Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Richie Cole: Pittsburgh

3

Richie Cole: Pittsburgh

By

Sign in to view read count
Richie Cole: Pittsburgh
After a lifetime of movin' on that has taken him from Trenton, NJ, to cities, towns and hamlets across the country and around the world, it seems that alto saxophonist Richie Cole, now fifty-eight, is at last ready to settle down and plant some roots. As he declares in his latest album's opening number, "I Have a Home in Pittsburgh"—and there's a palpable sense that this time he means it. If Cole's wandering days are indeed behind him, what remains constant is the warm and happy sound of his alto, the centerpiece of what is essentially a quintet session whose sidemen are presumably from the Pittsburgh area.

As always, Cole seems to be having a ton of fun, and as always, his choice of music is eclectic and predictably off-center, meandering from such disparate standards as "I'll Be Seeing You," "Flying Down to Rio," "The Gypsy" and "Tomorrow" (from the Broadway smash Annie) to Benny Carter's sumptuous samba, "Key Largo," and a trio of his own sunny compositions, "I Have a Home in Pittsburgh," "Who's the Man Corrupting Richie Cole" (co-written with drummer Reid Hoyson) and "Happy Valentine's Day, Candace."

"Home" opens as a ballad before upshifting into a buoyant foxtrot on which Cole shows that time has beclouded neither his admirable technique nor his deep storehouse of engaging ideas. Guitarist Mark Lucas and pianist Jeff Lashway add spirited solos, setting the stage for the true ballad, "I'll Be Seeing You," the rhythmic Astaire / Rogers staple, "Flying Down to Rio," and British songwriter Billy Reid's mega-hit from 1946, "The Gypsy" ("In a quaint caravan . . ."), on which Lashway briefly channels another Pittsburgh legend, the late Erroll Garner. "Who's the Man" is a delightful romp with free and easy solos by Cole (who is last in line), Lucas, Lashway, Hoyson and bassist Jeff Grubbs, "Key Largo" a breath of Latin fresh air on which Cole is at his easygoing best. After offering his heartfelt valentine to "Candace," Cole wraps things up with the earnest and uplifting anthem, "Tomorrow." Here as elsewhere, Cole's bandmates are vigilant and supportive.

Welcome home, Richie. Pittsburgh seems to be a good fit—for your talents and your heart. And once you've settled in, fans can look forward to a rebirth of the Alto Madness Orchestra, Pittsburgh-style.

Track Listing

I Have a Home in Pittsburgh; I’ll Be Seeing You; Flying Down to Rio; The Gypsy; Who’s the Man Corrupting Richie Cole; Key Largo; Happy Valentine’s Day, Candace; Tomorrow.

Personnel

Richie Cole: alto sax; Jeff Lashway: piano (1-5, 7); Patrick Whitehead: piano (6, 8); Mark Lucas: guitar; Jeff Grubbs: bass (1-5, 7); Mark Perna: bass (6, 8); Reid Hoyson: drums, percussion; George Jones: congas.

Album information

Title: Pittsburgh | Year Released: 2016 | Record Label: Richie Cole Presents

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

What Was Happening
Bobby Wellins Quartet
Laugh Ash
Ches Smith
A New Beat
Ulysses Owens, Jr. and Generation Y

Popular

Eagle's Point
Chris Potter
Light Streams
John Donegan - The Irish Sextet

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.