Noel Freidline - Pianist, Vocalist, Arranger, Composer, Educator

 

Noel Freidline is a 1991 graduate of the University of North Florida, BA in Music (magna cum laude).  A pianist, vocalist, writer, arranger and educator, Noel has been the leader of his own group since 1991.

 

As the leader of the Noel Freidline Quintet for the last 26 years, Freidline has recorded 8 CDs, performed at jazz festivals as diverse as the Jacksonville (FL) Jazz Festival to the Bethlehem (PA) Musikfest to the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, held down a three-year house band position at the Bellagio in Las Vegas and performed for actress Julia Roberts’ surprise 35th birthday party.  In February of 2018, Noel released his eighth album, “Old Devil Moon,” a collaboration with vocalist Maria Howell

 

In addition to his work with the NFQ (click here for info), Noel performs regularly with the Charlotte Symphony, both as a featured artist and ensemble member.  Noel also performs regularly with touring Broadway shows, most recently “Jersey Boys,” “Bring It On,” “Dream Girls,” “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” “White Christmas,” “Les Miserable,” “Wicked,” and “Beautiful” and as Assistant Music Director for “First Date.”  With the NFQ Noel has opened for such diverse artists as Tony Bennett, David Sanborn, Kenny G, Rosemary Clooney, Dave Brubeck, vocalist Layla Hathaway, jazz legend Roy Ayers, and vocalist Jennifer Holliday.  Noel has performed with such diverse artists as Nnenna Freelon, Frederic Yonnet, Terry Thornton, and lyricist Tim Rice (“Evita” “The Lion King”).

 

Noel was named Best Jazz Musician by Charlotte Magazine in 2006 and in 2009 and was named “Best Musical Director” by the Metrolina Theatre Association of the Carolinas.  A dilettante of pop culture, Noel has become a popular lecturer for theatres and museums, creating and presenting multi-media presentations on everything from Frankie Vallie and the Four Seasons to Mel Brooks.  In 2011 Freidline was chosen for the Blumenthal Performing Arts Association (Charlotte, NC) Center Stage Award in recognition of his excellence in service to the arts.  In May, 2015 Freidline was inducted into the Jacksonville Jazz Hall of Fame. 

 

Noel has been a Lecturer in Music at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte since 2006, teaching such diverse subjects as music business, the history of rock music, jazz arranging, music theory and ear training, and directing the UNCC jazz combo’s and vocal jazz ensemble. 

 

Freidline performs monthly as part of the Ziad Jazz Quartet for Jazz at the Bechtler, a very successful monthly jazz series put on by the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, Charlotte, NC.

 

In August of 2013, Freidline was brought on as artistic director by the Columbia (SC) Museum of Art to create a jazz concert series.  January of 2014 Freidline launched Jazz on Main, the CMA's newest concert series, with the series now regularly selling out. 

   

In August of 2012 Freidline launched a contemporary music program at Davidson Day School, Davidson, NC.  Focusing on teaching contemporary music styles, this is one of three programs like it in the state of North Carolina. 

 

Noel is also currently the bandleader at Providence Baptist Church, Charlotte, NC.

 

As a composer and arranger, Noel has written and recorded music for ESPN, ABC and the Walt Disney Company, with his most recent work being featured on Monday Night Football, the NBA All-Star Game, and SportCenter.    In March, 2012, Noel completed an artist-in-residency program as a teaching artist with the education department of the Charlotte Symphony, composing and conducting several pieces for the Northwest School of the Arts (Charlotte, NC) orchestra and band. 

 

A native of Clearwater, KS, Noel has resided in Charlotte, NC with his family since 2003.

 

Upcoming Performancs

Previous events

Keith David's Jazz Cabaret with the Noel Freidline Quartet

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The Jazz Corner, 1000 William HIlton Parkway, Hilton Head Is., SC

6:30 PM SHOW - DINNER RESERVATIONS FROM 5:15 PM 9:00 PM SHOW - DINNER RESERVATIONS FROM 8:00 PM

Keith David is a classically trained, multiple Emmy award winning actor.

In addition to his versatile acting and voiceover work, Keith is also a remarkable singer. He has presented “Too Marvelous for Words”, in which he portrays the legendary singer Nat King Cole, at venues around the country. He is developing a show about the legendary Blues singer Joe Williams, “Here’s to Life.”

He is currently on hiatus from shooting a new series for producer JJ Abrams and HBO Max entitled “Duster.” He recently shot “The Gray House,” a drama series produced by Kevin Costner and Morgan Freeman, in Romania. Previously Keith starred alongside Zoe Saldana in the Netflix limited series “From Scratch,” for which he won the NAACP Image Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series. Keith was featured in Jordan Peele’s latest film “Nope.” He starred in the TV series "Greenleaf" for Oprah Winfrey's OWN network for 5 seasons. He also recently starred in “Black As Night” for Blumhouse / Amazon.

In “Greenleaf” Keith portrayed ‘Bishop James Greenleaf’, the charismatic and God-fearing leader of the Calvary Fellowship and the patriarch of the family. The series followed the unscrupulous world of the Greenleaf family, their scandalous secrets and lies, and their sprawling Memphis megachurch. The series was praised for its push and pull dynamic, its hypocrisy, and its compelling characters. Keith's stellar performance was best stated by The Hollywood Reporter, “... Keith David ...is perfectly cast as Bishop Greenleaf. Whether he's playing to the congregation at the altar or getting conspiratorial in a smaller venue, this is an unusually great and meaty role for David.”

Other big screen credits include Keith co-starring in Chadwick Boseman’s last film "21 Bridges". Prior appearances include “Night School” with Kevin Hart and Tiffany Haddish and “Tales from the Hood 2”. Other highlights from Keith’s movie career include the Academy award-winning films “Crash” and “Platoon.” He is widely recognized for appearing in Disney’s “The Princess and the Frog”, “Requiem for a Dream”, “Men at Work”, “They Live”, “There’s Something About Mary”, and “The Thing.”

Other recent TV credits include "Leverage: Redemption," “Creepshow,” “NCIS: New Orleans,” “Blackish,” and “MacGyver”. Earlier credits include “Community”, “Enlisted”, “ER”, and “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood”. On Broadway, Keith starred in August Wilson’s “Seven Guitars” and “Jelly’s Last Jam” for which he garnered a Tony Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical.

Keith’s work as a voice actor has made him a household name. His rich and powerful voice has been featured in national commercials, award shows, documentaries, video games, and animation. By virtue of his long collaboration with award winning documentarian Ken Burns, Keith has earned three Emmys for narrating “Jackie Robinson”, “The War”, and “Unforgivable Blackness – The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson”. His most recent narration was for “Muhammad Ali: A Documentary by Ken Burns.” Other voice acting credits include countless fan favorites such as “Adventure Time”, “Bojack Horseman,” “Rick & Morty”, “Spawn”, and “Gargoyles”. Keith has lent his voice to many videogame titles. Recently he portrayed the character “Spawn” in the reboot of “Mortal Kombat”. Other appearances include the “Halo” series (games 2, 3, and 5), the “Saint’s Row” series (games 1, 2, and 4), as well as the “Mass Effect” series (games 1,2, and 3).

Born and raised in New York by his parents Lester and Dolores, Keith became interested in the arts at a very young age. After appearing in his school’s production of “The Wizard of Oz”, he knew this was what he wanted to do for the rest of his life. He enrolled in New York's High School of the Performing Arts and continued his studies at The Juilliard School. After graduation, he was immediately hired by Joseph Papp as an understudy for the role of Tullus Aufidius in William Shakespeare's "Coriolanus." His work with Mr. Papp and the New York Shakespeare Festival launched his incredible career.

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Noel & Maria return to the Blumenthal Booth Playhouse for their 4th annual Home for the Holidays concert! This event has become the "MUST SEE" of the season. Featuring Noel Freidline, Maria Howell and their amazing all-star band. Also featuring special guest violinist KAREN BRIGGS (Spyro Gyra, SFX, Yanni, John Mayer)!

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