Post Description

Hilary Kole (1976?) is an American jazz singer and composer.

Hilary began singing and playing the piano at age five. At twelve, she received a scholarship to attend the Walden School for music composition, where she spent her next 6 summers. Her compositions garndered three National Federation of Music Awards. She is also the recipient of the prestigious Delius Award for her work "Piano Trio No.1" which received its world premiere with the Jacksonville Symphony. Upon graduating high school, she was granted a scholarship by the Oakley Foundation to study composition at Manhattan School of Music. Hilary's compositions have been performed by the New England Brass Quintet, the Peabody Trio, and the Manhattan School of Music Jazz Vocal Ensemble, among others.

Her professional career began at the legendary Rainbow Room as the youngest singer ever to grace the stage. From there, she appeared in a sold-out run at the famed Oak Room at the Algonquin Hotel, made her concert hall debut at Lincoln Center as part of the "American Songbook Series" with Jonathan Schwartz, and in June of 2007, appeared at Carnegie Hall during a Tribute to Oscar Peterson, and in January, 2008, at the Canadian Tribute to Dr. Peterson at Roy Thompson Hall alongside Quincy Jones, Herbie Hancock, and Nancy Wilson. 

Ms. Kole has also appeared alongside Alan Broadbent, Lee Musiker, Dave Frishberg, Roger Kellaway, Tedd Firth, Houston Person, Harry Allen, Joel Frahm, Russell Malone, Paul Meyers, Gene Bertoncini, Lewis Nash, Mark McLean, and Paul Gill among others.

She had been working for many years and was trying to find the right producer and the right songs. 

"Because I come at it as a composer, I feel like it was hard for me to figure out what I wanted to say to the world. The first records is both a big deal, but it can also be  paralyzing. I had this repertoire and was singing all of the time without a record."
"Finally I was playing at Birdland one night and John Pizzarelli was there. I knew him peripherally from being in the business together. He said, “You need a record. This is crazy.” I told him that I hadn’t found the right project and producer, and he said “I’ll produce it!” Well, you can’t say no to that! So, we did it. In two days we had Haunted Heart done and recorded. He’s playing on the record with my bandmates. It was an incredible experience and there I was out in the world!"

After that, Hilary had the honor of recording with Jazz legends Oscar Peterson and Hank Jones, as well as master composer, Michel LeGrand.
This resulted in "You Are There" in 2010.

Her former fiancé John Valenti is also the owner of the Birdland jazz club. She had a recording contract and a management contract that towards the end of their relationship was entered into the divorce and unfortunately he went out of his way to prevent her from recording and from working. It took about two years in the court system to nullify the contract and to be able to record. A reappeal took another six to eight months. 

In 2014 Hilary re-emerged with her latest record "A Self Portrait".

An interview:
http://www.jazzweekly.com/2015/01/hilary-kole-a-self-portrait-of-job/

Tracks:
01 - Hilary Kole - If I Had You (with Hank Jones).mp3
02 - Hilary Kole - Every Time We Say Goodbye (with Cedar Walton).mp3
03 - Hilary Kole - It's Always You (with Freddy Cole).mp3
04 - Hilary Kole - Lush Life (with Kenny Barron).mp3
05 - Hilary Kole - These Foolish Things (with Dave Brubeck).mp3
06 - Hilary Kole - I Remember (with Mike Renzi).mp3
07 - Hilary Kole - How Do You Keep the Music Playing (with Michel Legrand).mp3
08 - Hilary Kole - But Beautiful (with Hank Jones).mp3
09 - Hilary Kole - Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise (with Benny Green).mp3
10 - Hilary Kole - Strange Meadowlark (with Dave Brubeck).mp3
11 - Hilary Kole - You Are There (with Alan Broadbent).mp3
12 - Hilary Kole - Two for the Road (with Steve Kuhn).mp3
13 - Hilary Kole - All the Way (with Monty Alexander).mp3