Born in Jamaica, W.I., Melody Cole was brought to the U.S. at 16. She moved to Atlanta, GA, where she worked with the National Black Arts Festival (NBAF) for three festivals, hosting various artists who performed, including Max Roach, Wynton Marsalis, Tito Puente and Louise Bennett. She was President of the Atlanta Jazz Society for two years.
Cole studied the classics from the age of five and sang, for years, in Church, which nurtured the soulful and spiritual feelings her playing evokes. When she discovered jazz, she fused the musical forms with her sense of originality and elegance to create her own refreshing expression in the world of music.
Cole's first recording, "Melody Plays Bud 'n Monk", features her unique arrangements and interpretations of the music of Bud Powell and Thelonious Monk. Her latest release, "Simpy Sacred" offers piano renditions of sacred songs, blending her technical skills with a depth of spirit to produce a reflective, meditative, soul-stirring work of art.
She has performed for the Steinway Society's "Pianorama", Atlanta Jazz Festival, Atlanta Tribute to Nelson Mandela, Dogwood Festival, Sloss Furnace Blues Festival, Turner Broadcasting Trumpet Awards and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines.
Besides being a notable pianist, song stylist, arranger and producer, Cole exhibits enormous talent as a visual artist, creating works in oil, watercolor and pencil.
