Versatile Natalie Cole Proves to Be a Stunning Jazz Singer

Natalie Cole showed up in every one of her numerous musical personas Saturday at the Hollywood Bowl. And she was stunning in each, performing with supreme confidence in front of the Los Angeles Philharmonic (conducted by Gail Deadrick). Shifting gears without a misstep from jazz to R&B; to gospel, she was a consummate musical entertainer, bringing imagination and life to every word she sang.

That said, some portions of her show seemed more distinctive than others. The second half, which featured such early R&B; hits as “Inseparable,” “I’ve Got Love on My Mind” and “Our Love,” sparked the most spirited reactions from the large crowd, especially when she was joined by the Kurt Carr Singers for a rousing finale.

But it was the opening segment, overflowing with her readings of a far-reaching group of standards (including the obligatory video duet with her father, Nat King Cole, on “Unforgettable”) that revealed the most impressive of her skills. Although she has been moving toward jazz for much of the past decade, Cole’s performance in this set was good enough to place her in the very top level of jazz singers.

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Inextricably linked to the style that flows from Sarah Vaughan and Ella Fitzgerald, she offered no stylistic innovations in her readings of songs such as “The Very Thought of You,” “I’m Beginning to See the Light” and “Lush Life.” But within that tradition she was stunning, taking every tune through improvisational twists and turns, swinging with ease. Natalie Cole can do almost any sort of popular music superbly, but she does jazz best.