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Sessions of 1954

1954

February 3, 1954

(Session #3318, 4:00 – 7:00 p.m.), Capitol Recording Studio, 5515 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, California

Nat Cole (vocal), Carole Cole (vocal*), Natalie Cole (vocal*), Nelson Riddle (arranger/conductor), Willie Smith, Willie Schwartz (alto sax), Babe Russin (tenor sax), Joe Koch (sax), Pete Candoli, Vito Mangano, Ray Linn (trumpet), Dick Noel, Murray McEachern, Jimmy Priddy (trombone), Bill Miller (piano), John Collins (guitar), Charlie Harris (bass), Lee Young (drums)

Note: Nelson Riddle wrote, and was paid for, arrangements of Open Up the Doghouse and Long, Long Ago. These songs would not be recorded until September with Billy May conducting what are presumably Nelson's original arrangements.

February 9, 1954

(Session #3322, 2:30 – 6:00 p.m.), Capitol Recording Studio, 5515 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, California

Nat Cole (vocal), Nelson Riddle (arranger/conductor), Harry Bluestone, Erno Neufeld, Alex Beller, Felix Slatkin, Mischa Russell, Nathan Ross, Henry Hill, Victor Bay (violin), Paul Robyn, Michel Perrier (viola), James Arkatov, Ed Lustgarten (cello), Harry Klee, James Williamson, Dominick Mumulo (reeds), Tommy Pederson (trombone), Juan Tizol (valve trombone), Vince de Rosa, John Cave (french horn), Ann Mason Stockton (harp), Geoffrey Clarkson (piano/celeste), John Collins (guitar), Charlie Harris (bass), Lee Young (drums)

July 27, 1954

(Session #3481, 2:00 – 5:30 p.m.), Capitol Recording Studio, 5515 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, California

Nat Cole (vocal), Nelson Riddle (arranger/conductor), Felix Slatkin, Mischa Russell, Harry Bluestone, Paul Shure, Victor Bay, Alex Beller, Eudice Shapiro, Marshall Sosson, Walter Edelstein, Nathan Ross, Gerald Vinci, Leonard Atkins (violin), Stanley Harris, David Sterkin, Paul Robyn, Barbara Simons (viola), Cy Bernard, Eleanor Slatkin, Armand Kaproff, Raphael Kramer (cello), Harry Klee, Dominick Mumolo, John Hacker (reeds), William Hinshaw, Vince de Rosa (french horn), Francis Howard (trombone), George Roberts (bass trombone), Bill Miller (piano), John Collins (guitar), Charlie Harris (bass), Lee Young (drums), Lou Singer (percussion), possibly including Loulie Jean Norman (vocal*)

August 24, 1954

(Session #3510, 2:30 – 6:00 p.m.), Capitol Recording Studio, 5515 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, California

Nat Cole (vocal), Nelson Riddle (arranger/conductor), Cy Bernard, Eleanor Slatkin, Ed Lustgarten (cello), Felix Slatkin, Harry Bluestone, Mischa Russell, Paul Shure, Walter Edelstein, Henry Hill, Victor Bay, Alex Beller (violina), David Sterkin, Stanley Harris (viola), James Williamson, Dominick Mumolo, John Hacker (woodwinds), Si Zentner (trombone), George Roberts (bass trombone), Vince de Rosa, John Cave (french horn), Ann Mason Stockton (harp), Paul Smith (piano), John Collins (guitar), Charlie Harris (bass), Lee Young (drums)

Note: 12951 identified by Matt Lutthans from an acetate.
Note: 12951-unknown1 issued as a bonus track on Capitol CDP 7 99776 2.

August 30 – September 1, 1954

20th Century Fox Studios

Note: This is the soundtrack recording for the film The Adventures of Hajji Baba. It is not known precisely when Cole recorded his part.
Note: Collective personnel are known for this date.

September 7, 1954

(2:00 – 5:00 p.m.), Capitol Recording Studio, 5515 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, California

Nat Cole (vocal), Dean Martin (vocal), Billy May (arranger/conductor), Skeets Herfurt, Harry Klee (alto sax), Ted Nash (tenor sax), Chuck Gentry (baritone sax), Mannie Klein, Conrad Gozzo, John Best (trumpet), Si Zentner, Ed Kusby, Murry McEachern (trombone), Lew Brown (piano), John Collins (guitar), Charlie Harris (bass), Lee Young (drums)

Note: Nelson Riddle may have done the arrangements.
Note: According to various accounts, this session was intended to be a Cole/Sinatra duet with arrangements by Nelson Riddle. Sinatra bowed out at the last minute, leaving Martin to fill in.

October 18, 1954

Capitol Recording Studio, 5515 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, California

Nat Cole (vocal), Nelson Riddle (arranger/conductor), Billy May (arranger/conductor), Skeets Herfurt, Willie Scwartz, Ted Nash, Fred Falensby, Chuck Gentry (reeds), Mannie Klein, Conrad Gozzo, Uan Rasey, John Best (trumpet), Si Zentner, Ed Kusby, Tommy Pederson, Murray McEachern (trombone), Felix Slatkin, Paul Shure, Victor Bay, Mischa Russell, Eudice Shapiro, Alex Beller (violin), Alvin Dinkin, Stanley Harris (violas), Cy Bernard, Eleanor Slatking (cello), Ann Mason Stockton (harp), Bill Miller (piano), Al Hendrickson (guitar), Joe Mondragon (bass), Lee Young (drums), Alvin Stoller, Stevan Dweek, Carlos Vidal (percussion), unknown vocal chorus*

December 20, 1954

(Session #3606, 8:00 p.m. – 2:30 a.m.), Capitol Recording Studio, 5515 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, California

Nat Cole (vocal), Nelson Riddle (arranger/conductor), Mischa Russell, Harry Bluestone, Israel Baker, Murray Kellner, Nathan Ross, Walter Edelstein, Victor Bay, Alex Beller (violin), David Sterkin, Stan Spiegelman (viola), Ed Lustgarten, Victor Gottlieb (cello), Harry Klee, Champ Webb, Ted Nash (flute), Harry Edison (trumpet), Vince de Rosa, Joseph Eger (french horn), Joe Howard (trombone), Juan Tizol (valve trombone), George Roberts (bass trombone), Ray Turner, Don Robertson (piano), Kathryn Julyie (harp), Red Callendar (bass), Al Hendrickson (guitar), Lee Young (drums), The Four Knights (vocal*), Norman Zimmer, Dorothy MCarty, Marilyn Lewis, Virginia O'Connor, Clark Yocum, Allen Davies, Charles Schrouder (vocal chorus)