Tech
Nat King Cole’s After Midnight Complete Sessions Gets the Tone Poet Treatment
There are enough Nat King Cole reissues in circulation to fill several record shelves, so another one needs a better reason to exist than an anniversary sticker and 180 grams of vinyl.
Blue Note Records has a considerably stronger case with After Midnight: The Complete Sessions, a new 2LP mono Tone Poet Audiophile Vinyl Series edition arriving November 13, 2026 for $54.98. The expanded release includes all 18 performances from Cole’s four 1956 Capitol sessions, rather than simply reproducing the original 12-track LP.
Joe Harley produced the new edition, Kevin Gray mastered it at Cohearent Audio from the original analog phono reels, and RTI is pressing the records on 180-gram vinyl. The set also includes a deluxe tip-on gatefold jacket and booklet with archival photographs and a new essay by Nat King Cole biographer Will Friedwald.
That is a rather more convincing reason to revisit an album than turquoise vinyl.
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Why Does After Midnight Matter?
By 1956, Nat King Cole had become one of America’s biggest vocal stars, and Capitol was increasingly surrounding him with orchestras and polished arrangements. After Midnight pulled things back toward his jazz roots.
Cole worked with guitarist John Collins, bassist Charlie Harris and drummer Lee Young, with guest appearances across the four sessions by trumpeter Harry “Sweets” Edison, alto saxophonist Willie Smith, valve trombonist Juan Tizol and violinist Stuff Smith.
The smaller ensemble matters because Cole was an exceptional jazz pianist long before recordings such as “Unforgettable” transformed him into a mainstream vocal star. After Midnight lets both sides of his musical personality coexist.
Cole still sings, but the piano is not furniture.
The performances of “Sweet Lorraine,” “It’s Only a Paper Moon,” “Caravan,” “Route 66” and “When I Grow Too Old To Dream” are intimate, loose and filled with enough musical interaction to remind listeners that Cole could sit down with elite jazz musicians and more than hold his own.
What Is Different About the Tone Poet Edition?
The original album contained 12 tracks. The forthcoming edition expands that to 18 performances, adding “I Was A Little Too Lonely,” “You Can Depend on Me,” “What Is There To Say,” “Two Loves Have I,” “Candy” and an alternate take of “You’re Looking At Me.”
That makes the “Complete Sessions” label meaningful.
The mastering chain is equally important. Blue Note’s Tone Poet series uses all-analog mastering from original analog sources when available, and Kevin Gray has mastered this edition directly from the original analog phono reels.
Collectors should also note that After Midnight has received excellent audiophile treatment before, including the Analogue Productions 45 RPM edition mastered by Steve Hoffman and Kevin Gray.
Why Is This One Worth Buying?
Because the music deserves it.
After Midnight offers a different perspective on Nat King Cole than the orchestral recordings that made him one of the most recognizable voices of his generation. The arrangements leave room for his piano playing, the guest musicians bring genuine personality to each session, and the repertoire remains remarkably accessible even for listeners who do not own 400 jazz records and argue about matrix numbers before breakfast.
For anyone who does not already own a strong pressing, this looks like one of the more compelling jazz reissues coming this fall.
The expensive jacket is merely a bonus.
Pressing Details
- Price: $54.98
- Release Date: November 13, 2026
- Format: 2LP, 180-gram mono vinyl
- Label: Capitol Records / Blue Note Tone Poet Audiophile Vinyl Series
- Producer: Joe Harley
- Mastering: Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio
- Pressing: RTI
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