Great Performances: Nat King Cole performs "Nature Boy"

Nat King Cole performs "Nature Boy"--what else is there to say?

Great Songwriters: Mort Dixon

Mort Dixon kicked off his songwriting career in 1923 with a winner that would become an American standard, "That Old Gang of Mine," co-authored with Billy Rose and Ray Henderson.

Dixon's first taste of show business, however, came years beforehand; while serving in World War I, Dixon directed the army show Whiz Bang, which toured France after the war.

Born on March 20th, 1892 in New York City, Dixon returned there after Whiz Bang to take the stage as a Vaudeville actor, and pursue a career as a Broadway lyricist. Most famously, he collaborated with Harry Warren and Joe Young on songs for the 1931 musical revue Laugh Parade, produced by and starring the legendary Vaudeville comedian Ed Wynn.

Dixon's collaborations with Harry Warren would result in some of his finest work, including the classic "I Found a Million Dollar Baby (In a Five and Ten Cent Store)," which also featured the talents of the great Billy Rose. Additionally, Dixon collaborated with Ray Henderson, most notably on the tender "Bye Bye Blackbird," and the abovementioned "That Old Gang of Mine." Other luminaries Dixon worked alongside include Harry M. Woods ("I'm Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover") and Allie Wrubel ("The Lady in Red").

Fred Astaire sings "They Can't Take That Away From Me" in 1937 (video)

The incomparable Fred Astaire, singing George and Ira Gershwin's "They Can't Take That Away From Me" in Shall We Dance (1937).



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Video: Sand Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City Implosion

The place the Rat Pack called their East Coast home (and the place Frank Sinatra performed his final public U.S. concerts), The Sands Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, was imploded on Thursday night, October 18th. Here's a video:

Great New Releases: Nancy Wilson, Julie London, Sarah Vaughn, Joe Williams and Count Basie

Coming 10/23 from Capitol/EMI:



Nancy Wilson: The Nancy Wilson Show
Live in 1964 at the Coconut Grove in LA, with a 16-piece band. First time on CD. Remixed from the original 4-track tapes and mastered in 24-bit.

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TRACKS: 1. Fireworks [Live] 2. Don't Take Your Love from Me [Live] 3. Don't Talk, Just Sing [Live] 4. Guess Who I Saw Today [Live] 5. Ten Good Years [Live] 6. Saga of Bill Bailey [Live] 7. Music That Makes Me Dance [Live] 8. I'm Beginning to See the Light [Live] 9. You Can Have Him [Live]



Julie London: All Through The Night
Julie London's superb 1965 tribute to Cole Porter, featuring The Bud Shank Quintet (with guitarist Joe Pass). Includes the bonus track "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To."

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TRACKS: 1. I've Got You Under My Skin 2. You Do Something to Me 3. Get out of Town 4. All Through the Night 5. So in Love 6. At Long Last Love 7. Easy to Love 8. My Heart Belongs to Daddy 9. Every Time We Say Goodbye 10. In the Still of the Night 11. You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To [bonus track]



Sarah Vaughan: The Divine One
Wonderful 1959 collaboration featuring Harry "Sweets" Edison on trumpet, Jimmy Jones on piano, and Don Lamond on drums. Includes 2 bonus tracks from the same sessions.

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TRACKS: 1. Have You Met Miss Jones? 2. Ain't No Use 3. Every Time I See You 4. You Stepped out of a Dream 5. Gloomy Sunday 6. What Do You See in Her? 7. Jump for Joy 8. When Your Lover Has Gone 9. I'm Gonna Laugh You out of My Life 10. Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams 11. Somebody Else's Dream 12. Trouble Is a Man



Joe Williams and Count Basie: Every Day I Have The Blues
A 1951 classic from the Roulette catalog. Includes the bonus tracks Confessin' the Blues, Five O'Clock in the Morning, and How Can You Lose.

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TRACKS: 1. Every Day I Have the Blues 2. Baby, Won't You Please Come Home 3. It's a Low Down Dirty Shame 4. Shake, Rattle, And Roll 5. Just a Dream 6. Cherry Red 7. Good Mornin' Blues 8. What Did You Win 9. Ain't No Use 10. Gee Baby, Ain't I Good to You 11. Confessin' the Blues [bonus track] 12. Five O'Clock in the Morning [bonus track] 13. How Can You Lose [bonus track]

Great Performances: Tony Bennett and Stevie Wonder sing "For Once In My Life"

Two legends...

Great Performances: Bobby Darin sings "Cry Me A River"

Bobby Darin's devastating rendition of "Cry Me A River," from the Seeing Is Believing DVD...