XHOSA COLE
Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama, Cardiff
Fri 13 Mar
It’s hardly a secret that the RWCMD is one of Cardiff’s greatest venues for cultivating and fostering untapped talent. Every Friday evening, the College showcases two of Wales’ most exciting jazz bands, which has proven to be both a great opportunity for young musicians to perform, and for members of the public to catch a glimpse of what the future of the genre may sound like.
The latter is exactly what this AmserJazzTime special with Xhosa Cole promises to deliver. The winner of the BBC Young Jazz Musician competition in 2018, whose saxophone performance was acclaimed at the time as “heartfelt, sincere and communicative,” Cole’s success has been heralded as a product of Birmingham’s numerous community arts programs, including its Music Service, from which he received free tuition and instruments.
Hailing from Handsworth, his name is rightfully now the latest in the city’s long lineage of saxophonists. Cole’s enthusiasm for the arts was jumpstarted through dance, but described falling in love with the saxophone in his early teens. With endorsements from industry names such as Mike Williams, Cole and the other student performers seem set to deliver a delightful evening for jazz fans and the unitiated alike this month.
Admission: free. Info: 029 2039 1391 / www.rwcmd.ac.uk (AP)