Buddy Cole
It seems like the last thing needed at a Nat King Cole recording session would be another pianist named Cole; there's a "carrying coals to Newcastle" groaner in there somewhere to be sure. But that is just what happened in Cole's late career when the smooth balladeer began concentrating on his vocals and session men were brought in to ripple the keyboards. One of these latter players was none other than Buddy Cole. The two men were not actually related, but that didn't stop many writers from assuming that they were brothers. Even worse, the big man Nat often got the credit for what were actually Buddy's piano solos, not robbing Peter to pay Paul but robbing Cole to play Cole.
Buddy Cole's actual grand moment of clear public visibility was playing piano onscreen in A Star is Born, as in the original version with Judy Garland. Born Edwin LeMar Cole, he was basically more of a behind the scenes artist, attaining an excellent reputation in recording studios as both a player and conductor, providing innovative touches in his use of instruments such as celeste, harpsichord and organ on sessions. Eventually he acquired the deluxe pipe organ originally used in the Hollywood United Artists theatre and built it into his home studio and created albums of instrumental music which have become cherished items in the weird collections of space age pop fanatics.
Cole was raised right in the heart of show business in Hollywood and began working as a theatre organist in the early '30s. In the latter part of that decade he gigged with the dance bands of Frankie Trumbauer and Alvino Rey, among others. He then worked his way into the studios and had a particularly busy schedule creating settings for popular vocal music and jazz singers of the day, including Louis Armstrong, Rosemary Clooney and Tex Ritter. His keyboard stool was a perch from which he was able to contribute to many aspects of popular culture in the '50s. Cole composed the theme for the game show Truth or Consequences and was thus heard noodling during the show for more than a decade.
Examples of Cole's playing and band leadership on recordings include a pair of Bing Crosby's greatest singles, "In a Little Spanish Town" and "Old Man River". Film composer Henry Mancini was one of the first to dig Cole's work on organ, making use of him on the theme for the hit television show Mr. Lucky. Unfortunately, Mancini and Cole then got into a feud about just who had invented the organ sound heard, resulting in Cole refusing to play on the soundtrack album for the show. Around this time Cole began recording a series of sides that are perceived as his masterworks, presenting the organ in various settings including solo and big band. These albums came out on Columbia,, Warner Brothers and finally the more specialized Alshire and Doric labels. Cole was married to Yvonne King, member of the King Sisters pop vocal quartet. His former boss Rey married sister Louise King. The pianist should not be confused with the gay comic of the same name.
© Eugene Chadbourne /TiVo
-
Golden Selection (Remastered)
Jazz - Paru chez Master Tape Records le 22 mai 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Pipes And Chimes of Christmas
Musiques de Noël - Paru chez Columbia - Legacy le 3 nov. 1958
24-Bit 192.0 kHz - Stereo -
Dual Hammond Organs
Jazz - Paru chez Vintage Masters Inc. le 1 avr. 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Swingin' At The Hammond Organ - Four Stereo Albums
Jazz - Paru chez Jasmine Records le 18 nov. 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Hot and Cole
Pop - Paru chez Rhino - Warner Records le 7 janv. 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Remastered Hits (All Tracks Remastered)
Lounge - Paru chez jjjedizionimusicali le 28 mai 2023
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Pipes, Pedals And Fidelity
Jazz - Paru chez CoolNote le 1 janv. 2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Piano Cocktails
Lounge - Paru chez Shellac Revival le 25 juin 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Organ Plays at Christmas (Mono Version)
Musiques de Noël - Paru chez BNF Collection le 1 janv. 1954
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Special Christmas
Musiques de Noël - Paru chez Amra Record le 15 nov. 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
Best Christmas
Musiques de Noël - Paru chez Ladies Records le 22 nov. 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Christmas Midnight
Musiques de Noël - Paru chez Hits Forever Records le 14 déc. 2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Ingenuity in Sound
Jazz - Paru chez Music Manager le 31 août 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Nightingale
Jazz - Paru chez oldies and hits for future le 25 mai 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
Hammond Organ Greats 1958-1960
Jazz - Paru chez Vintage Masters Inc. le 1 avr. 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Just at the Turn of the Tide
Jazz - Paru chez turn of the tide le 28 avr. 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Keys to Romance
Lounge - Paru chez Shellac Revival le 25 juin 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Christmas Collection
Musiques de Noël - Paru chez Vintage Hits Records le 29 nov. 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Classic Christmas Songs
Musiques de Noël - Paru chez Hits Forever Records le 14 déc. 2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo