Nat King Cole Tribute feat: V. Shayne Frederick Direct from Philadelphia

V. Shayne Frederick brings his Nat King Cole tribute to Catalina Jazz Club, joined by some of Los Angeles’ finest musicians, whose names and exact lineup have not been announced. The Philadelphia-based vocalist and pianist leads an evening devoted to Cole’s songbook, billed as a tribute rather than a reproduction: Frederick’s recorded work on this material has explored both familiar songs and less often heard selections.

Born in North Carolina and based in Philadelphia, Frederick is known for a baritone that The Philadelphia Inquirer called “silken,” alongside an elegant stage manner and a way of connecting classic and contemporary jazz. His album The King Suite reworks Nat King Cole repertoire through rhythms, eras and sound worlds from across the African Diaspora. Beyond his own work, he has performed with Ruth Naomi Floyd’s Frederick Douglass Jazz Works and worked as keyboardist, arranger and vocalist with Yolanda Wisher & the Afroeaters. DownBeat has called him “soulful,” while Metro Philadelphia described him as an “elastic vocalist.” WXPN heard a voice that “effortlessly soars,” shifting from “a seductive whisper” to “an exuberant belt.”