Nat Cole, Penthouse Serenade & The Piano Style of Nat King Cole (Collectors’ Choice). Nat Cole’s singing made him a king of popular music. His playing influenced pianists from Bud Powell to Bill Evans and beyond. The two albums included in this reissue CD will help those who know him only as a pop star to understand why Cole is revered for his touch, harmonic ingenuity and melodic creativity. The Penthouse tracks are reminiscent of his trio days. In The Piano Style, spurred by Nelson Riddle’s inspired arrangements, Cole did some of the best recorded playing of his career. Intimations of Earl Hines, Teddy Wilson and Art Tatum flash through the deceptively placid surface of his swing-to-bop sensibility.