An ebullient jazz alto saxophonist, Richie Cole gained acclaim as torchbearer for the bebop tradition. Influenced by his mentor Phil Woods, and building upon the work of Charlie Parker, Cole rose to prominence in the 1970s and '80s. He earned plaudits during the fusion era, working alongside legends like vocalist Eddie Jefferson, and releasing straight-ahead acoustic albums like 1976's New York Afternoon: Alto Madness, 1979's Hollywood Madness, and 1986's Pure Imagination. With his wry sense of humor, and the adage that he could turn any song into bebop, he tackled a cross-section of material, as on 1992's Popbop. Along with collaborations with Hank Crawford, Sonny Stitt, and Art Pepper, Cole founded his own explosive Alto Madness Orchestra, and spent the second half of his career finding ways to explore his love of bebop, as on 2000's gospel-inspired Come Sunday: My Kind of Religion, 2017's Latin Lover, and 2018's Cannonball Adderly tribute Cannonball.