COLE BRODERICK:
"A Jazz Man for All Seasons"

This beautiful and insightful story by Wendy Hobday Haugh was first published in the December 2000 editions of Hudson Valley MATURE LIFE and Capital District MATURE LIFE magazines. In January 2002 Cole's profile went on to earn the prestigious Silver Award from the North American Mature Publishers Association (NAMPA). The piece is reprinted with permission from the author.


Saratoga-based jazz pianist and composer, Cole Broderick, is poised to release his latest CD this fall and, without question, it’s destined for the winners’ circle. ZONE, the Cole Broderick Quartet’s newest body of work, offers a mix of funk, Latin, bop, and straight-ahead jazz certain to get people moving and critics’ eyebrows popping.

Since July 17, 1999 -- when the nationally renowned quartet received a distinguished Critics’ Choice star from BILLBOARD magazine for the musical merit of its 4-CD box set, SEASONS OF SARATOGA -- Broderick has been working hard to move ahead with new and exciting material.

“Having gotten the Critics’ Choice for SEASONS, we knew we had to come up with something really good to go beyond our previous work,” the 55-year-old composer recently remarked. “Our next endeavor had to be outstanding, extraordinary, even -- and it is,” he adds with a smile.

Well-known throughout the Capital District, Broderick hopes his quartet’s latest work will lead to national exposure. “This CD is a catalyst for things to happen. With ZONE, we’ve exceeded anything we’ve done before.”

Each of Broderick’s previous four CDs focused on capturing the mood of a specific season in Saratoga Springs. This time around, however, he wasn’t bound by thematic content.

“ZONE has something for everyone, young or old,” the composer guarantees. “It has enough on the edge that the real jazz enthusiast will like it, but it has a commercial slant as well. The receptive listener will be hooked by its different melodies and shifting moods.”

Broderick began studying piano at age seven. By high school, his passion for jazz and pop was clearly evident. After a brief stint as a chemistry major at the University of Miami, Broderick switched to music. Although he focused extensively on classical piano repertoire, Broderick continued to work his jazz on the side. At his senior recital, he even incorporated a jazz trio into his program -- a first for Miami’s music department.

“When I studied composition in college, I was told, ‘Just don’t write notes. You have to have feelings behind what you write. Try to paint a picture. Try to interpret reality.’ That’s what I aim for with my music. When I put a name to a song, there’s a reason for that name. It’s impressionistic, not random. I like a person to be able to hear a song and say, ‘Now I know why he named it this.’”

Broderick is particularly proud of the fact that this CD, unlike his previous four, was produced at his stepson, Sean Flynn’s, Spirit 11 Recording Studio. “With this one, we had the luxury of time,” Broderick explains.

With Spirit 11 located just two doors down from his own home on Saratoga Lake, Broderick and fellow musicians Keith Pray (sax), Ray Jung (bass), Gene Garone (drums), and Rob Cenci (percussion) were able to digest the music fully, experiment with it, fine tune it, and discover exactly what worked best for each individual piece.

“It’s not just a matter of writing a song, then recording it in a studio,” Broderick points out. “A piece of music really evolves over time as the musicians work together to find the best tempo, the bass line that works best with the drums, the most brilliant solos, and a hundred other things.”

A native of Albany, Broderick spent childhood summers along the idyllic shores of Saratoga Lake in the family log cabin he now calls home. After graduating from the University of Miami in 1969, he spent many years in Lake Placid, skiing, bartending, and playing piano in clubs. During college, Broderick relied heavily on scotch to calm pre-performance jitters and bolster self-confidence. In Lake Placid, the habit became more firmly entrenched. By the early ‘eighties, his health in serious jeopardy, Broderick could no longer deny the fact that he had become an alcoholic. Aided by the love of family -- of his older brother, Bill, in particular -- he moved back to the family camp on Saratoga Lake and confronted his problem head-on.

“Rehab affirmed that I was an alcoholic and couldn’t drink,” Broderick reflects, “but that was only half the battle. How to live sober, day to day? That’s the tough one.”

Knowing it was just a matter of time until he picked up another drink, Broderick finally sought help at Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). “AA gave me a spiritual awakening. When I finally took a good look at AA’s twelve-step program -- instead of being a big deal and thinking I could do things on my own -- that’s when I got sober. I lost my compulsiveness to drink, and I started to calm down. It changed my life.”

The mid-eighties marked the start of a decade of great joy and sadness for Broderick. At an AA meeting in 1985 he met his soul mate and future wife, Suzanne. At about the same time, however, he was challenged by the deaths, in steady succession, of his father, his mother, numerous aunts and uncles, his brother, Bill, and his sister, Carole. But the ultimate blow came in 1995 when Suzanne herself succumbed to a three-year battle with cancer.

Those were dark times for Broderick. But gradually -- sustained by his music and his stepson, Sean -- he emerged intact.

“I’ve experienced a lot of pain,” Broderick reflects, “losing so many people I loved. But believe it or not, you come out the other end of the tunnel a lot stronger. Your joys are greater because your pain was so great. The balance factor of pain and joy is so true. They go hand in hand. You can’t experience joy unless you experience pain.”

At 55, Cole Broderick is a striking individual. Youthful in appearance, refreshingly off-beat in actions and attitudes, the man radiates optimism, kindness, and an ancient wisdom which may only come to those who have weathered life’s roughest seas. The prospect of aging doesn’t bother him -- as long as it’s done well.

“As long as I don’t feel guilty or ashamed of myself, then aging is fine with me. The older I get, the more I think about the spiritual side of life. You move beyond material aspects of living to an understanding of God, afterlife, spirit world, guardian angels. Nature is all about rebirth. You age, the snake sheds its skin ... so what? Don’t expect to see a young person in the mirror anymore. Just do the best you can. Your body isn’t what it’s all about, anyway. Your mind is who you are. Your soul is what counts.”

Broderick doesn’t live with regrets. He has no use for them.

“I’m a far stronger person today in terms of my acceptance of reality and my discipline. I don’t delude myself about where I’m going or how I’m going to get there. You’ve got to believe in yourself and work very hard at what you do; there’s no other way. When I sit down at the keyboard and practice til my fingers ache, my hard work turns to joy.”

In November of 1999, the jazz pianist returned with a vengeance to his classical roots. Immersing himself in the masters -- Chopin, Liszt, Brahms, and Beethoven -- he spent months practicing 6-8 hours a day in preparation for an all-classical concert in early May.

“I was premature in my scheduling,” he now admits. “My ego far exceeded my skill. But I learned a lot by playing that concert. It was a humbling experience and an intensely motivating one as well. I definitely plan to do another classical concert in the future, but I’m giving myself at least another year to prepare.”

Broderick’s classical debut may have fallen short of his expectations, but the musician credits his extraordinary performances on ZONE to his rigorous, disciplined, and ongoing study of classical repertoire.

In fact, self-discipline permeates many areas of Broderick’s life these days. Regular exercise and sound diet are essential to his healthy outlook. Smoking, he claims, remains his only vice.

“Every time you push yourself to do something physical when you really don’t feel like it, later on you get a real good feeling about yourself because you know that you look and feel better. You walk down the street, you turn a few heads, and it makes you feel good. But you’ve got to work at it. You just can’t sit around in a rut.”

Although partial to the Chuck Norris Total Gym, stretching, and breathing exercises, Broderick is quick to point out the importance of making even the simplest changes in lifestyle.

“You don’t have to walk a mile. Little things like good posture can make a big difference. Even walking around the house, stand straight and put some bounce in your step!”

Seated by the lake, basking in September sunlight, Broderick exudes an aura of peace. “I can’t wait to wake up in the morning just to experience life. Just to wake up and do things is a joy. Keeping yourself busy is a gift. You don’t have to watch soap operas,” he adds with a mischievous grin. “Just create your own.”

Today, Cole Broderick is confident that things will work out for him. Whether referring to his quest for national exposure on a professional level or his search for meaningful relationships on a personal level, the musician trusts that all will work out in the end.

“When the Universe is ready, and when I’m ready,” he reflects philosophically, “these things will happen.”

In the meantime, Broderick plans to keep composing ... and playing that piano.

About the Author:

A freelance writer for the past twenty-five years, Wendy Hobday Haugh's articles and short stories have appeared in dozens of national magazines, including American Profile, Woman's World, Grit, I Love Cats, Cats and Kittens, ByLine, Children's Digest, and Highlights for Children. Her National Science Award-winning book, SLED DOGS (written with Brigid Casey), was published in 1983 by Dodd, Mead & Company. She regularly contributes profiles of artists, musicians and other fascinating folk to three regional publications: Hudson Valley Mature Life, Hudson Valley Parent, and Saratoga Living. The writer lives in Burnt Hills with her husband, Chuck, and three grown sons.

Cole and Wendy Hobday Haugh
Courtesy of JoAnn Hobday Massad