Youthful Blues and Ballads in Cleveland Heights

It occurred to me tonight that I have listened live to Freddy Cole more often than any other world-class performer. While the man gets older — he’s a reported 82 — listening to him never does. He’s wise, self-possessed, and knows how to tell a story through song. While his voice is no longer the pure instrument it once was, he knows how to compensate. And just when you close your eyes and hear echoes of his famous brother Nat King Cole — and not just when he’s crooning “Sweet Lorraine” or “Unforgettable” — he might captivate you up with a song that that reminds you “I’m Not My Brother, I’m Me”.

Freddy Cole says blame it on his youth

Freddy is a consummate storyteller. He paints pictures of life and love with few words, using intonation, innuendo, and impeccable timing. His piano style is of course accomplished, and features lovely block chords. The man can still summon a mean blues as he did tonight with an encore to the encore he appreciatively delivered to a devoted second show audience at Nighttown in Cleveland Heights.

Freddy Cole will be back for two shows tomorrow [Thursday Nov. 21], at 8 and 10PM. So will his tight Grammy-nominated quartet that features Randy Napoleon on guitar

Freddy Cole at Nighttown with guitarist Randy Napoleon.

and Curtis Boyd on drums. Tonight’s bassist was publicized as Elias Bailey but I thought I heard him introduced as Matt Matthews.

Before I wrote this I checked my past posts and was surprised to find that I have mentioned him only once before in The Real Deal. As he might say, “Blame It On My Youth”.

Running mate for FitzGerald; Julian Rogers resigning from County Council; Headen victory confirmed

FitzGerald selects Kearney as running mate; Rogers to resign County council seat; mayor-elect Headen’s victory confirmed in Richmond Hts.

Two big announcements today have given additional heft to what was going to be an important day politically on the local political scene in any event.

Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald, the presumptive Democratic Party nominee to take on Gov. John Kasich next year, has announced that

State Senator Eric Kearney of Cincinnati

state Sen. Eric Kearney of Cincinnati will be his running mate. Kearney, who is the Senate Minority Leader, is term-limited and would be ineligible to run for another Senate term.

Today’s second announcement is the report that Cuyahoga County councilman Julian Rogers of Cleveland Heights will be resigning his seat at the end of January to comply with the terms of a new job he just started at Cleveland State University. Rogers is CSU’s new director of community partnerships, a job that will pay him nearly double his $45,000 part-time council salary.

County Councilman Julian Rogers of Cleveland Heights,
attending a meeting in East Cleveland earlier this year

Rogers won in a crowded field in 2010. He was unopposed in 2012 when he ran for a full four-year term. Under terms of the county charter, his successor will be chosen by Democratic central committee members from his district, which includes Under the county charter, precinct members from Rogers' District 10, will have 30 days to pick a replacement after his resignation becomes effective. County District 10 includes Cleveland Heights, East Cleveland, University Heights, Bratenahl, Cleveland Ward 8, and part of Cleveland Ward 10.

The County Board of Elections met this afternoon at 3PM to certify the Nov. 5 election results, which may trigger either some automatic recounts by statute, or encourage some diehards to pay for a recount.

Miesha Headen, Richmond
Heights mayor-elect

The official election results will likely be posted on the elections board website later today. But we can with pleasure and assurance that the reign of Richmond Heights mayor Dan Ursu is at an end. His 55 vote Election Day deficit grew to a 71-vote margin once all qualified provisional and absentee ballots were counted. The final tally was 1021 for Ursu and 1092 for mayor-elect Miesha Headen. Her 2.5% margin of victory is well beyond the .5% margin requirement that would have triggered an automatic recount.

Headen will be sworn in December 1 and assume office the same day.