Richie Cole RIP

[LWayne]

Just announced by one of his bandmates that the great alto sax player Richie Cole passed away.

No other details are known at this point.

LWayne

[Matthew]

Sad news, I really enjoyed his work with Mark Murphy. RIP 

[sidewinder]

Damn - sorry to hear this. May he RIP. Always thought of him as one of the ‘young guys’.

Wondering If I ever caught him live... I think I caught him once with Phil Woods but not sure.

Edited May 2, 2020 by sidewinder

[JSngry]

I really did not like his playing, not at all. But I came to respect the hell out of him just being there and keeping at it in nobody's way but his own.

Plus, we all owe him for life for bringing Eddie Jefferson into the spotlight like he did.

RIP, and sweet dreams in Alto Acres

[Hardbopjazz]

Wow. So sad to hear this. RIP.  Thoughts with you and your family. 

[Justin V]

I saw him live once with Greg Abate back in 2007.  I remember enjoying his playing that day but I somehow never saw him again when he occasionally came to Cleveland.  Thank you for the music, Mr. Cole, and rest in peace.

[felser]

Saw him at Penn's Landing in 1988.  His group included Vic Juris, and the communication between the two was uncanny.  Not sure if he was with Eddie Jefferson, who I saw at the Empty Foxhole in the 70's.  I always enjoyed his playing a lot.

[duaneiac]

I saw him a number of years ago at the San Jose Jazz Festival with one of his Alto Madness Orchestras.   I quite enjoyed his show that day and always hoped I'd have another chance to check him out again. He signed (in silver Sharpie!) a CD or two for me that day.  He seemed like a  cool enough guy, chatting with the folks as he sold his CDs after the show.

Rest In Peace, Mr. Cole.  Thanks for your musical contributions.

[felser]

49 minutes ago, duaneiac said:

He seemed like a  cool enough guy

I had the same impression.

[LWayne]

Saw him many times over the past 10 years as he made Pittsburgh his home.

He was definitely a "cool enough guy"

Will be missed. Was beloved in the community as well.

LWayne

 

[Mark Stryker]

Co-signing on Jim’s comments, I’ll add this film of Richie and Eddie Jefferson made 41 years ago this week at the Jazz Showcase in Chicago in May 1979. Two nights later, the band was in Detroit and Eddie Jefferson was killed by a guy with a gun on the sidewalk outside Baker’s Keyboard Lounge.  The then-young rhythm section, all good friends of mine, was a working trio back in the day in Chicago. Pianist John Campbell, bassist Kelly Sill, and drummer Joel Spencer.

 

Edited May 2, 2020 by Mark Stryker

[Kevin Bresnahan]

I only have a couple of Cole's recordings but the one I remember the most was one he did with Sonny Stitt, which was noteworthy for having Jack Wilson on piano.

It's been a very long time since I saw Richie live. He rarely came through Boston. I think when I saw him, it was with Greg Abate.

[Quasimado]

Saw him live in late 70's(?). Fine musician - intense, hot and swinging. RIP

[GA Russell]

I'm sorry to hear this.  RIP.

I picked up a few of his albums in the late '70s and early '80s in part because not many others whom I could find in the record stores were making albums like his.

And it was great to hear his sense of humor.  Anybody else remember Waiting for Waits?

 

[Gheorghe]

Oh my God, much too young, I think he was born in 1948, so this is too early to die. 

His "Alto Madness" really was something strong going in the early 80s. 

I saw him at Wiesen in 1983 with a very fine rhythm section but forgot the names of the players. The piano player was very very articulate, it was a guy with a beard, I wonder if somebody can tell me what his touring band in 1983 was. 

And nice guy really, very nice towards the audience. He even had "composed" a tune just for us, for the "Wiesen Festival" , titled of course "Wiesen", it was a fast samba. 

 

[BillF]

10 hours ago, Justin V said:

I saw him live once with Greg Abate back in 2007.  I remember enjoying his playing that day but I somehow never saw him again when he occasionally came to Cleveland.  Thank you for the music, Mr. Cole, and rest in peace.

Really like the album they made together:

[jazzcorner]

In memoriam to US Altosax player Richie Cole. Here is a recording from his visit to Leningrad (USSR) from 1989
Can someone read the liner notes who is playing beside Cole?

MELODIA C60 30069 006 - Richie Cole " Leningrad Alto Madness"

 

 

[JSngry]

https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ru&u=https://www.discogs.com/Riche-Cole-%25D0%259E%25D1%2581%25D0%25B5%25D0%25BD%25D0%25BD%25D0%25B8%25D0%25B5-%25D0%25A0%25D0%25B8%25D1%2582%25D0%25BC%25D1%258B-Riche-Cole-In-Leningrad-Leningrad-Alto-Madness/release/3690729&prev=search

[mikeweil]

R.I.P.

I really like his collaborations with Eddie Jefferson. He was not an innovator, but a good soloist with the right spirit for the music. He played very well on Don Patterson's Muse LP, Movin' Up:

And there's a fine Gillespie tribute he recorded. Will give that a spin tomorrow.

[jazzcorner]

 

[felser]

This was the first one I bought by him back in the day.  Much in need of CD issue:

[Kevin Bresnahan]

3 hours ago, jazzcorner said:

 

Thanks for the reminder - I have this on vinyl too. Time to give it a spin.

[BeBop]

Richie was a ubiquitous presence in the Bay Area when I was living, working, playing and attending several concerts a week there, late 1970s into the 80s.  His playing was one thing - sometimes worked okay for me; sometimes less-so - but his shows could be, as advertised, Madness.  I think we only talked at any length twice, but he was always quick to recognize me with a "hey, how ya doin'?"  RIP Richie Cole

[sgcim]

Sorry to hear this. A drummer I was playing with was on some of his Alto Madness records, and said RC just split, and he never heard from him again. It turned out he was in bad shape for a while, but he moved down to Pittsburgh and got better. I liked his playing until he made the mistake of recording the record, "Side By Side" with Phil Woods, when Woods was still in his prime. That was a mistake. Any alto player who recorded with Woods when he wasn't limited by his emphysema looked bad in comparison. Same thing with guitarists who recorded with Jimmy Raney, and Raney was great right up to the end...

The smarter alto players waited till Woods was shot till they started recording with him. RIP, Richie Cole.