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Elly Roberts reviews
EMI Records
- Cert:
- Cat.no: 5444719
- Running time: 130 minutes
- Year: 1999-2004
- Pressing: 2004
- Region(s): All, PAL
- Sound: Stereo, Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS 5.1
- Languages: English
- Subtitles: English, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish
- Widescreen: 16:9
- Disc Format: DVD 9
- Price: £15.99
- Rating: 10/10
- Extras:Full length performance of Quizas, Quizas, Quizas (Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps)by Omara Portuondo, Ibrahim Ferrer (Buena Vista Social Club) and Roberto Fonesca,Extended interviews from The World of Nat King Cole, “Nat and Friends”,Film trailers of films starring Nat King Cole, China Gate and St.Luois Blues,Nat’s Rhiengold Beer radio jingle, Nat behind the camera (home movies),40 Ways to Describe Nat
Experience the life and times of the worlds first black pop star on this thoroughly entertaining 130 minute definitive documentary.
Born Nathaniel Adams Coles, his father moved the family north from MontgomeryAlabama in 1923, during the huge exodus to the Mecca of music-Chicago. Coleexperienced the highs and lows of a remarkable showbiz career. Overcomingracial bigotry, a broken marriage, he went on to conquer the world.
Behind the mild-mannered persona, there was a man with a steely determinationto succeed-at all cost. During the programme we get interviews with family-secondwife Maria, daughters Natalie and Timolin. Friends and colleagues such as LesPaul, Jack Costanzo and Ertha Kitt, they lift the lid on his personal andprivate life; and its quite revealing.
Musicians Jools Holland, BB King, Carlos Santana, Stevie Wonder and QuincyJones throw-in their opinions. His rise to fame, from church organist to worldstage is looked at in great detail, with black and white stills and filmfootage from a variety of sources. Theres also some early colour sequencesfrom a private archive – the shots from his honeymoon in Acapulco arewonderful
Along the way we discover the development from maestro pianist to singingsensation. It came as no surprise to them that he became a mega-star, as theman was ultra-talented. He invented the jazz trio – The King Cole Trio, duringthe Wall Street Crash and made a decent living during a difficult nationalperiod.
His new format took Chicago by storm, even challenging his hero Earl Hines toa contest in the “Battle Of Rhythm” which turned out to be a tie. This elevatedCole to national hero and his career took off. At one gig,the promoterencouraged him to sing, so he added another dimension to his repertoire,for which he eventually traded-in his jazz background.
The greater his success, the more he encountered prejudice, particularly whenhe got his shot at hosting his own TV show – a first in the States. It apparentlyfailed in the end because of racist sponsors. Further confrontations occurredwhen he hit Los Angeles as he moved into the “rich belt” of Hancock Park, buthe stuck it out.
Record sales for Capitol Records enabled the company to literally build a newHQ from the proceeds. Always looking for new challenges he appeared in films,did radio jingles, but his masterstroke was to record in several European languages,which increased his already massive fanbase. He even appeared and sang onJapanese television. In 1964 he was diagnosed with cancer and died a year later.
Its like Carlos Santana said: “Class sells” – and how.
Elly Roberts passed away in 2011, but he was a man who was so passionate about all types of music and loved meeting his musical heroes, such as Mick Hucknall at a book signing at the Trafford Centre, Manchester in 2007.
A former teacher and also a music journalist, DJ and radio presenter on local community station Calon FM, plus appearances on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Radio 2, Elly started doing reviews for DVDfever.co.uk in 2004 and he did the majority of the CD and concerts reviews on the website.
I know also that he loved getting away for the summer to Spain and I hope that wherever he is now he is enjoying the hot sunshine and, as one of his friends has said on his Facebook page, that he is interviewing his musical heroes.