Happy Birthday Don (and Miles)

Don Xavier Cole’s birthday is today, and tomorrow it is Miles Davis’ birthday, which seems appropriate as they are both badass trumpet players. In fact, I can’t speak highly enough of Don in regards to his piano and trumpet playing, and his creativity because although the band shares song writing credit on most of our songs, it’s Don who frequently comes up with the chord progression or melody that sparks it off, or suggests a bridge or rhythmic device that is used more often than not.

In short, he’s AWESOME and we’re very lucky to have him as a major force in our band. A lot of our songs wouldn’t even exist without him. Here’s a photo of the preposterous monstrosity himself (BTW to be called a monster amongst the hep jazz cats is considered a compliment):

Curiously enough, the great guitar player Sonny Sharrock also died on Miles’s birthday (which is really weird considering he played with Miles on A Tribute to Jack Johnson, obviously NOT the Jack Johnson you’re probably thinking of). I only bring that up because our drummer Kent had frequently compared my playing to Sharrock’s before I had even heard of him, which I think is just a series of strange coincidences. But cool. And flattering.

Anyway Happy Bithday Don! (I can always remember Don’s birthday from a line in Rush’s Lakeside Park: “Everyone would gather on the 24th of May, sitting in the sand to watch the fireworks display”.