Anthony Cole – Sam Rivers – Michael Leasure
I was at a downtown Orlando venue one afternoon. It was some sort of open jam session. I never sit in at these things because I’m left handed. The place has changed names many times. It may have been called Downtown Jazz and Blues, at the time. Hanging out, I watched this tall young guy on the bandstand with a stick bag. He was preparing to sit it. He was new in town, this was the first time I saw him. It was Anthony Cole. Anthony quickly became a regular on many gigs, for good reason.
Anthony’s mom also started appearing at venues and concert events. Her name is Linda Cole. They moved to Florida from California. The Coles are part of the Genealogy of Nat King Cole and Natalie Cole.
I started seeing Anthony playing gigs on drums, bass, piano and saxophone. (Amazing gifted musician)
I started going to a venue in Winter Park called Dexters. The group was a trio with Doug Mathews – bass, Anthony Cole – drums and Michael Leasure – guitar synthesizer. This was something I’d never seen in Orlando. Michael Leasure is a compositional genius. Maybe there will be time to go into his history at another time.
Anthony Cole was playing in a way I had not seen. He could play whatever came to mind and make it look easy. The music was all - original by Michael Leasure. Beautiful compositions that require super reading skills. This group was pushing the envelope every bar.
Anthony’s drum set usually comprised of the minimum. Bass Drum, Snare, Floor Tom, High Hat and Ride Cymbal. He reminded me of Tony Williams but the music was different. The Michael Leasure Trio held that Monday night gig for several months.
Looking back, Orlando has experienced a few waves of creative music from different artist. Sam Rivers, Clarence Palmer and Michael Leasure were two of them.
Eventually, Anthony Cole became the drummer in Sam River’s Trio and big band. He was a perfect fit. With the arrival of Sam Rivers in Orlando, music improvisation became more accepted.
The Orlando scene transitioned into something that was hip and unashamed that Walt Disney World was the gatekeeper of creativity.
I heard the Sam Rivers Trio at a venue in downtown Orlando called The Back Booth. In the mid 60s that exact location was The Tiki Club. I’ve written about the many bands I saw and heard there, as a 15-16 year old kid. Walking into that venue 35+ years later was very strange. Not much had changed. It was still dark inside---like I remember from 1966. I could see the locations I would stand to watch and hear the band, as a drummer wannabe. The stage looked the same. Everything looked the same, except there was a bar. I had a major flashback being there, remembering each event, each band.
My teenage crush on a beautiful Edgewater High School girl. Yes, even dancing to the music in front of the bandstand.
Sam Rivers Trio was awesome. This was the first time I heard the Trio. Doug Mathews, Anthony Cole and Sam Rivers. This group would evolve into a different combination than Sam’s previous trios. Doug was doubling, playing String Bass / Bass Clarinet, Anthony was playing Drums / Tenor Saxophone. Sam was playing Tenor, Flute or Soprano. If a piano was available Sam and Anthony could cover that also. Anthony Cole continued to impress me without limits.
Hearing the Sam Rivers Trio in that venue. My old hang out in 1966 was like a “Flash Back’ Fantasy.
The Sam Rivers Rivbea Orchestra started playing venues in Orlando. I also heard them at the Local Musicians Union Hall. Anthony Cole played Sam’s music with confidence and skill. Doug Mathews was playing bass. Anthony’s pulse, time and groove solidified the orchestra sound. Anthony’s groove was built from the bottom up. Sam’s charts and music has so much over the bar tonal and rhythmic weaving, it requires something to hold it together. Anthony Cole supplied that ingredient.
Each time I heard The Rivbea Orchestra, I learned from watching Anthony Cole. I learned about playing complicated music, if I were ever in that position again. Like Mel Lewis and Buddy Rich, Anthony Cole was the key to the sound of this collection of musicians. I can’t say enough about the gifted Anthony Cole. It was / is his musicality and deep groove that captures my attention.
His drumming dna has various characteristics of Tony Williams, David Garibaldi, Clyde Stubblefield, Barry Altschul to name a few. There are several Youtube videos with Anthony and Sam.