), Wesley Prince (b), Al Spieldock (d)

Helen Forrest (v) on b; Lionel Hampton (vib) on a-b, (p) on c, (d) on d; Al Spieldock (d) on a-c.

Harry Meyerson (pro), Nat Cole (v, p), Helen Forrest (v), Lionel Hampton (v, vib), Oscar Moore (v, g), Wesley Prince (b), Al Spieldock (d)

Nat Cole (v) on a-c; Helen Forrest (v) on e; Lionel Hampton (v) on c; Oscar Moore (v) on a-c.

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

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

Location

The location given is tentative, but it is plausible when one considers the February 1940 session.

Personnel

A second guitarist (playing rhythm) is audible during Oscar Moore's solos. Klaus Teubig does not identify the player, although Michel Ruppli claims it is Johnny Moore, Oscar's brother. Guitarist and Oscar Moore authority Nick Rossi also believes it is Johnny Moore.

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

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

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

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

Master Numbers

There is some disagreement in various sources regarding this session's master numbers, which may be little more than a typo that has been repeated. Teubig, among others, lists the numbers as they are shown here. Other sources say 60504-60507.

Location

Studio location is tentative.

Personnel

Possibly produced by Milt Gabler.

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

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

Location & Personnel

See notes from previous session.

Lester Young (ts), Nat Cole (p), Red Callender (b)

Philo Catalog Numbers

The original Philo album release was a 78 album featuring all four sides. Each record was given its own catalog number:

P1000: Body And Soul / Indiana
P1001: Tea For Two / I Can't Get Started

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

Oscar Moore (v) on a.

Master Numbers

The master numbers listed here are as they appear in Ruppli's Capitol Label discography and the Mosaic discography. However, there are several variations that appear on numerous pressings, including:

The original Excelsior 78 labels:
RR-8113-G-RE
RR-8114-G-RE

The original Capitol 78 labels:
RR-8113
RR-8114

On 16 February 1953, Capitol assigned new master numbers to each title: 11133 & 11134, respectively.

Personnel

Red Callender has traditionally been credited as the bassist on this session. Indeed, in his autobiography, Callender mentions the Excelsior sessions, which may factor in to the attribution. However, it now appears less likely that Callender participated, as he was then probably still appearing in New York with Lee and Lester Young at Cafe Society.

Furthermore, Down Beat, in its 15 September 1942 issue, mentions that Johnny Miller will soon be taking over in the trio for Wesley Prince. Miller seems much more plausible at this point and will be credited here.

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

Johnny Miller (v) on a, d; Oscar Moore (v) on a, d.

Master Numbers

Original Excelsior pressings used the master numbers AMO 2961, 2963, and 2966 ("Beautiful Moons" may well have been AMO 2962). Later pressings replaced the AMO numbers with BC-104 (Boogie), LC-105 (Lost), MC-106 (Moons), and SC-107 (Spring).

Composers

Most issues, including the original Excelsior discs, credit only Oscar Moore for "Beautiful Moons Ago". However, the tune's copyright registration of December 4, 1942 lists Moore (music) and Cole (words).

While most sources suggest that Cole alone wrote "Pitchin' Up A Boogie", others suggest that he co-wrote it along with Cab Calloway and Buster Harding. ASCAP lists all three.

Similarly, Otis René is often credited as the sole composer of "Let's Spring One". However, Charles Daniels often receives co-credit, as he does on a Parlophone 78 and in Teubig.

Location

Ruppli gives Radio Recorders as this session's studio. Though this may be correct, we have gone with MacGregor, as that was where the majority of Cole's sessions occurred during this period.

Norman Granz (pro), Nat Cole (v), Dexter Gordon (ts), Harry 'Sweets' Edison (t), Red Callender or Johnny Miller (b), Clifford 'Juicy' Owens (d)

Label Credit

Original issues credit the "Dexter Gordon Quintet".

Personnel

Most discographies list the bassist as 'probably Red Callender or Johnny Miller'. While Miller was performing with the trio by then, Callender was participating in Jam sessions with Cole. Those sessions were organized by Granz at the 331 Club during this time, so the case could be made for either man.

Date

The exact date of this session is unknown. Most sources say either the summer of 1943 or the following summer. Others suggest late 1943. Cole discographer Klaus Teubig places this session in June or July 1943. The date used in this discography is purely speculative, but likely, given Cole's activities and whereabouts at the time.

Master Numbers

Master numbers were assigned when some of the sides were released by Mercury in 1948.

Location

The studio location is also unknown. As with the earlier Granz-produced session with Lester Young, Red Callender, and Cole, this may also have been recorded at Music City.

Additional Issues

Ruppli's Mercury discography lists 15004 as featuring "I Blowed And Gone / Rosetta", but there is no evidence of that release. Similarly, several sources indicate that Mercury 8900 was also released on Clef.

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

Robert Scherman (pro) on a-b, d-e; Nat Cole (v) on b, d-e, (p) on a-b, d-e; Johnny Miller (v) on d, (b) on a-b, d-e; Oscar Moore (v) on d, (g) on a-b, d-e.

Location

NBC as the location comes from Teubig, though that cannot be confirmed at this time and should be considered speculative.

Master Numbers

Appearing in the wax of the Premier 78 release, master number 2101 was used for "My Lips Remember Your Kisses" when the records were reissued on Atlas.

Non-Cole Flip Sides

The A-side of Premier release KC 102 is "Don't You Notice Anything New" by Don Swan and His Music.

Premier 103/105

While apparently all sources say that "Got A Penny" and "Let's Pretend" were both on Premier 103, "Let's Pretend" was actually assigned 105, though it was on the flip side of "Penny" (103).