At the Sands
It's hard to believe, but this is the only Las Vegas recording in Nat "King"  Cole's large discography. It was made at the glitzy Sands Casino in 1960,  during the heyday ofSinatraand the Rat Pack, and it's Cole's elegant tenor  voice, rather than his brilliantEarl "Fatha" Hines-inspired piano playing, that  was the focus at this stage of his career. As a pop singer, Cole had the  audience in the palm of his hand like no other entertainer of his era, save  for the Chairman of the Board. Backed by a big band arranged by Dave Cavanaugh,  Cole belts out some hip renditions of well-worn standards like "The  Surrey with the Fringe on Top" and "I Wish You Love," and the haunting "Miss  Otis Regrets (She's Unable to Lunch Today)." Included for the first time in  this crystal-clear, digitally remastered set are several bonus tracks.Duke Ellington's "In a Mellotone" is a rare instrumental from 1959 of the Ducal  classic. "Whatcha' Gonna Do" and the sarcastically grooving "Mr. Cole Won't  Rock and Roll" are the other two additions to this swinging live date  from this monarch of American music.--Eugene Holley Jr.