Our conversation with Nicholas Cole

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"Crank It Up" – A Journey of One (2010)

Last week, we got to know Nick Cole, the 18-year-old, Billboard-charting keyboardist who self-produced his acclaimed debut album, A Journey of One, with an executive production assist from his singer/songwriter dad, Leon Cole. Cole was charming and humble, yet conveyed an incredibly confident sense of himself as a jazz musician, and a deep fluency about the tradition in which he's now at the cutting edge. He most recently performed a holiday concert with Julian Vaughn and Marcus Anderson in North Carolina (he also accompanied Anderson on "Let It Snow", the first cut from Anderson's Tender Loving Christmas album, released in November of last year). Often compared to Brian Culbertson because of his youthful virtuosity, he's known for thrilling audiences with his stage performances, which consistently leave audiences and fellow musicians alike wondering, "Whodat?" We provide a small glimpse below.

JazzTonic: How do you and your father work together?



Nick Cole: He introduced me to music at a very early age. He turned me onto Earth, Wind, and Fire and Michael Jackson, and to jazz artists like Richard Elliot, Euge Groove, Boney James, Dave Coz, and Brian Culbertson. He was already very musical in his church. I started writing my own material around 12 or 13, and he would help me, so for the project we started working together and became a team. I love working with him.




JT: I know that you started playing in church. Why did you choose to play jazz professionally, and not gospel?



NC: I think it's just a matter of what I came around to first. Smooth jazz is just one of the genres of music I play, but it's very dear to my heart. I'd say that gospel and jazz have the biggest effect on me. I guess jazz is just something that kind of spoke to me in a very influential way. Instrumental music is very lyrical, and I thought it was unique to be able to make a person feel that they're listening to lyrics with instrumental music. I was really drawn to the idea of doing a project after a few folks talked to me and said I should do it. I think I'll do a gospel jazz project later on. Jonathan Butler and Kirk Whalum do that.

JT: At what point when you're composing a song does its theme start to take shape?



NC: I never come up with the name of a song until I'm completely finished. I already have a mood in mind for the song, but as far as a title, I have to listen to a song over and over again before I can get the name. Sometimes I'm in the car and see something visually, and create music that gets to that vision. It works in different ways. Whatever I'm feeling or whatever I played, I have to listen to it a couple times and before I think "Oh, that's it", and completely understand what the song is saying to me.

It's cool when people come up to me and say I've named a song perfectly – that means the song said the same thing to both of us.
 

JT: Where does your talent come from?

NC: It's definitely a gift from God. I got formal training after I started playing in church, but I think the gift really came from my ear. My grandpa got me my first keyboard when I was three or four. At first I would just bang on it with both hands, but after a while what I would play started to make sense — after time it started sounding right. Melvin Crouell trained me and taught me a lot of the things I know. He was a big, big influence on me. You'll hear him on my next CD: he plays the keyboard, bass, drums…I tell him I'm jealous because he's fluent in all of his instruments. It's great having a teacher who, if I want to pick up a bass, for instance, can teach me.


JT: What other instruments can you play?


NC: I can pick up a bass and keep a tune. If I learn the song ahead of time, I can play a song on the bass, though it's kind of hard, and my fingers get tired quick. Then again, a lot of guys who play other instruments say they get tired playing the piano. I'd love to play sax, but you probably wouldn't hear it on a record because there are so many sax players out. I'd play as a hobby, though. I would love to play guitar, but I think it's hard to learn.

JT: You're 18 – do you think the music you play can appeal to your peers?


NC: You know, I think it can be done. I'm asked that question all the time. (laughs) I think the whole genre is gonna have to change its approach to the format. I don't think the music itself has to change – the music has already changed. Smooth jazz doesn't sound like it did in 1998. And that goes for any music. Look at another genre: pop. It isn't the same as it was in the 90s. Pop had a lot of beautiful ballads then, and now there are a lot of club bangers, but it's still called pop.  But other aspects of the genre need to change for younger artists to be interested in pursuing this music.



The whole radio thing, for one. It seems like jazz radio is just going into the ocean and sinking. Seems like every radio station is getting rid of contemporary jazz. If that gets strong again, I think that would help a lot. As a matter of fact, when you look on iTunes now, you'll see some contemporary jazz records listed as pop or R&B, just so they can get their music heard.



It seems like the industry is starting to use the new technologies more, and there are some great ways to get the music out there and heard. But I think it has to be a joint effort with radio and internet sites. Internet radio is a lifeline.

JT: Do you think the live show culture around jazz also helps?

NC: I do – it seems like that's kind of what's keeping it going as well. Even when you're playing places like big parks, people who don't even know about the music will be attracted to it. That person who heard you playing from the sidewalk – that's a new fan who might go online and buy your music, or even buy it on the spot right there. Live shows are really what earns new fans. 


JT: Are you all done with high school?



NC: I graduated from high school in June, so now I'm just producing a lot of music. Producing is my heart, and I'm working with some pretty big names. I can't say who right now, but everybody will hear more about it soon.
 

JT: How do you decide what singles to release?



NC: Me and my team decide, and all of us have different opinions, so we have to get to common ground about what will do well at radio. That process involves trying to figure out what the people want. In 2010 they might want a ballad; in 2012, they might be into something more upbeat.

Learn how Nick plans to follow up on his breakthrough debut >>

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