MARVIN GAYE/A TRIBUTE TO THE GREAT NAT KING COLE TML 11022 (-66) UK MONO

A few months after Nat King Cole's death Gaye recorded this tribute album to his big idol. IMO his voice was never better. It's clean and emotional with a tender stucture and immediate touch. The songs fits him perfectly and he's giving it all to make it as beautiful as possible, you can almost hear he's in mourning. The backing - by Motown team "Funk Brothers" and Detroit Symphony Orchestra - is top notch, the mono mix and the audio perfect. But the timing was awful and the album sank without a trace after release. When the great Nat King Cole just died I guess the public prefered his records insted of some then semi-famous Motown artist doing the same repertoire. If they had waited a few years with the release it probably would have been more successful, but now sales were low and it didn't chart anywhere. Original copies can be tricky to find today, but re-issues exist both on LP and CD. Premiere US on Tamla 1965 (TM/TS 261). First UK 1966 with label as shown here and laminated flip/back cover. (TÖMÖ*)(MÖRS*) (GÖJI*)