Xhosa Cole - FreeMonk (NFOJAiM 2025)

Xhosa Cole - FreeMonk ‘Exploring, Abstracting and Collaging the works of Thelonious Monk’

The Literary and Philosophical Society (The Loftus Room)  
Friday 3rd October 2025
Doors: 7.30pm (Music Starts 8.00pm - 8.45pm / 9.00pm - 9.45pm / 2 x 45 Minute Sets)

Tickets are priced at £14 with an optional £2 festival donation available (+ Booking Fee)

Xhosa Cole - FreeMonk ‘Exploring, Abstracting and Collaging the works of Thelonious Monk’

Xhosa Cole (Saxophone) / Pat Thomas (Piano) / Josh Vadiveloo (Double Bass) / Tim Giles (Drums)


Part of Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music

TICKETS FOR ALL EVENTS ARE AVAILABLE HERE
https://www.seetickets.com/tour/jazz-north-east


DOWNLOAD THE DIGITAL PROGRAMME AND SCHEDULE BY CLICKING HERE
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WU2x96X7OF9IiuhdLJQjF3LDoajDG2YY/view?usp=sharing


INDIVIDUAL EVENTS ARE LISTED THROUGH OUR FACEBOOK EVENTS PAGES
www.facebook.com/newcastlefestivalofjazzandimprovisedmusic


DONATIONS CAN STILL BE RECEIVED THROUGH OUR ‘ALWAYS OPEN’ NEW JAZZ AND IMPROVISED MUSIC CROWDFUNDER BY CLICKING HERE 
https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/new-jazz-and-improvised-music-recordings


www.newcastlefestivalofjazzandimprovisedmusic.co.uk


Xhosa Cole - FreeMonk ‘Exploring, Abstracting and Collaging the works of Thelonious Monk’

Xhosa Cole (Saxophone) / Pat Thomas (Piano) / Josh Vadiveloo (Double Bass) / Tim Giles (Drums)

FreeMonk is a brand new ensemble exploring the compositions of Thelonious Monk with the Xhosa Cole fingerprint perfect for a live setting. 

Winner of the 2018 BBC Young Jazz Musician of the year, Xhosa Cole is an embodiment of the success of numerous community arts programmes in Birmingham including the Midland Youth Jazz Orchestra, Jazzlines Ensemble and Birmingham Music Service. Having grown up in Handsworth and first played the Tenor at Andy Hamilton's Ladywood Community Music School, he's now among a long legacy of Birmingham Saxophonists including Soweto Kinch and Shabaka Hutchings. 

Xhosa has performed twice at the BBC Proms, Composed music for the Flatpack Film Festival, recorded saxophone for Mahalia’s debut album ‘Love and Compromise’, completed a 22 date UK tour, and released his critically acclaimed debut album K(no)w Them, K(no)w Us alongside Soweto Kinch, Reuben James and Jay Phelps. Xhosa Also received the Parliamentary Jazz Award for ‘Best Newcomer’ and Jazz FM 'Breakthrough act of the year'. 

Xhosa has performed alongside artists including Monty Alexander and Courtney Pine and as a soloist for the BBC National Orchestra of Wales; at prestigious venues including Cadogan Hall and Ronnie Scotts. As a recording artist, Xhosa featured on Soweto Kinch’s latest album ‘Black Peril’ where he played alongside African-American Jazz titans: Drummer, Gregory Hutchinson and Pianist, ELEW (Eric Lewis). 

Cole has also started to breakthrough as an up-and-coming composer. Some of his recent commissions have been from the Ideas of Noise Festival, Ripieno Players, For-wards & Birminghams Town Hall Symphony Hall. Much of his writing is informed by his time engrossed in the Jazz cannon, however through composition he has explored a multitude of muses including Arithmetic and Geometric Maths, Biology, Classical Western Harmony and elements of traditional Yoruba Culture and Music. 

Xhosa’s deep and authentic connection to the lineage of Jazz music has helped to establish him among the most exciting young talents in the country. At this stage in his career he is continually learning, developing and growing; in keeping with this great tradition. His exposure to players from a range of different traditions and outlooks, compounded by his strong connection to his inner-city community in Handsworth at the heart of Birmingham, has helped to develop a fiercely unique and independent voice. 

“He’s got technique, talent, artistry and a burning desire that shows throughout the set” 
- Downbeat

'K(no)w Them, K(no)w Us’ brings the 24-year-old saxophonist from ‘one-to- watch’ to ‘must see’ 
- The Financial Times 

https://xhosacole.bandcamp.com


The Literary and Philosophical Society
The Literary and Philosophical Society, 23 Westgate Road, NE1 1SE
0191 232 0192 / library@litandphil.org.uk
www.litandphil.org.uk


The Literary and Philosophical Society

Age Restrictions: All ages welcome with under 18’s accompanied by an adult.

Accessibility: The Loftus Room and Joseph Swan Room at The Lit and Phil are partly accessible. There is a lift at the venue entrance for wheelchair users to access the building and performance space, no wheelchair accessible toilets are available in the building.

The festival has permissions for visiting wheelchair users to access toilets located on the ground floor in Sleeperz Hotel which is just a few doors down (16 ft) to the right of the Lit and Phil as you exit the building.

Accessible toilets are also available at 5 Quarter Cafe Bar to the left as you exit the building.

The Private Members Library is not a wheelchair accessible space and is preceded by a small number of stairs.

Travel: Any Bus and Metro to Central Station which is located less than 300 ft from the venue (approximately 2 minutes walk).

There is limited street parking, the closest car park is at Central Station
(Charges may apply).