This exceptional 7CD/10LP set keeps up the extraordinary standards that Resonance has set in issuing previously unheard or obscure material in a beautifully curated package. Here we get the opportunity to track the early career of Nat Cole from his family band in Chicago, via his first trio, right up to the moment when he was signed to Capitol. Some of the material – Decca 78s, transcription discs and Armed Forces Radio broadcasts – has appeared before, notably on the 6CD Cole series on Naxos (mainly focused on transcription discs), but here, interleaved with other sessions and some completely unissued material, we hear the gradual emergence of Cole from session pianist to trio leader, ultimately becoming the familiar vocal and piano star of his later career. To be sure, there’s a lot of ‘ra-de-a-da’ scat vocals, even an entire track called ‘Ta-de-ah’, but what shines through is Cole’s growing inventiveness and polish. His sophisticated vocals accompanied by piano playing, so brilliant that it seems almost impossible that the same musician could produce both at the same time, becomes an ever-present feature of the tracks as the set progresses. For those with existing Cole collections the real excitement comes with the seventh disc of alternate takes, and the hitherto unheard recordings scattered through the collection, including trio versions of ‘Whatcha Know Joe’, and ‘The Romany Room is Jumpin’,’ (the latter with drums). There are copious versions of the hits such as ‘Sweet Lorraine’ and various takes of others such as ‘Straighten Up and Fly Right’. All in all this scores highly because of the excellent presentation and (apart from the bonus disc) chronological organisation that really underscores Cole’s development. The booklet is up to the label’s usual standard, though some repetition in Will Friedwald’s otherwise excellent main note might have been edited out. Yet again Resonance sets the standard by which all other reissue and archival releases must be judged.