OFFICIAL WEBSITE: www.colebowlusmusic.com Linda Cole (vocals), Joshua Bowlus (piano), Billy Thornton (bass), Ben Adkins (drums), Alphonso Horne (trumpet) LINER NOTES – by jazz pianist Kevin Bales It was fertile ground, this scene... ...this jazz scene. It was a uniquely vibrant scene that stretched from Central Florida up to Charleston, SC made up of an intensely creative community with an unusually high concentration of talent. It was a place where music for its own sake was revered, where sharing musical lore was valued over competition, and the mentor and student were peers on the bandstand. And I lived and made music there for more than 16 years. It was there where I first met Linda Cole through her son, Anthony. Countless times she would prove to mentor me on the bandstand; always singing soulfully and exuberantly, yet embracing and encouraging my own efforts. I learned quickly – THIS is how music could be performed. It was during my time as a teacher at University of North Florida that I met Joshua Bowlus and Billy Thornton. While they may have been students at the time, they were clearly equals on the bandstand in their love of the music. Although I've been gone for more than a decade, one listen to this album and I was right back there! Hear Josh's thoughtfully crafted arrangements that allow each musician to be themselves. Even though I only encountered Ben Adkins and Alphonso Horne after I left Florida, their playing here is just as familiar to me. Listen for the fierce individuality rooted in tradition, the relationships between each of the musicians that span generations and have been nurtured on many bandstands, and the shared joy of making music together. There is no pretense here. There is no imitation. There is only true expression of the beauty of this music, lovingly presented. I have often said the best jazz is for everyone – not just musicians. And this album has that kind of universal appeal. This music speaks for itself.