The Very Thought of You

Probably one of the best, if not the best, single collection of Nat King Cole ballads surpassing even his Love Is The Thing album which he also recorded with Gordon Jenkins. A careful listening of the collection reveals an exquisite and highly complementary balance between the singer's ultra-smooth phrasing and singing and the incomparable orchestration of Gordon Jenkins, a result undoubtedly of their earlier highly successful collaboration on Love Is The Thing. Of special note is the debut of the beautiful ballad, ''This Is All I Ask,'' written by Jenkins himself. This collection is an incomparable addition to any Nat King Cole or music fan's collection. Beautiful and highly recommended.

Nat King Cole possessed one of the most accessible and appealing voices of any singer in the 1950s. This ballad-oriented set puts the emphasis completely on his voice (there is no piano playing or any hint of his jazz-oriented past) and features Cole accompanied by Gordon Jenkins' sweet arrangements for a string orchestra. Many other singers might find it difficult to overcome, much less uplift this type of accompaniment, but Cole's basic and honest delivery works quite well in this setting. Highlights include ''The Very Thought of You,'' ''But Beautiful,'' ''This Is All I Ask,'' 'For All We Know,'' and ''The More I See You.'' (Scott Yanow, All Music Guide).