FREDDY COLE QUARTET – A JAZZ CHRISTMAS
5/12/2008 20:00 - A Christmas concert by the American jazzman and pianist, accompanied by his quartet. Presented by the Prague Spring.
Freddy Cole began playing piano when he was five and grew up surrounded by music. Visitors to the Cole home included Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Lionel Hampton and others, but the greatest influence on him was Billy Eckstine. “He was a great entertainer,” recalls Freddy. “I learned a lot just by watching him and being around him.” After a hand injury prevented Freddy from pursuing a career as a professional American football player in the NFL, as a teenager he began playing and singing in Chicago clubs. At the age of 18 he wanted to go on tour with his band, but his mother convinced him to finish his music studies at the, Roosevelt department in Chicago. In 1951 Freddy left for New York, where, while studying at the Juilliard School of Music, he discovered how deeply he had been influenced by John Lewis, Oscar Peterson and Teddy Wilson. He completed his education at the New England Conservatory of Music, where he earned a Master’s degree. He then spent several months touring with Earl Bostic’s band, where he played with Johnny Coles and Benny Golson. Upon returning to New York, he began setting the foundation for his future career. He created an enviable repertoire by playing in Manhattan restaurants and also performed on live television shows and composed commercial jingles for radio.
In 1952 he recorded his first gramophone single The Joke’s on Me for an obscure Chicago record label. The song Whispering Grass became something of a hit. In the 1970s he released several albums in Europe, but major recognition only came with albums in the 1990s, such as I’m not my brother, I’m me (1990), Live at Birdland West (1992), Always (1994) or Le Grand Freddy (1999). In the new millennium, albums have included Rio de Janiero Blue (2001), In the Name of Love (2003), This Love of Mine (2005) and Because of Love (2006). His last project called Music Maestro Please earned a Grammy nomination in 2007.
Since 1972, Cole has been living in Atlanta. His current group, featuring guitarist Randy Napoleon, drummer Curtis Boyd and bass-player Elias Bailey, performs concerts across the USA, Europe, in East Asia and South America. He does not feel the slightest need to apologize for the fact that the influence of his brother Nat King Cole can be heard in his songs. He is convinced that in some ways his phrasing is closer to Frank Sinatra or Billie Holiday. Cole’s voice, which publicists and critics usually describe with adjectives such as soothing, elegant or imposing, ranks him among the most respected jazz vocalists. When you add to this his unique style and musical cultivation, it’s no surprise that the arc of his career, even at this late stage, continues in the ascendant.
(text Aleš Benda)
Presented by the Prague Spring in collaboration with Archa Theatre.
Photo: Clay Walker
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Tickets:
1st category – CZK 450
2nd category – CZK 290 / students and seniors CZK 150
Standing – CZK 190 / students and seniors CZK 150
For sale at the Archa Theatre box office and Ticketpro (subject to a booking fee).
