Aaron Akins - Into the Cole Performance
Bearing the same name as his debut album, Into the Cole is perhaps one of Aaron Akins’ most iconic performances, where he charismatically performs some of Nat King Cole’s most cherished works.
It’s been described as “a musical journey through some of Nat King Cole’s Greatest Hits” and “a unique and expertly crafted tribute, applauded by critics as well as the late Carole Cole”.
Broadwayworld.com nominee, Aaron Akins, has always felt a strong connection to Cole’s work, recognizing the crooner as one of the greatest influences for his own songs, such as “I Haven’t Tried You”, which also appears in the set. Of Cole, he says: “Nat King Cole simply had a unique delivery and style. There is just no one like him. To me, he is the best!”
According to fans and critics alike, Aaron has effortlessly captured a near-identical delivery to Cole, saying: “I discovered I had a sound like Nat King Cole while participating in a singers’ workshop in Los Angeles. I decided to do a solo performance of Cole’s music because it’s a natural part of my style.”
“He doesn’t force it one single bit,” observed BWW Review reporter, Don Grigware. “It appears to flow out of him naturally; if you close your eyes, the similarity between the two men is remarkable.”
The 70-minute performance is backed by a three-instrument arrangement with musical director Chris Glik on piano, Bobby Barron on drums, and Ravi Knypstra on bass. It features such songs as “Mona Lisa”, “I Love You For Sentimental Reasons”, “Nature Boy”, and “The Christmas Song”, the last of which was written by Mel Torme specifically for Cole’s unique vocal delivery and is met with almost identical perfection by Akins.
One thing that sets Akins’ performance apart from that of other musicians is the warmth he emanates onstage, relating humorous anecdotes of the LA music scene between songs and earning a funnier-than-most-comedians billing. Grigware described him as “a performer who cares about his audience” with a “charismatic, easy style that just pours forth, making the experience one you won’t soon forget. Like Cole himself, Aaron Akins is unforgettable!”
