Isaac Cole (July 13, 1927 – April 22, 2001) was an American

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

pianist and composer. He was the brother of musicians

Nat King Cole Nathaniel Adams Coles (March 17, 1919 – February 15, 1965), known professionally as Nat King Cole, alternatively billed as Nat "King" Cole, was an American singer, jazz pianist, and actor. Cole's career as a jazz and Traditional pop, pop ...

, Eddie Cole, and Freddy Cole, and uncle of

Natalie Cole Natalie Maria Cole (February 6, 1950 – December 31, 2015) was an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She was the daughter of singer and jazz pianist Nat King Cole. She rose to prominence in the mid-1970s, with the release of her debut ...

Lionel Cole Lionel Cole is an American pianist and composer. He has served as a regularly touring member of Mariah Carey's live band. Cole also partnered with Malcolm-Jamal Warner, to create the jazz and funk band ''Miles Long.'' The first album, ''The Many ...

, and Carole Cole.

Life and career

Ike Cole was born to Rev. Edward J. Coles and Perlina (née Adams) Coles, and was born and grew up in Chicago, Illinois. His brothers

(1919–1965), Eddie (1910–1970), and Freddy (1931–2020) also each pursued careers in music. Ike played drums in his youth. He played bass drum in a U.S. Army band during the

Korean War The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...

, and moved back to Chicago after his discharge, where he formed his own jazz trio. He appeared on television in the 1950s and held a residency in

Las Vegas Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...

, later touring internationally. He made regular appearances at Chicago clubs such as the Pump Room and the Playboy Club before moving to

Arizona Arizona is a U.S. state, state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States, sharing the Four Corners region of the western United States with Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. It also borders Nevada to the nort ...

in 1986 with his wife, Margie.Obituary
'' Jet Magazine'', May 21, 2001. Ike and Margie Cole remained married until Ike's death, lasting 52 years. In 1990 he and Freddy Cole, who was a singer and pianist, toured together in tribute to Nat Cole, and in 1991 Ike played keyboards on

's ''

Unforgettable Unforgettable may refer to: Film * ''Unforgettable'' (1996 film), a thriller starring Ray Liotta * ''Unforgettable'' (2014 film), a Bollywood film * ''Unforgettable'' (2016 film), a South Korean film * ''Unforgettable'' (2017 film), an America ...

'', which won a

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...

. He died of cancer in 2001 in Sun Lakes, Arizona. His jazz library was donated to the Hamilton High School music department.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cole, Ike 1927 births 2001 deaths American jazz pianists American male jazz pianists Jazz musicians from Chicago Nat King Cole United States Army soldiers United States Army personnel of the Korean War Deaths from cancer in Arizona 20th-century American male musicians