Welcome to the official website of Nelson Kole and Marinade Enterprises

 NELSON KOLE is a musician of great diversity. As a pianist, composer, singer/songwriter, arranger, and musical director, his unique sense of humor and sensitivity infuses every aspect of his musical career. Nelson will tell you, “Since the age of four, the piano has been my whole life. Music is my first language, English a distant second.”

Nelson’s professional career began on the Las Vegas strip where he accompanied headliners such as Frank Sinatra and Dionne Warwick. Soon he became musical director/arranger for many entertainers including Don Rickles, Ben Vereen, Ann Jillian, Lorna Luft, and Clint Holmes. While living in Las Vegas, Nelson’s jazz group Nelson Kole ‘n Kompany became a local favorite that led to the national release of his CD “Nelson Kole.” Shortly after its release, “Tattoo,” became the most requested song on radio station CD101.9 in New York

When Nelson relocated to Los Angeles, new opportunities emerged. He was composer/arranger for 3 seasons on the highly rated series “Prime Time Glick” starring Martin Short and co-composer/musical director on “Viva Variety” both on Comedy Central. He scored the children’s show “Weinerville” and the Stick Stickly Promos for Nickelodeon as well as songwriting for the beloved Lamb Chop on Shari Lewis’ “Lamb Chops Play-Along.” Nelson was Musical Director and co-wrote the theme song for WWOR-TV’s talk/variety show “New York at Night” starring Clint Holmes and had the honor of collaborating with Billy Crystal writing “out take” songs for Crystal’s character, the One-Eyed Monster, in the Disney/Pixar animated feature, “Monsters, Inc.” Recently, Nelson’s song “Someday” was chosen from a field of over 25,000 entries as a top twenty finalist in American Idol’s first Songwriting competition. http://www.americanidol.com/songwriter/

Nelson has scored three musicals to date. “Dennis The Musical” an adaptation of the popular Dennis The Menace comic strip character, marked Nelson’s initiation into the world of musical theater. “Pirates,” for Princess Cruises fetured an all-original score, a first for the cruise line industry. “Comfortable Shoes”, based on the life of collaborator Clint Holmes, was nominated for Chicago’s prestigious Jeff Award for “Best New Work”.

As a performer, Nelson’s one man show “Say It With Music,” features his original songs, piano compositions, and autobiographical anecdotes, wrapped around his love for music, the piano, and in particular, jazz. From his original songs, to his dazzling interpretations at the piano, Nelson continually surprises and engages his audience.

Currently, Nelson heads his own production company, Marinade Enterprises, which has produced music for over three dozen live shows for clients ranging from Princess Cruises to Dr Pepper to the Rio Hotel in Las Vegas.