Xhosa Cole is a

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

tenor saxophonist The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor and the alto are the two most commonly used saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B (while ...

. He was the BBC Young Jazz Musician of the Year in 2018, and was named "Jazz Newcomer of the Year" at the

Parliamentary Jazz Awards The Parliamentary Jazz Awards in the United Kingdom are organised by the All Party Parliamentary Jazz Appreciation Group (APPJAG) at the Houses of Parliament in London. The group consists of over a hundred members drawn from across the UK politica ...

in 2019. Cole has released three albums on Stoney Lane Records.

Biography

Xhosa Cole was born in the Handsworth area of

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands, within the wider West Midlands (region), West Midlands region, in England. It is the Lis ...

, UK. In 2018 he was named BBC Young Jazz Musician of the Year, and in 2019 he won "Jazz Newcomer of the Year" at the

. Cole's debut album ''K(no)w Them, K(no)w Us'', comprising seven songs from the

Great American Songbook The Great American Songbook is the loosely defined canon of significant 20th-century American jazz standards, popular songs, and show tunes. Definition According to the Great American Songbook Foundation: The "Great American Songbook" is th ...

, was released on Stoney Lane Records in 2021. The ''

Financial Times The ''Financial Times'' (''FT'') is a British daily newspaper printed in broadsheet and also published digitally that focuses on business and economic Current affairs (news format), current affairs. Based in London, the paper is owned by a Jap ...

'' praised Cole's "maturity and strong vision" on the album. His second album ''Ibeji'' ( Yoruba for "twins") was released in 2022, and features duets with seven percussionists from the

African diaspora The African diaspora is the worldwide collection of communities descended from List of ethnic groups of Africa, people from Africa. The term most commonly refers to the descendants of the native West Africa, West and Central Africans who were ...

, including

Lekan Babalola Olalekan Babalola (born ) is a Nigerian jazz percussionist and musician. Born in Lagos, Nigeria where he began playing the conga at a young age, he has released seven albums and jointly won two Grammy Awards. Early life and education Babalola ...

. In 2025 Cole released his third album, ''On A Modern Genius Vol 1'', an album of

Thelonious Monk Thelonious Sphere Monk ( October 10, 1917 – February 17, 1982) was an American Jazz piano, jazz pianist and composer. He had a unique improvisational style and made numerous contributions to the Jazz standard, standard jazz repertoire, includ ...

covers (and one

Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American Jazz piano, jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous Big band, jazz orchestra from 1924 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D ...

cover). ''

All About Jazz ''All About Jazz'' is a website established by Michael Ricci in 1995. A volunteer staff publishes news, album reviews, articles, videos, and listings of concerts and other events having to do with jazz. Ricci maintains a related site, ''Jazz Near ...

'' called the album "a testament to the vitality of the young jazz scene."

Discography

Albums

*''K(no)w Them, K(no)w Us'' (2021, Stoney Lane) *''Ibeji'' (2022, Stoney Lane) *''On A Modern Genius Vol 1'' (2025, Stoney Lane)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Cole, Xhosa Living people 1990s births English jazz tenor saxophonists Musicians from Birmingham, West Midlands