CHAPTER ONE: NAT KING COLE The first reference I want to make is to a recorded album that not only enlightened me to some of the necessary components and nuances that a Jazz player must have, but also served as an inspiration to me as a pianist. I am referring to that old Capital album simply titled, The Nat King Cole Trio. I consider this album, by itself, to be a complete musical thesaurus for any aspiring Jazz pianist. Consider Nat's rendition of his "Easy Listening Blues". The performance is simple and direct; yet in it, Nat puts together all of the components that, to my way of thinking, are necessary to be able to play the blues. First and foremost, his distinctive yet soulful delivery of the melodic line sets the tone for the whole performance. His distinctly articulated touch and time, as he sets out and releases his phrases, serves to tell a story that he wants his audience to hear. For all trio players, I think it is important to take note of the restraint of the performance. No one instrument intrudes on the other, but rather serves to enhance Nat's lines. The time quotient throughout is, to my way of thinking, exact, low-key, believable and moving. Oscar Moore continues the blues conversation where Nat leaves off, and offers his own musical opinion in a manner that precisely matches the tone of this musical dialogue. There is a great lesson to be learned here by aspiring trio players, and that is that shared effort is the most important component in trio playing. Nat's flowing lines continue to the very end of this recording, and bring it to a restful conclusion. In my opinion, this is one of the most outstanding readings of the blues ever recorded, and a required listening experience for any musicians who aspire to be trio players.