Nicholas Cole

Nicholas Cole is a smooth jazz keyboardist and composer from Goldsboro, North Carolina. Born into a musical family, he began playing piano and organ in church at the age of four and later studied under local pianist Jimmy Aycock. His style blends smooth jazz with gospel and R&B influences, drawing inspiration from artists such as Brian Culbertson, Kirk Whalum, Jonathan Butler, and leading gospel musicians. At just seventeen, he released his first album A Journey of One (2010), produced at home with his father Leon Cole. He went on to sign with Trippin ’N’ Rhythm Records and in 2012 issued Endless Possibilities, which featured the single “Snap,” a breakthrough track on the smooth jazz charts. His next project, Night Sessions (2015), included the hit “The Kickback,” which also charted strongly. In 2019, he released The Weekend, an album that produced the number-one single “Soulmate” in collaboration with guitarist Chieli Minucci. Known for his ability to fuse jazz improvisation with gospel-inspired chord progressions and R&B grooves, Nicholas Cole has established himself as one of the prominent young voices in contemporary smooth jazz. In 2025, he collaborated with Kenny Lattimore for the song "Love on It", which charted in the Radio Adult R&B chart.