Lionel Cole

When illness prevented Freddy Cole from performing at the 2019 Portland (Oregon) Jazz Festival on February 24, there was an obvious candidate there to step up and deputise for him—his son, Lionel Cole. By all accounts, Lionel grasped the opportunity with both hands. He shone, singing a program of jazz standards that Freddy had prepared, celebrating Nat King Cole At 100.

That will form the core of the repertoire that Lionel Cole will perform at Bird's Basement, deputising for his father, who has been ordered by his GP to cancel all engagements through to the end of March. (Freddy has been affected by an upper respiratory tract infection, which needs to be taken very seriously when you are 87). Obviously, Lionel Cole has a strong musical pedigree: son of Freddy, nephew of Nat, cousin of Natalie.

He began his career writing music for tv shows and movie scores, then worked for several years with pop superstar Mariah Carey, playing piano in her touring band and writing several songs and arrangements for her. Other major artists he has worked with include Joss Stone, Sam Moore, John Legend—and Rickie Lee Jones, who brought Lionel to Australia in 2010, which is when he decided to make his new home in Sydney.

Like his cousin, Natalie Cole, Lionel has carved out a career in music on his own merits, but always knew that it was inevitable that, eventually, he would feel the need to perform songs from the Great American Songbook, so closely identified with his father and his late uncle.

Hear Lionel Cole singing the much-loved songs that comprise Celebrating Nat King Cole At 100, and playing piano, accompanied by Freddy Cole's regular bandmates (guitarist Sam Raderman, bassist Elias Bailey, drummer Quintin Baxtor), and you will know that the famous Cole name is in good hands.