Search - Freddy Cole :: Music Maestro Please

In Praise of Senior Citizen Jazz Singers

Rick Cornell | Reno, Nv USA | 01/26/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"2007 was an extraordinary year for vocal jazz--quite possibly the best year ever. And one thing that made it so was the array of terrific c.d.'s by senior citizen jazz singers. We had: "Love Is What Stays" by Mark Murphy (d.o.b. 3-14-32); "Abbey on Abbey" by Abbey Lincoln (d.o.b. 8-6-30); "Dearest Duke" by Carol Sloane (d.o.b. sometime in 1937); and this one by Freddy Cole (d.o.b. 10-15-31).



This one and Carol's were the two vocal jazz c.d.'s in the New Yorker's list of "ten best jazz c.d.'s of 2007." This one was nominated for a Grammy. And Abbey's and Carol's made Jazz Times' list of the "50 best original jazz c.d.'s of 2007." (And my personal favorite of the four was Mark's. Go figure.)



And when you think about it, that's extraordinary. Most opera singers are done by age 65. (Last year, I had the uncomfortable experience of having to watch the Nevada Opera fire the 75-year-old buffo bass, hired to sing the role of Don Magnifico, in their production of "La Cenerentola." The guy, in his day, sang the Met and was one of the top buffo basses in the world. But a Rossini opera is no place to have senior moments, and when you're 75, you're going to have them--and not even a podunk regional opera company can tolerate that.) Most rock singers really are done well before that (except Robert Plant, evidently, judging by his latest with Allison Krauss!).



But senior citizen jazz singers can deliver their material with wisdom, wit, and maturity. The chops may no longer be there, but they can compensate for that. And this c.d. is a perfect example of what I'm talking about.



Freddy Cole is Nat's younger brother. He never quite had the silkiness of Nat's voice (and neither did anybody else, for that matter); but at age 76, his voice is as rough as gravel. And the upper half of his singing register is shot to hell. But no matter. He uses all of that to his advantage. With the rough, almost talking quality of his voice, he can deliver heartbreaking tomes like the title track with authority, or the c.d.'s highlight, "There Are Such Things", with the wit and worldly wisdom the lyrics imply. And he can put the drama in "You Could Hear a Pin Drop," just by the delivery of one we know has been there.



And special kudos to the Todd Barken and Joe Fields, the producers, and the legendary Rudy van Gelder, the engineer. The piano trio here is Bill Charlap (p.), and the Washingtons, Peter and Kenny (b. and d.). That's as good a trio as there is; but in every track, they are kept in the background. Freddy's tale-spinning is what the c.d. is all about, and that shines through via. the balance of the musicians.



I love this c.d., and I'm glad for Freddy Cole that he got the richly deserved Grammy nomination. There are others (notably, Kendra Shank, Jackie Ryan and Kate McGarry) who I wish had been similarly acknowledged. But based on this evidence, their time will come. RC







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Sophisticated & stylish

Chris Field | Denver | 02/08/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Freddy Cole is an accomplished singer and an underappreciated pianist. For Cole to slide out of his pianist's role so that Bill Charlap could play is high praise concerning Charlap's expertise as keyboard player from a master pianist himself. Charlap's trio masterfully accompanies Cole's vocal offerings.



If you are looking for quiet ballads with evocative lyrics stop right here. Music Maestro Please is an intelligent, prosaic volume of jazz standards. It's a release well worth having for any jazz devotee."

WHAT a voice! what a talent!

Mhellerman | Lincoln, NE USA | 10/13/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I still haven't heard the whole CD, I was very lucky to hear parts of it in on a radio in Miami that plays Jazz. It is SO wonderful! I am buying the whole cd! Even before I listen to it whole it deserves the 5 stars!"