Lyrics | Artists | Richie Cole

Richie Cole

A standout alto sax player, Richie Cole spent his career putting an accessible, exciting face on bebop when the style seemed to be going out of vogue. Cole was born on February 29, 1948, in New Jersey. His father ran a nightclub in Trenton, so it wasn’t surprising when Cole received a scholarship from jazz magazine DownBeat in 1966 to study at the Berklee School of Music. He lasted there a few years before heading out on the road with the Buddy Rich Big Band, followed by a stint with Lionel Hampton’s ensemble. His solo debut, Trenton Makes, the World Takes, arrived in 1976, an...