Saxophonist Steve Cole grew up on a diet of bebop blended with pop radio hits and honed his skills on the diverse 1990s Chicago music scene, where he was called on to play everything from jazz to funk to gospel to rock to R&B and soul. All of those experiences come into play on Cole’s exhilarating new album, Without a Doubt. His first outing with producer and songwriter partner Adam Hawley, the album finds Cole taking the opportunity of this fresh start to approach his music with the open mind of a beginner and the confidence of a veteran at the top of his game. The album is chock full of memorable melodies that could be easily retooled as hits for the likes of the Commodores or Earth, Wind & Fire. In a sense, that brings Cole full circle to some of his earliest musical experiences.