With a fourth single now coming from his upcoming album, Michael Bublé brings it back to his roots with an interpretation of the famous jazz standard made famous by the legendary Nat King Cole, ‘A Nightingale Sing in Berkeley Square’.

So far, from Michael’s upcoming album, we’ve heard many different colors of his repertoire, some new and some refined. The only thing that was missing, so I thought, was a true and proper jazz standard done in the same way traditional pop was performed more than half a century ago. It is, after all, what gave Michael his classic sound – mixing vocal jazz with modern pop etiquette. ‘A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square’ was a wonderful choice for Michael to flex his vocal jazz chops, especially since his voice is so similar both in tone and range to Nat King Cole. The way he navigates the melodies from start to finish, highlighting the gorgeous harmony of the instrumentation led by a warm horn section. Speaking of which, though the horns take lead, the string work orchestrated in this interpretation is tear-jerkingly beautiful. Where the horns tend to hold on some tones and notes, their main purpose in this song is to give the punches when Michael takes a moment to take a breath, or to let space settle. The strings, swelling with his voice, give such weight and power to both his performance and the instrumentation. All that grooved with a walking bass and a ride groove that’ll get you on your feet, it’s all just right. 

Not only is ‘A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square’ a wonderful choice for Michael Bublé to add to his album, it’s also an honor to hear this song recorded with modern production, especially with his luscious voice to take helm. The last four singles have been a real treat to fans and casual listeners alike, and just hearing those four make for a wonderful experience, and in doing so promises an equally sensational experience when the full album comes out.

Author: Nicholas Gaudet

Music producer and writer from Dieppe, Canada.