Al Cohn

Al Cohn (November 24, 1925 – February 15, 1988) was an American jazz saxophonist, arranger and composer.

Video:Cool of the Evening - Al Cohn Zoot Sims

Alvin Gilbert Cohn was born in Brooklyn, New York. He was initially known in the 1940s for playing in Woody Herman's Second Herd as one of the Four Brothers, along with Zoot Sims, Stan Getz, and Serge Chaloff. Unlike the better-known tenors Sims and Getz, Cohn contributed arrangements to the Herman band. Cohn had a reputation as a lyrical flowing soloist.^{[citation needed]}

After leaving the Herman group Cohn went on to play with a variety of other musicians, but his best-known association was his long-term partnership with fellow Herman veteran tenor player Sims, beginning with the quintet they co-led in 1956. They continued to play together sporadically until the death of Sims. The high point of their recorded output can be found on You 'n' Me, a collection of standards and original compositions released on Mercury Records in 1960.^{[citation needed]} The two also played on some of author Jack Kerouac's recordings. The rhythm section on their 1950s recordings included Mose Allison on piano.

In addition to his work as a jazz tenor saxophonist, Cohn was an arranger. His work included the Broadway productions of Raisin' and Sophisticated Ladies. Also, Cohn did arrangements for unreleased Linda Rondstadt recordings from the 1980s.

Cohn also appeared on stage with Elvis Presley in June, 1972, as a member of the Joe Malin Orchestra at Madison Square Garden.

Al Cohn died of liver cancer in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania in 1988.

Cohn's first wife was the singer Marilyn Moore. His son, Joe Cohn, is a jazz guitar player. Al Cohn's grand daughter is Shaye Cohn. She is the daughter of Joe Cohn. Shaye Cohn is a musician who plays cornet with her band Tuba Skinny in New Orleans and at jazz festivals in Italy and Australia and elsewhere. Shaye also plays accordion, violin and piano.

Discography

As leader

• Cohn's Tones (1950)
• Cohn on the Saxophone (1956, Dawn Records)
• Featuring Bob Brookmeyer (1956, Coral Records) - with trombonist Bob Brookmeyer
• Jazz Mission to Moscow (1962, Colpix Records) - Eddie Costa's final recording
• Play It Now (1975, Xanadu Records)
• Al Cohn's America (1976, Xanadu)
• No Problem (1979, Xanadu)
• Nonpareil (1981, Concord Records) - with Lou Levy, Monty Budwig, Jake Hanna
• True Blue (1976, Xanadu) - with Dexter Gordon
• Silver Blue (1976, Xanadu) - with Dexter Gordon
• Heavy Love (1977, Xanadu) - with Jimmy Rowles
• Tour De Force (1981) - live in Japan, with tenor players Buddy Tate and Scott Hamilton
• Standards of Excellence (1984, Concord)
• Rifftide (1987, Timeless Records) - with Rein de Graaf (piano), Koos Serierse (bass), Eric Ineke (drums)

As sideman

With Trigger Alpert

• Trigger Happy! (1956, Riverside) - also released as East Coast Sounds

With Art Blakey

• Art Blakey Big Band (Bethlehem, 1957)

With Kenny Burrell

• Earthy (1957, Prestige)

With Mundell Lowe

• Satan in High Heels (1961, Charlie Parker) - soundtrack

With Lalo Schifrin and Bob Brookmeyer

• Samba Para Dos (1963, Verve)

With Zoot Sims

• From A to Z (1956)
• Al and Zoot (1957)
• Either Way (1960)
• Blues and Haikus (1960) - playing behind Jack Kerouac's poetry reading
• You 'n' Me (1960)
• Body and Soul (1973) - with Jaki Byard (piano), George Duvivier (bass), Mel Lewis (drums); produced by Don Schlitten
• Motoring Along (1975) - with Horace Parlan (piano), Hugo Rasmussen (bass), Sven Erik Norregaard (drums); produced by Rune Ofwerman
• Hoagy Carmichael Sessions and More
• Easy as Pie: Live at the Left Bank (1968) - live in Baltimore, with pianist Dave Frishberg

As arranger

With Mark Murphy

• That's How I Love the Blues! (1962, Riverside)

References

{{{header}}}
{{{body}}}