Article Contributed by Missing Piece Group
Published on 2026-05-25
Photo: Courtesy of Steve Cole
Steve Cole has released “Maceology (feat. Cory Wong),” the second single from his upcoming album Sleight of Hand, out June 5 via Mack Avenue Music Group / Artistry Music.
For the raucous, funky tribute to the great James Brown/P-Funk saxophonist Maceo Parker, Cole called on one of the most in-demand funk guitarists in music today, Cory Wong of Vulfpeck and Fearless Flyers — a longtime acquaintance who had joined Cole’s band for one memorable night at Dakota Jazz Club early in Wong’s meteoric rise to fame.
Listen to “Maceology (feat. Cory Wong)” here: lnk.to/maceologyPR.
“There are those times when you pinch yourself because you say ‘wouldn't this track be amazing if Cory Wong was on it?’ ...and then you realize that he lives in your town and is down to play guitar on your record!” Cole explains. “Then you add Ricky Peterson and Will Lee to the mix and legitimately start to worry about whether you're actually dreaming."
The exhilarating sound that has made Steve Cole one of the most popular artists on today’s contemporary jazz scene was forged in two cities: his native Chicago and his longtime home of Minneapolis.
“My whole musical foundation was built in Chicago,” Cole says. “It’s where I cut my teeth and it will always be my home. But I feel like I've come into my own in Minneapolis, and I’ve done my best work over the 17 years that I’ve lived here. I’ve been so inspired by the artistic community here and by the relationships I’ve formed with the brilliant musicians in the city. I don't think I would be where I am today if I lived anywhere else.”
On the collection of 10 new original songs, Cole revels in the eclectic and beguiling funk and soul of the two cities that the saxophonist has called home. Cole brings together infectious grooves, sensual ballads, and a thrilling energy with a captivatingly layered production, a tricky proposition that suggests the illusory misdirection of the title.
Sleight of Hand is a homecoming in another sense, in that it reunites the saxophonist with his longtime producer and co-writer, David Mann. Cole’s first call upon relocating to Minneapolis was organist Ricky Peterson, who enjoyed a two-decade collaboration with David Sanborn and worked with Prince as both a producer and a keyboardist at various times throughout the Purple One’s legendary career.
Other musicians that breathe life into Sleight of Hand represent Cole’s local community as well as the extended network of collaborators that he has met through his travels across the globe. They include guitarist Bernd Schoenhart (Cher, Marc Anthony); trumpeter Trevor Neumann (The Eagles, Jeff Lorber); bassists Mel Brown (Stevie Wonder, The Temptations) and Will Lee (Paul Shaffer, The Brecker Brothers); and drummers Brian Dunne (Hall and Oates, Ariana Grande) and Eric Valentine (Joe Satriani, Erykah Badu).
Sleight of Hand is a joyous and celebratory affair, showcasing the love and reverence that Cole maintains for his two musical homes, their bold spirits, and their breathtakingly diverse sounds.
About Steve Cole: Saxophonist Steve Cole is one of the most celebrated players in contemporary jazz. The Chicago native exploded onto the scene in 1998 with the album Stay Awhile, produced by fellow Chicagoan Brian Culbertson. Cole grew up on a diet of bebop blended with pop radio hits and honed his skills on the diverse 1990s Chicago music scene, where he was called on to play everything from jazz to funk to gospel, rock to R&B and soul.
All of those experiences come into play in Cole’s exhilarating and wide-ranging music. In addition to his work as a solo artist, Steve has performed and/or recorded with such greats as Junior Wells, Buddy Guy, Boz Scaggs, Larry Carlton, Jeff Lorber, Jim Peterik, Freddie Cole, Cyrus Chestnut, and KMFDM. He’s also been a featured soloist with the City of Prague Orchestra and The Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and is a founding member of The Sax Pack, a stellar sax trio completed by Kim Waters and Jeff Kashiwa.
When not on the road, Dr. Cole teaches music industry entrepreneurship at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota, where he is a Clinical Professor and Teaching Fellow.
Tour Dates
May 23
Minneapolis, MN
Dakota
Record Release Show
Aug 14
Seal Beach, CA
Spaghettini
Aug 15
Phoenix, AZ
Musical Instrument Museum
Oct 16
London, UK
Indigo at The O₂
with Dave Koz, Marc Antoine & Rebecca Jade
Nov 22
Chicago, IL
Smooth Jazz Chicago at Loews Hotel Chicago O’Hare
