2005-06 WINTER UPDATE

THIS IS THE BEST QUOTE YET TO DESCRIBE RONNIE’S  PERFORMANCE…"He has the humor of Victor Borge, the showmanship of Liberace, and the virtuoso sounds of a full symphony orchestra…Kole is a one man Broadway Show… 

Ronnie and his family survived Hurricane Katrina with minor damage to their home, but quite a bit of damage to their recording studio. Fortunately, his 1940 Steinway Concert Grand survived, but much of the recording equipment and master tapes were destroyed, along with his boathouse and hundreds of trees on their eight acre property…Two of his daughters lost their homes, as did his drummer Lloyd Cambre, and his trumpet player, Barney Floyd…The main thing is, all are safe. Ronnie performed a solo concert in Hamilton, Ohio on October 5^th and raised over $50,000 for the Katrina Hurricane Relief Fund…He’s also performed in Punta Gorda, FL and Mobile, AL raising money for the victims of Katrina…He’s producing an All-Star Jazz afternoon aboard the River Explorer on January 14th while it’s docked in New Orleans…The money will go to replace instruments that musicians have lost because of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita… 

Speaking of the River Explorer, Ronnie performed 15 cruises this past year on the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers aboard the Explorer…FYI, the RiverBarge Explorer is two 300 foot barges with 98 large staterooms on the two floors of one, and a theater, dining room, etc. on the other. He did 3 cruises in 2004 and fell in love with the BargeMates, Barge Staff and the very casual life style while cruising…Because of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, many of his concerts for 2006 have been postponed or cancelled in South Louisiana and the Gulf Coast area…The plus side is that Ronnie has signed a contract to do 32 tours on the River Explorer, in 2006, and of course his wife Gardner will be with him to enjoy each of the two shows he does on each trip… 

June of 2005 Kole toured Europe for his 21st year in a row. He performed his annual concert at Restaurant Zur Traube in Grevenbroich, Germany…This is a two star Michelin restaurant, with French cooking, very light, and Ronnie’s favorite restaurant in the world…He then drove to the Bordeaux area of France and performed 2 concerts at Domaine de Chevalier, one each at Chateaux Pichon-LaLande, Figeac, La Gaffeliere, and Siran, all in the Bordeaux area. He then performed one concert at the very prestigious Hotel Le Cep in Beaune, in the Burgundy wine area of France and before flying off to Tromso, Norway to perform 2 shows on Radisson’s Seven Seas Navigator. The Seven Seas Navigator is classed as one of the finest small luxury liners in the world…245 all suites, and a super theater and back-up band. The cruise started in Tromso, Norway, and ended in Copenhagen, Denmark…It was quite an experience seeing the Fjords… 

This past June Ronnie performed two concerts with the West Shore Symphony Orchestra in Muskegon MI. The concerts were really great, as was the orchestra and theater. On August 27^th he appeared with the Mobile, AL Symphony Orchestra performing a tribute to Cole Porter, his New Orleans Legends Medley and the Concerto for Jazz Piano and Orchestra. Ronnie did the world premier of “Concerto” with the Taipei Philharmonic Orchestra, and the European Premier with the Ural Philharmonic Orchestra in Russia. This was Ronnie’s second appearance with both orchestras. Because of previous bookings Ronnie had to turn down concerts with the Shanghai Symphony, and also a Command Performance for the Governor with the Ural (Russia) Philharmonic Orchestra.

The “CHEVALIER” in the Order of Arts and Letters has been awarded to Ronnie. This is the highest honor that the French Government gives to anyone in the world in the field of the Arts. It is the same as the Legionnaire, for the Arts. Past recipients have been, Bob Dylan, Quincy Jones, Julia Childs, and Sylvester Stallone, to name a few...This was awarded for the compositions that he has written and recorded about the vineyards of France.           

At the Louis Armstrong International Airport, there was an unveiling of a new mural of music greats, and yes, Ronnie is one of the musicians on the mural. A few of the others are Aaron Neville and Allen Toussaint, composer of Java, Mother in Law, Whipped Cream, and Southern Nights.

Recently Ronnie was featured in a Nationally Televised Concert in Kiev, the capital of the Ukraine…He performed with Ukraine’s top Jazz/Pop pianist, Vladimir Solyanyk …they did quite a few jazz classics together, that fascinated the standing room only audience…he’s been asked to return to perform in their Jazz Festival in the Crimea, and also to tour the Ukraine and Russia with Vladimir in 2006.

Ronnie performed, emceed, as well as produced all of the entertainment for a gala honoring the late Al Hirt. Besides Ronnie, stars included Pete Fountain, Allen Toussaint, Harry Connick, Sr. and the Al Belletto Big Band. The money was raised for a statue of Al Hirt, which is permanently located in Music Legends Park...300 Bourbon Street. Pete Fountain’s statue was unveiled last April. Ronnie emceed and performed for the Gala honoring Fats Domino’s last September. His statue will be unveiled in April. Ronnie will be inducted, and his statue will be placed in Music Legends Park in the spring of 2007.Ronnie was part of the opening night’s festivities of Harrah’s New Orleans Jazz Casino along with Fats Domino, Pete Fountain, and Jim Belusi.

Ronnie’s two newest CD’s are, Thanks for the Memories, Songs of the 1940’s and The Ronnie Kole Show, Live in Concert at Saint Scolastica Academy...This is a double CD, and has the 48 voice choir of Saint Scolastica accompanying him on the signature song, Amazing Grace… You can find out more about these two CD’s and his previous 10 CD’s by going to the Kole Website www.RonnieKole.com and then click on the CD page. Ronnie’s next recording venture will be Thanks for the Memories, Volume II…Songs of the 1950’s.

Some More Honors...Ronnie is Vice President and on the Executive Board of the World Trade Center, New Orleans.  Ronnie received the Gentleman of the Year Award and the LSU Medical Centers Strength in Age Award. WDSU-TV celebrated its 50th year on the air, while WWL-TV celebrated its 40th.  Both stations did a tribute to the people of New Orleans who played a major role in the city’s history during those past years...yes; Ronnie Kole was included, and also performed. He was also honored by American Federation of Musicians President, Steve Young with the prestigious Meritorious Service Award. Also honored were the late Al Hirt, Pete Fountain, Allen Toussaint, Fats Domino, and Dr. John. The New Orleans Jazz Club presented Lifetime Achievement Awards to Jazz Greats: Pete Fountain, the late Al Hirt and Ronnie Kole at their 50th Anniversary Party.

The State of Louisiana had a yearlong celebration honoring the 300th anniversary of French Heritage in Louisiana. Ronnie kicked it off performing to an audience of 76,000 people at the Sugar Bowl with 1600 band members accompanying him on the field during the halftime show. Ronnie asked his close friend, Aaron Neville to perform the National Anthem at the game. Ronnie is a past President and Chairman of the prestigious Nokia Sugar Bowl.

All of this was made possible, thanks to his greatest love, his wife and manager, Gardner.