Insider Preview: Oscar Moore in Fretboard Journal 45

It was just about a year ago that John Pizzarelli paid us a visit and sat down for FJ Podcast 217, a conversation that covered a lot of ground, touching significantly upon guitarist Oscar Moore, who spent 10 years on the vanguard of small group jazz with The King Cole Trio. We parted ways after knowing that we’d barely scratched the surface of Moore’s musical legacy and promised to continue our conversation. That promise is kept in the Fretboard Journal #45, with a profile of Moore and an interview with John that we hope leads to a broader appreciation of one of jazz guitar’s unsung heroes.

Listening to Oscar Moore is a complicated undertaking. Some of his music only exists on vinyl, though you can find more on YouTube than you’d think. There are comprehensive collections from both the Decca and Capitol eras of the King Cole Trio and a new one on its way from Roundhouse Recordings that will compile almost everything (including the Decca sides) from the pre-Capitol years, but even they don’t make it simpler: comprehensive means hundreds of recordings, including multiple versions of many songs. The list below presents a good selection of Moore’s performances with the King Cole Trio, Johnny Moore’s Three Blazers (his brother’s group), and as a bandleader and sideman. We have also compiled playlists on Spotify and YouTube (tracks that are YouTube-only are indicated with an asterisk). Session details, where provided, were found in Straighten Up and Fly Right – A Chronology and Discography of Nat “King” Cole, compiled by Klaus Teubig. Additional performances with the Jones Boys, from his time as a contract performer with MGM Studios, are also included on the YouTube playlist.

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Lionel Hampton and the King Cole Trio

“Jack the Bellboy” (w/Lionel Hampton, drums) —May 10, 1940, Hollywood, CA

The King Cole Trio

“Sweet Lorraine” (2:50) — December 6, 1940, Hollywood, CA

“That Ain’t Right”

“Hit That Jive, Jack” (2:53) — October 22, 1941, Decca Studios, New York City, NY

“Jumpin’ at Capitol” — November 30, 1943, C.P. MacGregor Studios, Los Angeles, CA, Johnny Mercer - producer

“Body & Soul” (3:18) — January 17, 1944, C.P. MacGregor Studios, Los Angeles, CA, Johnny Mercer - producer

“Wild Goose Chase”* — ~January/February, 1944, C.P. MacGregor Studios, Los Angeles, CA

“Penthouse Serenade” (w/Anita O’Day, vocals) — ~February, 1944, MacGregor Studios, Los Angeles, CA

“Sweet Georgia Brown” (1:40) * — July 1944, C.P. MacGregor Studios, Los Angeles, CA

“Miss Thing” (2:05) * — April 16, 1945, NBC Studios, Hollywood, CA - AFRS “Jubilee” 129

“Come To Baby Do” (3:03) — October 11, 1945, WMCA Studios, New York City, NY, Carl Kress - producer

“I Don’t Know Why (I Just Do)” (3:05) — March 15, 1946, Radio Recorders, Hollywood, CA

“One O’Clock Jump” — April 25, 1946, Radio Recorders, Hollywood, CA

“The Christmas Song” (3:04) — August 19, 1946, WMCA Studios, New York City, NY, Walter Rivers and Carl Kress - producers

“Lament in Chords” (written by Oscar Moore) — April 29, 1947, Hollywood, CA

“That’s What” (written by Nat Cole and Oscar Moore) — June 13, 1947, Radio Recorders, Hollywood, CA, Alan Livingston - producer, John Palladino - engineer

“Honeysuckle Rose” (2:39) — July 2, 1947, Radio Recorders, Hollywood, CA, Jim Conkling - producer

Johnny Moore’s Three Blazers

“Scratch Sheet” * (written by Johnny Moore and Oscar Moore)

“Pasadena” (written by Charles Brown, Johnny Moore, Leon René and Oscar Moore)

“Don’t Get Salty, Sugar”

“Hard Tack” (written by Johnny Moore and Oscar Moore)

“Tell Me You’ll Wait For Me” (written by Charles Brown and Oscar Moore)

Oscar Moore

“Warm Up” (written by Oscar Moore)

“Blues in B♭” (written by Oscar Moore)

“Tangerine”

Inez Jones

“Happy”