During the 1940s, Nat “King” Cole had a jazzy little trio with guitarist Oscar Moore and bass player Johnny Miller. What many don’t know is that Cole toured with a mirror image band that was had the bluesier voice of Charles Brown, Oscar’s brother Johnny and bassist Eddie Williams. A talent scout happened to walk in during Cole’s set, signed up that trio without seeing Brown’s band, and the rest is history.
However, Moore was able to carve out an equally impressive (if not as lucrative) career playing in the same classic guitar-piano-bass combo style, usually with Brown, but also with vocalists such as Frankie Laine, Ivory Joe Hunter, Billy Valentine, Lee Barnes, Floyd Dixon and others, with this 3 disc, 74 song collection serving as a rich display of small group swing and R&B.
Moore’s guitar style, like his better known brother, is clean, lyrical and smooth as silk. With Brown at piano and vocals, the team produces classics like “Merry Christmas, Baby,” “Travelin’ Blues,” “Till The Real Thing Comes Along” and the picture perfect “Driftin’ Blues.” You can feel the influence on artists like Ray Charles on these richly hued tunes.
With Valentine, things get a bit more bopping on “Jumping Jack” and the fun “Cut off the Fat” with a hoot of “Dragnet Blues” using Frankie Ervin delivering a bluesy Joe Friday. Casual, smoky and late night moods ooze through these wonderful discs. Look for this one!