The New Orleans Jazz Museum presents its weekly Balcony Courtyard concert series on Tuesday at 5pm CDT. Bring your blanket! Seats are not provided for outdoor programs.
In case of inclement weather, this concert will be postponed.
Enjoy Jazz Music from home with the New Orleans Jazz Museum! Join the Jazz Museum online for their weekly Courtyard Live-Stream Concert Series, in which dynamic musicians perform live from the Jazz Museum’s balcony! Tune in every Tuesday at 5pm on facebook.com/nolajazzmuseum/live to watch for free.
Cole Williams
The "Grande Dame of RnB/soul” Cole Williams, is a Brooklyn native who is in the vanguard of the social justice movement for The Houseless community as the founder of The Greater New Orleans Citizens Relief Team. Currently based in New Orleans, this Jamaican-American singer, WWOZ host, composer, actress, songwriter, producer, multi-instrumentalist, and organizer, is described by Medium as being “a powerhouse of political action, motivated to help others through her music.”
Cole's sound is a gumbo of Soul, R&B, Reggae, Pop, and World genres on her previous studio albums, The Basement Sessions (2007), Out Of The Basement, Out Of The Box (2012), Sin City (2016), The Punk Empress Of African Rock: Testimony (2018) [a collection of singles and collaborations for her anniversary compilation album], and Believe (2019). During her musical career, Cole has collaborated with many artists, such as Joey Bada$$, Nickedeumus, Somi, Walter “Wolfman” Washington, and Aloe Blacc. In 2005 Cole’s single, “Anything,” was also released on two compilation CDs: Paris to Brooklyn and France’s Soul R&B Magazine (alongside Kanye West and R. Kelly). In 2006 Cole earned a Swedish Live Performance nomination with Glenn Wish and The New Memphis Orchestra. In recognition of her talent, Williams received a Best of the Beat Nomination for Best Female Vocalist from OffBeat Magazine in 2017. Her debut performance at the New Orleans Jazz And Heritage Festival (2016) and Joshua Tree Music Festival (2018) with The Cole Williams Band ranks her as a staple on the live music scene. After releasing her single, A Better Woman in 2023, Cole gained international recognition on the UK charts and BBC6, and she received recognition in the Unsigned Only Songwriting Competition as a semifinalist. Her album with her musical collective, The Cole Williams Band, Give Power To The People (2021), incorporated elements of R&B, gospel, ska, and social justice-fueled lyrics, establishing her as a vanguard in the Freedom Movement. Aside from music, Cole is known for her leadership in humanitarian causes, entrepreneurial ventures, and education. She is the founder of the nonprofit organization Worldwide Partnerships and Houseless initiative The Greater New Orleans Citizens Relief Team with support from Trader Joe’s; she is currently the host of the New Orleans Music Show on WWOZ. She spearheaded and produced the documentary, “Up Close: Tank And The Bangas” for WWOZ in 2015. Her monthly podcast, House The Houseless: Music And Action is in partnership with Ropeadope Records. Cole has also ventured into acting, appearing in NCIS New Orleans (2020, 2019). She was appointed a leader in nonprofits by the Greater New Orleans Foundation (GNOF) in 2017. William's vocal performances are featured on CoverGirl, and JCPenney: and TV shows as prominent as Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Good Morning America, Great Day Louisiana, and The Jools Holland Show, and her performance highlights include Joshua Tree Music Festival, World Cafe Live, BAM Cafe Live, and Blue Note NYC. Cole has been featured in Medium, Rolling Stone, HuffPost, Glide Magazine, Wax Poetics, NME, AfroPunk, New Orleans Magazine, and Offbeat Magazine.