Born in the Tampa Bay area, drummer/vibraphonist/latin percussionist/composer, and educator, Cole Hazlitt, is a versatile musician covering a wide variety of musical styles and genres. Cole graduated from the Manhattan School of Music with a masters in jazz vibraphone, studying under Joe Locke, as well as completing a bachelor's degree in Jazz drum set.  Cole was the drummer for the Grammy nominated Manhattan School of Music Afro-Cuban Jazz ensemble for four years, directed by Bobby Sanabria.  Cole has composed and arranged several pieces of music for big band, orchestra, and small ensembles, as well as composing the music for short films.

What message(s) do you hope resonates with your audience when they hear your music?

I hope that some aspects of my music can be educational. This is because the Vibraphone is an instrument that people are not as familiar with. I hope to share something with them about this unique instrument. I also like to share with audiences about the histories of the styles which I perform, especially when it comes to playing Cuban or Brazilian music.

What’s something you love most about the vibraphone that you love to share with people?

The Vibraphone is one of the few instruments that were created here in America, along with the drumset which was my first instrument.

How do you choose what songs to play live?

This is a great question. When i'm choosing songs to play at a gig there's a few different factors that go into that decision. I usually like to play different songs that I'm working on at the time. They might be songs that I’m not so comfortable with, but I find that playing these new tunes with other people is a great way to get more familiar with the tune. Lately I have been learning more Brazilian songs, so whenever I have a chance to play them live with other musicians it can be a nice learning experience.

Can you recommend some Brazilian artists that have influenced your current work?

There are so many! I've been influenced by the compositions of Hermeto Pascoal, Pixinguinha, Milton Nascimento, Sivuca, Guinga, and Baden Powell.

How do you write a song?

I usually write music everyday, even if it's just a few measures of music. I started doing this after reading a book by Schoenberg, which recommended that a composer should write music every day. Now writing something you are very proud of takes a lot longer. Sometimes you have to wait until you’re feeling inspired in a moment. Some of my songs have been written in a few hours, while others have taken months. I would argue that inspiration is the most important factor with composing.

How long into writing music did you find yourself to be proud of something you’ve written? What is that piece of work?

A few years ago I wrote an arrangement of the song “Maria Cervantes” and orchestrated it for the full orchestra. This took around 2 months to complete.

Who are your musical inspirations?

Charlie Parker, Jobim, Bud Powell, Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Brahms, Machito, Tito Puente,  Milt Jackson, Cal Tjader. These are just a few.

Have any of your inspirations influenced how you play? Have those influences changed over time?

My main influence on the vibraphone during the period when I was just starting out was Gary Burton, but over the years I have become invested in the styles of other Vibraphonists like Teddy Charles, Eddie Costa, and Milt Jackson. But Gary started the whole playing with four mallets which I've always done.

What’s your favorite memory of a musical performance?

This would be during my time in NYC while studying at the Manhattan School of Music. I had the great opportunity to play at Dizzy’s jazz club as a part of Bobby Sanabria’s Manhattan School of Music Afro-Cuban Jazz Ensemble. During one concert there, we performed one of my big band arrangements. It was an arrangement of the Star Trek theme from the 60’s, but I wrote it in the Samba style which really worked well with the song.

Interview edited for length and clarity.