It's hard to go wrong buying a Nat King Cole recording—nearly every one of his songs is a gem. The only problem is that many of his early recordings are muffled and scratchy. Stardust/Cleopatra records set out to correct this dilemma by hiring Roy Holmes to compile Nat King Cole and the King Cole Trio: Golden Years 1943-1946.

Holmes had to gather material to be remastered and restored from no less than 11 different recording sessions, which showcase the early part of Cole's career. The completed product is a masterful collection of treasures that Nat King Cole recorded primarily in 1943. Golden Years features Cole's first recording for Excelsior Records, "I'm Lost," and the rushed 1943 Premier Records version of "Got a Penny, Penny," which reappears later on the CD as the same song re-recorded in 1946 from the RCM Studios sessions. Other favorites include "F.S.T. (Fine, Sweet & Tasty)"—the "PHaT" of its day—"Miss Thing," "Beautiful Moons Ago," "Pitchin' Up a Boogie," "Bugle Call Rag," "Rosetta" and eight other classics. In this age of technology, it's nice to see that time is being spent on saving classic musical art. Every Nat King Cole and The King Cole Trio fan will enjoy this collection.