Big Al Posted September 6, 2004 Report Posted September 6, 2004 Was listening to the Miles/Blackhawk set last night, and couldn't get enough of the ferociously swinging drumming of Jimmy Cobb. I've been familiar with Cobb for about as long as I've listened to jazz, but never really noticed Cobb before. Until now. What is it about his playing that is so damn infectious? It sounds like simple timekeeping; then he drops some kinda bomb, or hits those toms with what sounds like ten extra arms and doesn't even blink or break a sweat!!! Is he still active? I did a search on allmusic, and noticed he's on a very recent Von Freeman with Richard Wyands on piano! Has anyone heard this, and is it as good as the lineup suggests? I hope he's still fairly active! I gotta dig through my collection and see what else of his work I've been overlooking! Quote
Chuck Nessa Posted September 6, 2004 Report Posted September 6, 2004 Al, there's at least one thread about the Freeman record. Do a search. Quote
Big Al Posted September 6, 2004 Author Report Posted September 6, 2004 Al, there's at least one thread about the Freeman record. Do a search. Found it! Thanks! Quote
Big Al Posted September 6, 2004 Author Report Posted September 6, 2004 "Cobb's Mob" played both coasts within the past three months. Yeah! After I started the thread, I did a general web search and found the page for the Cobb's Groove disc. After listening to some clips, it sounds like Cobb hasn't lost anything in the last few decades; this is one I've GOT to get! Quote
mmilovan Posted September 6, 2004 Report Posted September 6, 2004 (edited) Cobb played last year in Belgrade. It was (as well as 3 years earlier concert of Roy Haynes) some of greatest moment of my life to see him playing, live. Cobb was perfect, almost quiet at times, and did no showman elements while soloing. Just music. Edited September 6, 2004 by mmilovan Quote
Leeway Posted September 6, 2004 Report Posted September 6, 2004 Can't find it now, but there was a good article on Cobb in Jazz Times within the last year. From the article, it appears he is in good form and still quite active in clubs and recording studio. Quote
Joe G Posted September 6, 2004 Report Posted September 6, 2004 Check out the albums he did with Wes Montgomery: Full House, and Smokin' at the Half Note. Kickass. Boss Guitar is good, too; especially if you want to hear him in an organ trio. Quote
BFrank Posted September 6, 2004 Report Posted September 6, 2004 Check out the albums he did with Wes Montgomery: Full House, and Smokin' at the Half Note. Kickass. Boss Guitar is good, too; especially if you want to hear him in an organ trio. I never noticed that he was on all of those. SMOKIN' for sure! Quote
Jim R Posted September 6, 2004 Report Posted September 6, 2004 (edited) ONLY FOR THE PURE AT HEART was released on Fable in 1998. (same band as on COBB'S GROOVE, sans Eric Alexander). Peter Bernstein shines. Edited September 6, 2004 by Jim R Quote
Leeway Posted September 6, 2004 Report Posted September 6, 2004 Mr. Cobb has his own web site! Jimmy Cobb Web Page Quote
king ubu Posted September 6, 2004 Report Posted September 6, 2004 Cobb did two relatively recent recordings with the quartet of swiss tenor saxophonist, Roman Schwaller (he was with the Vienna Art Ochestra in the eighties). The quartet also includes Oliver Kent (p), and Thomas Stabenow (b). One disc is on JHM Records - I have and like it: http://www.jhmrecords.ch/de/katalog/index_a.php, the other one I just now found out about is on Bassic Sound: http://www.jazzrecords.com/bassic/cd019.htm. Very fine mainstream jazz, a couple of originals, Cobb is great, Schwaller is never less than solid, quite his own man, and the other two men are good, as well, Stabenow standing out shining on several tunes of "Some Changes in Life" (JHM). If anyone orders from JHM directly, they have a few other good things in their catalogue: the Clifford Jordan disc (here - ask Sangrey), as well as Schwaller's Nonet release, The Original Tunes. ubu Quote
stevebop Posted September 6, 2004 Report Posted September 6, 2004 Jimmy Cobb's "Mob" also recently recorded for Milestone in Janaury 2003. The CD, "Cobb's Groove" features Eric Alexander, Richard Wyands, Peter Bernstein and John Webber. Jimmy is also on the most recent Fathead Newman release on HighNote Quote
take5 Posted September 7, 2004 Report Posted September 7, 2004 Saw him at Smoke in Manhattan, with George Coleman jumping up to do a tune with 'em. Bought the CD that night. Very cool that he's active. A friend (who doesn't know jack about jazz) has very well-to-do folks and a little jazz combo at some party. One of the guests sat-in to play drums- "some guy named Jimmy Cobb- is he famous?- he was really good!" as she put it. The world isn't fair. Quote
mikeweil Posted September 7, 2004 Report Posted September 7, 2004 Jimmy Cobb is as great as ever. Here's a link to his bio on the Fantasy website. The first CD of Cobb's Mob, which exists for quite a few years now, in fact was this album: He's pretty much in demand as a sideman in recent years. Quote
catesta Posted September 7, 2004 Report Posted September 7, 2004 He's pretty much in demand as a sideman in recent years. Yep. Quote
Brad Posted September 7, 2004 Report Posted September 7, 2004 Those Jimmy Cobb Mob cds are really quite outstanding. Peter Bernstein really shines on these. Quote
Big Al Posted September 7, 2004 Author Report Posted September 7, 2004 He's pretty much in demand as a sideman in recent years. Yep. Quote
catesta Posted September 7, 2004 Report Posted September 7, 2004 He's pretty much in demand as a sideman in recent years. Yep. You got that right. B-) Quote
Jim R Posted September 7, 2004 Report Posted September 7, 2004 The first CD of Cobb's Mob, which exists for quite a few years now, in fact was this album: Well, different pianist, and different leader, but I see your point. I have almost all of Bernstein's Criss Cross CD's, and that's a good one. I haven't been crazy about the writing on some of the more recent ones. Quote
Big Al Posted September 7, 2004 Author Report Posted September 7, 2004 (edited) Jim, what kinda guitar is he holding there? It looks like the same kind Doug Raney used on Blues on a Par, and I love the sound of the guitar on that one! Edited September 7, 2004 by Big Al Quote
The Mule Posted September 7, 2004 Report Posted September 7, 2004 Very much alive and played Los Angeles this summer. A friend of mine hung out with him two nights in a row after the gig and said he was in a story-telling mood and a very, very cool cat... Evidently, Mr. Cobb is also rather fond of In 'n' Out burgers.... Quote
Jim R Posted September 7, 2004 Report Posted September 7, 2004 Jim, what kinda guitar is he holding there? It looks like the same kind Doug Raney used on Blues on a Par, and I love the sound of the guitar on that one! That's a Gibson ES-175, Gibson's workhorse model which was introduced in 1949. Plywood body, humbucking pickups. Actually, the axe on the cover of Raney's "Blues On A Par" is a different brand, and a different animal (a Gretsch acoustic archtop with a floating pickup, I believe). JIMMY Raney used a 175 like Bernstein's for awhile (that's probably what you meant, right Al?)(just nod and say yes). Quote
Nate Dorward Posted September 8, 2004 Report Posted September 8, 2004 Cobb's on Toronto pianist Mark Eisenman (my old piano teacher)'s new disc too. Quote
Big Al Posted September 8, 2004 Author Report Posted September 8, 2004 JIMMY Raney used a 175 like Bernstein's for awhile (that's probably what you meant, right Al?)(just nod and say yes). (Intone voice of Beaky Buzzard): Ahhhhh, yup, yup, yup, yup! Quote
Big Al Posted September 9, 2004 Author Report Posted September 9, 2004 Note to Joe G: Picked up Wes Montgomery's Impressions: The Verve Jazz Sides with all that Half Note stuff. Youse is right: that stuff is da SHIZNIT!!! Quote
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