RICHIE COLE - Pittsburgh, all that jazz... and a touch of Alto Madness
Like all seasoned musicians, alto saxophonist Richie Cole has done his fair share of travelling. He has toured the world with some of the jazz greats, and also under his own name. In the last three years he has lived in Los Angeles, San Antonio, Las Vegas, Chicago, and Trenton, and has now settled in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. If he has travelled great distance geographically, musically and stylistically he has remained true to his bebop heritage and yet has forged an identifiable sound and concept that is uniquely his own. Refusing to stand still and continuing to move his musical concept forward he has a new album just released on his newly formed label, Richie Cole Presents, and has a number of exciting new releases planned for the label in the near future.
"After moving to Pittsburgh a year and a half ago, I fell in love with the city and the people in it", explains Richie. "This city has always been a great Jazz town. Many favorite Jazz musicians came out of Pittsburgh. I met some fabulous musicians here and have been working all the time and for that reason, I was inspired to do an album solely dedicated to the city of Pittsburgh and the people in it. The material recorded on this CD is some of my new favorite songs that I have been performing for the last few years, and the album was co-produced by drummer Reid Hoyson.
"The record label is still in the very early stages and this album is the first one being released on it", continues Cole. "This is a project that will take time to fully put together and will come together more in the line of a major label down the line. We hope to be up and running in the near future. In the meantime, we will be releasing five of my upcoming CDs on the RCP 'Richie Cole Presents' Record Label. The next three or four albums will be with my little big band the 'Pittsburgh Alto Madness Orchestra', and Co-produced by Jazz producer and bassist, Mark Perna. I am not alone in RCP Records. I have a fine staff of people assisting in all phases of production. Once fully up and running, we hope to expand and sign new artists and talent."
A new town, a new album and a new record label has obviously inspired Richie to continue to present his music to audiences at every conceivable opportunity, but if the jazz hype comes and goes in the mainstream media Cole has found the audience for his music somewhat less fickle. "The jazz scene has been and always will be a very active scene, thanks to the loyal and dedicated Jazz fans around the world", he says. "That being said, I have found that in order to spread my music, I have to travel around the world to take my music to the people. Pittsburgh has a very active Jazz scene but I recently I had to travel to France, Israel, Russia, and many places throughout the world to spread my music. In November 2015, I did a 3 week tour of Brittany, France, where I played many Jazz concerts and also recorded Richie Cole and the International Jazz Orchestra, my little big band sound. I had to come and go through Paris for my trip and I was leaving the night of the attacks in the city and only later did I find out the extent of the terror. I managed to get to the airport and escape just in time."
"The record label is still in the very early stages and this album is the first one being released on it", continues Cole. "This is a project that will take time to fully put together and will come together more in the line of a major label down the line. We hope to be up and running in the near future. In the meantime, we will be releasing five of my upcoming CDs on the RCP 'Richie Cole Presents' Record Label. The next three or four albums will be with my little big band the 'Pittsburgh Alto Madness Orchestra', and Co-produced by Jazz producer and bassist, Mark Perna. I am not alone in RCP Records. I have a fine staff of people assisting in all phases of production. Once fully up and running, we hope to expand and sign new artists and talent."
A new town, a new album and a new record label has obviously inspired Richie to continue to present his music to audiences at every conceivable opportunity, but if the jazz hype comes and goes in the mainstream media Cole has found the audience for his music somewhat less fickle. "The jazz scene has been and always will be a very active scene, thanks to the loyal and dedicated Jazz fans around the world", he says. "That being said, I have found that in order to spread my music, I have to travel around the world to take my music to the people. Pittsburgh has a very active Jazz scene but I recently I had to travel to France, Israel, Russia, and many places throughout the world to spread my music. In November 2015, I did a 3 week tour of Brittany, France, where I played many Jazz concerts and also recorded Richie Cole and the International Jazz Orchestra, my little big band sound. I had to come and go through Paris for my trip and I was leaving the night of the attacks in the city and only later did I find out the extent of the terror. I managed to get to the airport and escape just in time."
Originally released as "Return to Alto Acres" on Palo Alto
Not being one to normally wallow in nostalgia, it was whilst listening Richie's new album that I realised the impact and influence he has had over the years on my own listening. Coming to jazz as a teenager my early listening consisted of a diet of Charlie Parker, Sonny Stitt, Paul Desmond, Johnny Hodges and Art Pepper. And indeed it was Richie who directly steered me towards Pepper's orbit with an album that I initially borrowed from my local library (on LP in those days) called Return To Alto Acres. "Alto Acres was my farm in Northern California all during the 1980s" recalls Cole. "I was recording with Palo Alto records at the time and Herb Wong , the president of the company thought it would be a good idea to record us together. Art just got out of prison and Herb wanted to help Art make a well deserved comeback. It was my pleasure to record with Art, one of my musical heroes. We got along great. At the time when we made the record I thought it was going to be an Art Pepper album but when it came out it was mine. I would have approached it a little differently if I knew it was going to be my record but I was happy with the outcome . Art played alto and very good clarinet and at the time I was also playing around with tenor and baritone . I would dabble with the tenor and baritone just for fun but Herb thought it would be a good to put them on the record along with Art's clarinet." Pausing, Cole adds with a wry smile, "My tenor and baritone are long gone... nobody wants to hear Richie Cole play anything but the alto sax."
In talking to Richie, it is quickly evident how passionate he is about his music and jazz in general, and has been fortunate in coming of age at a time that opportunities to play and tour regularly were still available, and many of Richie was able to learn his craft first hand either by listening to live music, or living the jazz life and learning on the bandstand. Taking up the story Richie says "During the 40's and 50's, my father owned two nightclubs in Trenton, NJ. One called the Harlem Club and the other a Las Vegas showroom called Hubby's Inn. For some reason, there was an alto saxophone left at the Harlem club and some of my earliest memories when I was 4 or 5 years old was opening the box and pushing the buttons down and being fascinated by the mechanism of the instrument. From that time on, there was no doubt in my mind that the only thing I wanted to do in my life was play the saxophone. I went to the elementary junior and high school band in the school system, took private lessons, and listened to jazz on the radio all night long. I just knew that this life was meant for me. When I was a young teenager, I went to a Summer music camp in New Hope, Pennsylvania that was run by the great saxophonist Phil Woods. He was the first one to really get me started professionally playing jazz. I listen to everyone at least once and some of my favorite influences have been Sunny Stitt, Cannonball Adderley, Sonny Rollins, Earl Bostic, and many others - some of whom, I got to know personally and in some cases perform with. I've been very fortunate in this life. Of course Charlie Parker has a category of his own."
The dedidcation and hard work paid off, as continuing Richie remembers "In my professional career, my first big break was with the Buddy Rich Big Band in 1969. I quit Berklee School of Music in Boston and went immediately to play in the Buddy Rich Band for two and a half years and travelled around the world. He was a great man, a dear friend, and to this day, the world's greatest big band drummer. I decided to leave the Buddy Rich band to go out on my own to find myself and my own sound. That is when I developed my concept and formed the first of my groups, Alto Madness. From the beginning I've always been attracted to the big band sound and after performing with Buddy for several years, I was fortunate enough to work with the great Lionel Hampton and Doc Severinsen bands. That's where I got my concept of Richie Cole and the Alto Madness Orchestra. That concept being the 18 piece big band sound played with only 4 horns. I spend more time arranging and composing for my Alto Madness Orchestra than I do playing my saxophone now" he laughs.
The dedidcation and hard work paid off, as continuing Richie remembers "In my professional career, my first big break was with the Buddy Rich Big Band in 1969. I quit Berklee School of Music in Boston and went immediately to play in the Buddy Rich Band for two and a half years and travelled around the world. He was a great man, a dear friend, and to this day, the world's greatest big band drummer. I decided to leave the Buddy Rich band to go out on my own to find myself and my own sound. That is when I developed my concept and formed the first of my groups, Alto Madness. From the beginning I've always been attracted to the big band sound and after performing with Buddy for several years, I was fortunate enough to work with the great Lionel Hampton and Doc Severinsen bands. That's where I got my concept of Richie Cole and the Alto Madness Orchestra. That concept being the 18 piece big band sound played with only 4 horns. I spend more time arranging and composing for my Alto Madness Orchestra than I do playing my saxophone now" he laughs.
"My next big break was to meet and perform with the great Eddie Jefferson. Eddie really taught me the jazz life and the concept of the show-business behind the music. His life and career was cut all too short and to this day, I miss him very much. There were so many more things we had planned to do, which will never be. I have always been attracted to jazz singers and I have been fortunate enough to perform and record with Anita O'day, Ben Sidran, Nancy Wilson, The Manhattan Transfer, and many others. My other recent CD release is with a group in Washington DC called the Uptown Jazz Vocal Quartet. The name of the album is Vocal Madness, and we perform mostly original songs by myself and the groups musical director and arranger Ginny Carr, very much in the tradition of the Manhattan Transfer." (You can read our review of Vocal Madness by the Uptown Jazz Vocal Quartet in April's CD Reviews)
Keeping himself busy with a schedule that includes running a new record label, writing and arranging for his Alto Maintaining Orchestra and juggling his own band and other playing commitments, "On May 19th-22nd, I will be in LA performing in the Buddy Rich Reunion Band for the LA Jazz Institute. It will be great seeing all the old guys again", enthuses Cole. "I am hoping that Bob Martin will be there. We both played in the Buddy Rich Band, (Bob was also my old college roommate) and worked in the band together in the 60's and 70's. Bob is currently living in London, and he has always been one of my favorite alto saxophone players and human beings." Spare time for the altoist is obviously something of a luxury, so I ask Richie what he like to listen to on the odd occasion when he is not writing or performing. "Steve Wilkos and Jerry Springer, he relies laughing "No Really, when I am not writing or playing music, I like to distance myself from music to keep a clear mind. Although, music does come my way that I like to listen to so I can see what new music is being created, I like to keep my finger on the pulse of current jazz.
Keeping himself busy with a schedule that includes running a new record label, writing and arranging for his Alto Maintaining Orchestra and juggling his own band and other playing commitments, "On May 19th-22nd, I will be in LA performing in the Buddy Rich Reunion Band for the LA Jazz Institute. It will be great seeing all the old guys again", enthuses Cole. "I am hoping that Bob Martin will be there. We both played in the Buddy Rich Band, (Bob was also my old college roommate) and worked in the band together in the 60's and 70's. Bob is currently living in London, and he has always been one of my favorite alto saxophone players and human beings." Spare time for the altoist is obviously something of a luxury, so I ask Richie what he like to listen to on the odd occasion when he is not writing or performing. "Steve Wilkos and Jerry Springer, he relies laughing "No Really, when I am not writing or playing music, I like to distance myself from music to keep a clear mind. Although, music does come my way that I like to listen to so I can see what new music is being created, I like to keep my finger on the pulse of current jazz.
Finally, one last question for the gear heads, I ask the inevitable about his current sax set up. "I've played Selmer Mark VI most of my life. I always considered it the best saxophone ever made and always will", says Richie. "A few years ago Patrick and Jerome Selmer gave me their new model Reference 54, I've been playing it for about 4 years and I love it ..beautiful sound, plays in tune and feels great under my fingers . But like Charlie Parker has a category of his own , not to be compared with anyone else , so does the Selmer Mark VI , but there's always room for something else in the future. I have been playing the same mouthpiece and reeds all my life, the Richie Cole mouthpiece (which is patterned after the Mayer 5 M) the RC mouthpiece has been in production by J.J. Babbitt for about 30 years now. Very consistent and in tune, I wouldn't think of playing anything else . And the only reed for the setup and the Richie Cole sound is the La Voz medium hard."
Watch out for more releases from the Richie Cole Presents label to be reviewed on Jazz Views.
Click on the album cover to read our review of Pittsburgh by Richie Cole
For more information visit Richie's website at Richie Cole - Alto Madness
Watch out for more releases from the Richie Cole Presents label to be reviewed on Jazz Views.
Click on the album cover to read our review of Pittsburgh by Richie Cole
For more information visit Richie's website at Richie Cole - Alto Madness
