One of the foremost exponents of pre-bebop jazz today, guitarist and singer John Pizzarelli excels at bringing new energy and joy to even the most familiar standards. He has also famously made a series of tribute albums to his musical heroes, including Frank Sinatra, Cole Porter, and Duke Ellington. Often he has fronted big bands in making those recordings, but on this musical celebration of Nat “King” Cole’s birthday, he keeps the proceedings small and intimate: it’s just Pizzarelli with a bassist and pianist, demonstrating how powerfully one can swing without a drummer. Popular classics like “It’s Only a Paper Moon” and “Body and Soul” are on the program, but so are relatively obscure songs like “I’m Such a Hungry Man” and “Could-‘Ja.” I have yet to hear a Pizzarelli album that wasn’t a pure delight, and this is among his most enjoyable.