BARRY COURTER: Lisa, when you think of singers who are instantly recognizable from the first note, I have to believe that Nat “King” Cole is near the top of the list. Silky smooth.
Lisa Denton and Barry Courter
Barking Legs is starting a Legends of Jazz series with the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra on Thursday, and Cole is the first to be featured. Guitarist/vocalist Wesley Lunsford will be joined by pianist Michael Compton and bassist Will Yager.
LISA DENTON: That soft baritone voice was pretty spectacular, as were his piano skills. I know you’re as big a fan of Christmas music as I am, so his version of “The Christmas Song” is probably one of your favorites, too. And there’s “Straighten Up and Fly Right,” “Mona Lisa” and “Nature Boy.” And who could forget “Unforgettable,” a 1951 song remade into a 1992 virtual duet with his daughter, Natalie Cole. A beautiful song.
BARRY: Smooth sounds and in a great, intimate room.
That’s not the only music in town this week, by any stretch. If you like old-time country music, the kind that sounds like dirt floors and corn growing, The Malpass Brothers are at Nightfall along with Magic Birds. It’s UTC Night also. There will be a pep rally with the marching band at 6:30 p.m., and they’ll introduce the Mocs football coaches and players just before the Birds take the stage. The Mockingbirds A Capella Singers will also perform at 7:45 p.m., prior to the headliner.