Primary Instrument: Vocal
Liz began formal musical training and the age of 4 with violin lessons at the Waddell School of Music in Edinburgh with informal lessons on piano and singing at home with her mother, Marie McGregor, a professional musician. When her family relocated to Surrey, when she was 11 she won an exhibition from Surrey County Council to study at the Royal Academy of Music on the Junior Course where she specialised in violin, piano and composition along with aural training, chamber music, choir and orchestra. She studied music for a year at Leicester University and subsequently taught violin and piano for a number of years.
Over the years Liz has benefitted from the jazz vocal coaching of Pepe Lemur and more recently Anita Wardell and also the training provided on courses and master classes by Liane Carroll, Fionna Ducan, Claire Martin and Verona Chard, has received jazz piano training from Roland Perrin and jazz violin coaching from Julian Ferraretto.
In the mid 80s, on teaming up with saxophonist and pianist Craig Rickards, Liz wrote for and performed as a singer with a jazz funk band they formed together. She then formed the band McGregor with her brothers Malcolm and Angus McGregor again performing original and covered material. The band toured with a comedy duo in London and the South East.
The 90s saw music taking a bit a of a back seat with a growing family and with the need to earn a proper income Liz entered the lucrative world of IT working as a freelance trainer and developer. She still kept her hand in with helping out with the music in church running training programmes and gospel choirs.
In more recent years she has performed as a singer with jazz funk band “Deluxe” and on piano has accompanied jazz and soul singers Alyson Mead and Sapphira Gold.
Liz currently performs as a jazz volcalist and violinist with a number of London based musicians performing regularly at London venues and is planning an album promotion tour of the UK in 2010.
Last Updated: February 25, 2010
“Liz Cole is a marvellous find. An effortless storyteller with a fine musical ear.”
Claire Martin - awarding winning Jazz vocalist and BBC Radio 3 Presenter
”If I were to make a list of listenable British lady jazz singers, it would be quite long, but Liz Cole would warrant a place on it. ....”
Review of Tout Droit by
LES TOMKINS
The Jazz Rag Issue 109 Autumn 2009
“Liz sings with an effortless grace that somehow manages to hold a precision of intonation and clarity of diction in the most un-selfconscious and relaxed way. The essence of the song comes across in a natural way that is both clear, exact and warm. Her new CD is warm and swinging and interesting and varied all the way through!”
Roland Perrin, Composer and Pianist
“Liz Cole brightens up our vocal jam sessions with her lovely voice. I thoroughly enjoyed this CD ” Liz’s vocals bringing the purity of sound of Stacey Kent and the warmth of Jacqui Dankworth, perfect intonation, good choice of songs and interesting arrangements. What more can one ask for!”
Sarah Lidell
Ram Jam Club,
Kingston Upon Thames
Sorry, no recommendations at this time.
