Al Cohn recommendations?

[Larry Kart]

I agree that lateish Al was almost uniformily superb -- got to hear him pretty much every year at the Jazz Showcase in the '80s (until his death), paired with Zoot, Lee Konitz, Allen Eager, Clark Terry or on his own -- but one middle period Al Cohn disc that should not be missed is the one he did for Coral with Bob Brookmeyer that Verve put out a year or so ago. Backed by Mose Allison, Teddy Kotick, and Nick Stabulus (in a neo-Blakey groove), both horn soloists are in great form. Some nice discreet writing -- charts and originals -- too. I'm especially knocked out by the performance here of "A Blues Serenade." A lovely day in the studio. Only possible drawback is 12 shortish tracks (maybe nothing as long as 4 minutes), but on the other hand, the need to get it said within those frameworks seems to stimulate everyone. I've loved this album since it came out in 1957 or so. Grab it before it's gone, if it isn't already.

[brownie]

Don't think there is an Al Cohn session where he was less than very good!

My love for his playing started very early when I listened to the British release of this 1954 Nick Travis session 'The Panic Is On' with Johnny Williams, Teddy Kotick and Art Mardigan. The British HMV had the same great cover by the one and only Jim Flora!

I played the album to death and later replaced it with the RCA Victor original!

[Clunky]

Don't think there is an Al Cohn session where he was less than very good!

My love for his playing started very early when I listened to the British release of this 1954 Nick Travis session 'The Panic Is On' with Johnny Williams, Teddy Kotick and Art Mardigan. The British HMV had the same great cover by the one and only Jim Flora!

I played the album to death and later replaced it with the RCA Victor original!

I have a pretty decent HMV version I picked up last year. Nice mellow session. Don't think I have any more Travis elsewhere.

[Late]

Al Cohn & Zoot Sims - Motoring Along - Sonet

Al Cohn & Zoot Sims - Body & Soul - Muse

Was Motoring Along reissued on compact disc? (Anyone know where it might be purchased?) I know Body and Soul came out both domestically and in Japan on CD. That album has two beautiful ballads, the title track and "Emily." Both Cohn's and Sim's tones are unusually dark on these tracks. Absolutely gorgeous.

Has anyone mentioned Al Cohn's effort with Spike Robinson? I'm about to pull the trigger on that one. I'm a little surprised it's still available on CD.

I've listened to sound samples of Cohn's Overtones with his son on guitar, but didn't get too excited.

The Cohn/Brookmeyer Coral date that Larry mentions was recorded within days of the Cohn/Sims Coral date I think — I'll have to check. I like the session with Brookmeyer, but love the session with Sims. The track "Two Funky People" knocks me out. Both Cohn and Sims are on clarinet on that one.

[couw]

Was Motoring Along reissued on compact disc? (Anyone know where it might be purchased?)

yes, this great album was reissued a couple of years ago. Very nicely done too. It is easily available here in Euroland, but for some reason, distribution on your side of the Nile seems poor.

[Chuck Nessa]

The Cohn/Brookmeyer Coral date that Larry mentions was recorded within days of the Cohn/Sims Coral date I think — I'll have to check. I like the session with Brookmeyer, but love the session with Sims. The track "Two Funky People" knocks me out. Both Cohn and Sims are on clarinet on that one.

They were recorded about 3 months apart. Did you get the version of the Coral Cohn/Sims with a bonus track?

[Late]

The Cohn/Brookmeyer Coral date that Larry mentions was recorded within days of the Cohn/Sims Coral date I think — I'll have to check. I like the session with Brookmeyer, but love the session with Sims. The track "Two Funky People" knocks me out. Both Cohn and Sims are on clarinet on that one.

They were recorded about 3 months apart. Did you get the version of the Coral Cohn/Sims with a bonus track?

The track "Gone with the Wind"? I missed that edition.

Edited February 11, 2007 by Late

[Peter Friedman]

The Cohn/Brookmeyer Coral date that Larry mentions was recorded within days of the Cohn/Sims Coral date I think — I'll have to check. I like the session with Brookmeyer, but love the session with Sims. The track "Two Funky People" knocks me out. Both Cohn and Sims are on clarinet on that one.

They were recorded about 3 months apart. Did you get the version of the Coral Cohn/Sims with a bonus track?

The track "Gone with the Wind"? I missed that edition.

My Japanese CD does not have the extra track. Is it worth getting another CD for that one track? What release has the extra track?

[Late]

The very first (compact disc) edition of the Coral album has the bonus track. The Keepnews edition then nixed it. I've never heard the first edition (c. late 80's), and am not even sure who reissued it.

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On another note (back to Xanadu) ~ Cohn's recording of "America" is strangely, almost ironically (for these times), breathtaking. It's played as a sort of bossa, but Cohn handles the melody so respectfully and so straightly, you feel as though he really cares about, and subscribes to, the lyrics.

[Chuck Nessa]

The very first (compact disc) edition of the Coral album has the bonus track. The Keepnews edition then nixed it. I've never heard the first edition (c. late 80's), and am not even sure who reissued it.

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On another note (back to Xanadu) ~ Cohn's recording of "America" is strangely, almost ironically (for these times), breathtaking. It's played as a sort of bossa, but Cohn handles the melody so respectfully and so straightly, you feel as though he really cares about, and subscribes to, the lyrics.

The bonus track was on Decca MCAD-31372, issued in the US in 1990.

Cohn revisited "America" on Carl Fontana's "The Great Fontana".

[Late]

Chuck — interesting that you should mention the Fontana. I just received it in the mail this weekend. Have spun it once so far. A nice session indeed.

[Jazztropic]

All this talk about Al Cohn has got me interested in getting some of these recomended cds.Has anyone got this cd(Lover Man) it is a new release but of what sets does it include(compilations or new material?)

[Late]

All this talk about Al Cohn has got me interested in getting some of these recomended cds. Has anyone got this cd (Lover Man)? It is a new release but of what sets does it include (compilations or new material?)

I believe it's a live 1982 set. I don't own it, so unfortunately can't comment on the music.

If you do eMusic, I'd strongly recommend the Xanadus.

[Jazztropic]

Picked up Heavy Love and downloaded most of the Xanadu recordings they are all tremendous!

[brownie]

Al and Zoot in 1968 with Stan Tracey, piano, Dave Green, bass and Phil Seamen, drums.

[BillF]

Al takes some great solos on Elliot Lawrence Plays Gerry Mulligan Arrangements (OJC/Fantasy)

[Peter Friedman]

A marvelous Xanadu with Al Cohn is Earl Coleman's 'A Song For You'. Cohn plays only on half of the eight tunes but does a magnificient job of it. There is even a version of 'Dark Shadows', different from the Dial side with Charlie Parker. Cohn is also brilliant on the title tune and on 'The Very Thought of You'.

The four other tracks without Cohn have just Coleman and the rhythm section (Hank Jones, George Duvivier, Leroy Williams). I must be in a minority but I love Earl Coleman! Great underrated singer...

I had this one on LP and have been waiting for many years to have it re-issued on CD. Al's playing on this Earl Coleman session is simply GREAT!!!!!

I suppose that since Earl Coleman is not well known this may never get reissued on CD.

DRAG!

[Kyo]

Al Cohn has a really dynamite series of recordings on Xanadu records with Barry Harris or Jimmy Rowles on piano. The cream of the crop might actually be the duets with Jimmy Rowles: "Heavy Love." But the others are also superb.

You may have a hard time finding this stuff commerically, but last time I looked all of it could be downloaded from E-music.

I was just going to grab Heavy Love but unfortunately one of the tracks is "unavailable at the

moment" (which means there was some noise in the mp3 and it'll probably stay gone for

ages). Can someone hook these guys up with a flawless mp3 so I can grab it?