After Midnight Songwriting Credits by Nat King Cole

After Midnight is a jazz album by Nat King Cole and his trio, released by Capitol Records in 1957 and recorded across sessions in August and September 1956 at the Capitol Tower studios in Hollywood. It marks a deliberate return to Cole's roots as a jazz pianist, putting him back at the keyboard in an intimate small-combo setting after years fronting lush orchestral pop. The core group pairs Cole on piano and vocals with guitarist John Collins, bassist Charlie Harris, and drummer Lee Young, and each track adds a single guest soloist for an after-hours, blowing-session feel. The rotating guests are trumpeter Harry 'Sweets' Edison, alto saxophonist Willie Smith, valve trombonist Juan Tizol, and violinist Stuff Smith, with Jack Costanzo adding bongos on two numbers. The program is drawn entirely from standards and older songs, from 'Sweet Lorraine' and 'Caravan' to Bobby Troup's 'Route 66,' so Cole works as interpreter and instrumentalist rather than songwriter. The album peaked at number 13 on the Billboard Pop Albums chart and remains one of the most admired jazz records of his catalog.