Freddy Cole at Ethno Jazz Festival in Wrocław: a jazz voice and the sound of piano
Freddy Cole developed his own vocal and piano style between swing, blues and the jazz songbook. The announcement of his Ethno Jazz Festival appearance in Wrocław explores both the family’s musical roots and the distinct artistic path of Nat “King” Cole’s younger brother.
Freddy Cole, younger brother of Nat “King” Cole but above all a world-renowned jazz singer and pianist in his own right, will perform in Wrocław on 27 November as part of Ethno Jazz Festival!
Lionel Frederick Cole was born on 15 October 1931, the youngest of Edward and Paulina Nancy Cole’s five children. All three of his older brothers, Eddie, Ike and Nat, who was twelve years older than Freddy, were musicians. “I began playing piano when I was five or six,” Freddy recalls. “Music was all around me.” Duke Ellington, Count Basie and Lionel Hampton visited his childhood home in Chicago. He also names Billy Eckstine among those who significantly influenced him: “He was a fantastic entertainer,” he remembers, adding, “I learnt so much simply by watching him and being around him.”
After a hand injury put a potential NFL career on hold, he began playing and singing in Chicago clubs as a teenager. Although he was ready to tour at 18, his mother intervened, and Freddy continued his musical education at Chicago's Roosevelt Institute.
In 1951, Freddy moved to New York, where he studied at the Juilliard School of Music and came under the strong influence of John Lewis, Oscar Peterson and Teddy Wilson. He graduated from the New England Conservatory of Music and spent several months touring as a member of Earl Bostic's band, which also featured Johnny Coles and Benny Golson.
After returning to New York, Freddy successfully began a career that continues today. He built an extensive repertoire of songs played in Manhattan bistros and, alongside concerts, also worked on jingles for television and radio. Based in Atlanta since 1972, Freddy currently leads a trio comprising himself, guitarist Randy Napoleon, drummer Curtis Boyd and bassist Elias Bailey. The band regularly tour the USA, Europe, the Far East and South America. Freddy has been recording since 1952, when a little-known Chicago label released his single “The Joke's on Me”.
In the 1970s, Freddy recorded several albums for European and British labels, earning him a loyal following on this side of the Atlantic. Cole believes that achieving international popularity meant he “broadened his playing field a little”. He refined his stage presence, developed a better rapport with audiences and learnt to sing in other languages. “It made me a better performer.”
Freddy Cole makes no apologies for sounding like his brother, Nat “King” Cole. There are some undeniable similarities. Like Nat, Freddy plays piano and performs live with guitar and double bass. Yet his voice is huskier, rougher and even jazzier. Freddy has stepped out of the shadow cast by his older brother.
In fact, his phrasing is closer to Frank Sinatra’s or Billie Holiday’s than to his brother’s, and his rhythm swings more. His voice — charming, elegant, strong and expressive — is among the most respected in jazz. Cole’s career continues to develop, and he remains among the leading artists in this American art form, presenting his own distinctive style and musical sophistication.
Event details
FREDDY COLE
3 July 2014
BF Impart
Wrocław
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