Smoke and Mirrors, by Steve Cole

Smoke and Mirrors

by Steve Cole

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CD in 6-panel digipak

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Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

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1.	Living Out Loud 04:25	info	buy track
2.	Loves Me, Loves Me Not 04:28	info	buy track
3.	Wayman 03:33	info	buy track
4.	Smoke and Mirrors 05:00	info	buy track
5.	Covent Garden 04:47	info	buy track
6.	It’s a House Party 04:28	info	buy track
7.	At a Distance 03:36	info	buy track
8.	Trust 04:13	info	buy track
9.	On the Money 03:54	info	buy track
10.	Justice 03:44	info	buy track

about

With an unusual amount of time on his hands during a year of lockdown, saxophonist/composer Steve Cole found himself pondering the difference between our authentic selves and the illusions we project to others. On his new album, Smoke and Mirrors, Cole offers up an intimately personal reflection of his own true self, free of trickery or sleight of hand.

“A lot of people have trouble mustering the courage to present their authentic selves,” Cole says. “Maybe they don’t think that people will like who they really are – and that’s a tragedy. I’m very much a proponent of living your values. What you actually discover behind the smoke and mirrors can be way hipper than you ever thought it could be, so you should just be that person.”

While there were certainly challenges to corralling this stellar roster of musicians remotely from home recordings or socially distanced studio settings, quarantine did prove an equalizer in another sense. “Everybody’s stuck at home,” Cole points out with a laugh. “There are a lot of musicians that I would love to work with, but it’s impossible because they’re always on the road. So there was a little silver lining in the fact that I could call old friends like Todd Sucherman and Brian Dunne, or amazing artists like Mark Egan, and they’re actually available.”

Created entirely in pandemic-necessitated isolation, Smoke and Mirrors brings together an all-star band with Cole’s longtime producer, co-writer and multi-instrumentalist David Mann. The far-flung ensemble includes guitarist Bernd Schoenhart (Cher, Marc Anthony); trumpet and flugelhorn player Trevor Neumann (The Eagles, Jeff Lorber); organist Ricky Peterson (David Sanborn, Prince); bassists Mel Brown (Stevie Wonder, The Temptations) and Mark Egan (Pat Metheny Group, Sting); drummers Brian Dunne (Hall and Oates, Ariana Grande) and Todd Sucherman (Styx, Brian Wilson).

credits

released June 18, 2021

Producer: David Mann

Steve Cole: tenor saxophone (all tracks); synth bass (3)
David Mann: keyboards (all tracks); synth bass (all tracks except 1, 9, 10); drum programming (all tracks except 6, 10); tenor saxophone (all tracks except 4, 7, 8); baritone saxophone (1, 5, 6, 9); flute (all tracks except 4, 7, 8); horn arrangement (all tracks except 4, 7, 8)
Bernd Schoenhart: guitar (all tracks)
Trevor Neumann: trumpet (all tracks except 4, 7, 8, 10); flugelhorn (all tracks except 4, 7, 8, 10)
Mel Brown: bass (1, 2, 3, 9); piccolo bass (1, 2, 3); bass fills (6)
Brian Dunne: drums (1, 2, 3, 5, 6)
Ricky Peterson: organ (3, 6)
Mark Egan: bass (10)
Todd Sucherman: drums (10)

All songs written by Steve Cole • Bad Tenor Music/Universal Music Corp (ASCAP) and David Mann • Vidma Music (ASCAP). All songs arranged by David Mann.

℗© 2021 Mack Avenue Records II, LLC. Marketed and distributed worldwide by Artistry Music. All rights reserved.

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about

Steve Cole Minneapolis, Minnesota

Saxophonist Steve Cole is one of the most celebrated players in contemporary jazz. The Chicago native exploded onto the scene in 1998 with the album Stay Awhile, which scored multiple #1 hits and earned him the Oasis Smooth Jazz Award for the Best New Artist. In addition to being a solo artist, Cole has been a featured soloist with the City of Prague Orchestra and The Chicago Symphony Orchestra. ... more

discography

Without a Doubt

Oct 2023
Smoke and Mirrors

Jun 2021
Gratitude

Jul 2019
Turn It Up

Jul 2016
Pulse

Sep 2013
Moonlight

Feb 2011

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