A native of Chicago, Illinois, Saxophonist Steve Cole is one of the most celebrated players in
contemporary jazz, having sold hundreds of thousands of albums worldwide and scored four #1
R&R Jazz hits. With five CDs in his catalog for Atlantic, Warner Brothers and EMI/Bluenote, Cole
kicks off a new multiple-album deal with Mack Avenue Records/Artistry Music by releasing
Moonlight, a collection of classic pop songs and standards set against an orchestral backdrop.
The project includes such iconic songs as Burt Bacharach’s The Look of Love, the classic torch
song Cry Me a River, Lennon/McCartney’s The Long and Winding Road, the Guess Who’s
Undun and James Taylor’s Close Your Eyes.
With his gorgeous, classically trained tone and an ear for lyrical melody, Cole most closely
resembles a vocalist, emphasizing interpretive phrasing and direct emotion. On Moonlight, he
has found the perfect setting for this bel canto technique—a symphonic orchestra playing inspired
arrangements by Michael Cunningham, making his splashy major-label debut as an orchestral
arranger. In addition to the strings, the arrangements include tastefully placed harp, woodwinds
and tempered brass. The supporting rhythm section is composed of Mike Logan (Will Downing)
on keyboards, Russell Ferrante (Yellowjackets) on piano and Steve Rodby (Pat Metheny Group)
on bass.
At the heart of this project is the title track, which appeared in the 1995 film Sabrina. “I saw the
movie a few years ago and heard that song,” Cole says, “and it was just delightful—after all, it
was written by [legendary film composer and arranger] John Williams, and I thought, ‘This has all
the elements I’m looking for.’ So I just sort of indexed it away, and when I started thinking about
this project, I was searching for music that would be warm and enveloping. That’s when I
remembered this song.” (Few others did; this is its debut cover recording.)
With Moonlight, Cole comes full circle back to his first success as a young musician, performing
with strings and winds. Reenergized by his desire to recapture his roots and impelled by the
melody of Moonlight, he has produced a record full of strong emotion and genuine craftsmanship.
The interaction of his saxophone with the intimate arrangements has allowed him to create a
modern collection of lovely cameos in the classical concerto tradition—while at the same time
charting a new direction for the next stage of his career. “For me, it’s always a lot more fun when
people get what you’re doing,” says Cole, and in a nutshell that statement describes his approach
to music; he has crafted his style with communication foremost among his objectives. Many of the
greatest jazz musicians have sought the same goal, from Louis Armstrong to Count Basie to Stan
Getz to Miles Davis. And while Cole would not compare himself to any of these giants, he has
nonetheless absorbed the basic lesson of their music—reaching beyond his craft to communicate
with his listeners.
Steve Cole attended Northwestern University, where he explored modern classical music for the
saxophone under the tutelage of internationally recognized educator Fred Hemke. While an
undergrad, this gifted musician was a semifinalist in the National Foundation for the Advancement
in the Arts and one of three finalists in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition,
awarding him the privilege of performing as featured soloist with the Orchestra. Cole went on to
earn his MBA at the University of Chicago, which paved the way in his being appointed to
Assistant Professor of Arts Entertainment, & Media Management at Columbia College Chicago,
and later Chair of the Music Business Division at the prestigious McNally Smith College of Music.
Cole began his professional career, playing sessions and club dates; he recorded with blues
legend Junior Wells and began playing, writing and producing with Atlantic Records artists Brian
Culbertson and Bob Mamet. His visibility at the label grew, and soon Cole signed his own deal
with Atlantic. He released his debut disc, Stay Awhile, in 1998; it yielded the hits “Where the Night
Begins,” “When I Think of You” and “Say It Again” and earned Cole a Prism Award for Best New
Artist at the 2000 Oasis Jazz Awards. Additionally, Steve has toured and/or recorded with Boz
Scaggs, Larry Carlton, Jeff Lorber, Freddie Cole, Cyrus Chestnut, KMFDM, and is a founding
member, along with Jeff Kashiwa and Kim Waters of The Sax Pack.
“I am so anxious to have the opportunity to present this new project to audiences in live theater
settings where I will have the chance to connect with them in an emotional way, providing a
memorable night of music for all to enjoy,” Steve expounds. “The legacy of popular music in an
orchestral setting is timeless and I am quite fortunate to be able to present this collection of
timeless songs in this fashion.”
The orchestra members tune their instruments, the lights dim, Steve Cole walks onto the stage—
and within moments you are immersed in a captivating sonic landscape. “At this point in my
career it was important to document something that will be as relevant 10 to 20 years from now
as it is today—and it’s quite possible we may have accomplished just that.”