Joe Cohn

**sgcim** · 07-29-2019, 04:00 PM

Originally Posted by David B

Joe appears as part of a French quartet led by saxophonist Nicolas Dary on 2014's 'U Babbu'. I just obtained a copy.

NOT easy to track down - no digital outlets that I can find - but a worthy addition to Joe Cohn's too-slim discography (I can't find him on anything since 2015's four sets of 'Emeryville Sessions'.

Solid tenor-led straight ahead session. The album notes say nothing about the date, but all the tunes sound like contrafacts - something of the titles are obvious giveaways, other are more obtuse.

Thanks for the info. I'll have to track that down. Joe is the real deal.

**neatomic** · 07-29-2019, 04:00 PM

2016 release...live and lo-fi!

cheers

**David B** · 07-29-2019, 05:17 PM

Originally Posted by neatomic

2016 release...live and lo-fi!

cheers

Nice find!

**sgosnell** · 07-29-2019, 07:13 PM

I'm far from NYC, so can't keep up with much. I heard on YouTube that Joe recently had shoulder surgery, but no other details. Anyone know if he's playing again?

**David B** · 07-30-2019, 03:07 AM

Originally Posted by sgosnell

I'm far from NYC, so can't keep up with much. I heard on YouTube that Joe recently had shoulder surgery, but no other details. Anyone know if he's playing again?

Joe had shoulder surgery in April and was expected to be out of action for 6 to 12 months. A friend in NYC knows Joe and said he couldn't wait to get back to the guitar and in the last couple of weeks, he's been spotted back in action! My friend hung with him this last Sunday at the Ear Inn. Saw a photo of him doing a restaurant duo gig with Jack Wilkins a week or two ago. I'm told he's looking and sounding good.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B0GfBiejiby

**sgosnell** · 07-30-2019, 09:39 AM

Glad to hear it. Michael Steinman used to post a lot of videos of the Ear In sessions, but I haven't seen any for awhile. He seems to be busy in other locations these days.

**Irez87** · 07-30-2019, 12:00 PM

Originally Posted by jimmysguitar

Really! Joe is a funny guy. So, this is the story. I met Joe in my very own family home back in '76. My good childhood friend Bob Homan attended Berklee for 2 years - '75/'76 and '76/'77. During one of his breaks, I'm pretty sure it was Thanksgiving, he came by my house with his new friend Joe. Joe was hyper and all he wanted to do was play. So, we played. It was intense for me because Joe is the real thing. I was just getting started so I was feeling delicate. Joe played like a demon and he was nothing but pleasant and over the top with compliments. He became one of my favorite people. Now this is funny because Bob dropped out just as I was going into Berklee in the fall of '77. The part that's funny is that my dorm room was the very same room Bob was in just prior. I learned this from Joe as he was still in school when I began. I don't know but I guess I am a year younger than Bob and Joe. Joe was very active at Berklee in '77/'78. I can't remember the succession but he was staying in I believe Watertown at first and then moved to Brighton. Joe was playing a Guild Starfire IV or V at the time. I'm pretty sure it had the Bigsby. He was very active with the big band (Herb Pomeroy) and he had very regular recitals at 1140/1A, a modest performance space. His recitals were great and each one featured a different soloist.....people like Mike Lawrence (alto), Olivier Peters (tenor), Hendrik Meurkens (vibes), Ed Tomassi (tenor) and Eric Marienthal. These performances were smokin'! These guys were unbelievable! I have the tapes and Berklee should have them in the library. My roommates didn't like it but we did have the space for Joe to keep some equipment in the dorm room to keep close at hand. I'm pretty sure he used a Twin Reverb and so that stayed with me as well as his Fender bass. Other posters are correct. Joe played bass as well as trumpet or cornet, an instrument he started on a little later. I don't remember him playing piano but I do remember him taking me to see Olivier Peters play one. OP played piano like the other OP, Oscar Peterson. It was incredible and Joe was amazed. Joe was and is all about the music. He played that Guild for awhile but he soon moved on to an ES175. Anyway, it's great to see that Joe has fans. He certainly deserves it. We all need to get out there and support Joe Cohn. Take it from Pat Metheny. Joe is one of the greats!

Awesome story, I love these personal anecdotes. These guys are humans first, players second.

The only bad part of the story was the end. Why does Pat Metheny have to be the one to give Joe Cohn relevance or credence? Eh, I won't let it sour the thread (DON'T LET IT SOUR THE THREAD).

Joe Cohn was REALLY important to my development, indirectly.

You guys know Jim Snidero? Well, he came out with the "Jazz Conception" series of jazz etude books. Those books were the bread and butter of my jazz development--I should revisit them, they're THAT good!

Jim Snidero picked the best musicians he could find for his etude books.

For the guitar editions, who did he pick?

?

He picked Joe Cohn. I learned how to get the right jazz guitar sound by copying Joe's tone and the way he phrased the lines in the books.

**sgcim** · 07-30-2019, 02:30 PM

Originally Posted by Irez87

Awesome story, I love these personal anecdotes. These guys are humans first, players second.

The only bad part of the story was the end. Why does Pat Metheny have to be the one to give Joe Cohn relevance or credence? Eh, I won't let it sour the thread (DON'T LET IT SOUR THE THREAD).

Joe Cohn was REALLY important to my development, indirectly.

You guys know Jim Snidero? Well, he came out with the "Jazz Conception" series of jazz etude books. Those books were the bread and butter of my jazz development--I should revisit them, they're THAT good!

Jim Snidero picked the best musicians he could find for his etude books.

For the guitar editions, who did he pick?

?

He picked Joe Cohn. I learned how to get the right jazz guitar sound by copying Joe's tone and the way he phrased the lines in the books.

This has been a common syndrome inthe last 20 years or so. Unless PM gives his stamp of approval, you're wothless!

**David B** · 07-30-2019, 04:23 PM

**David B** · 07-30-2019, 04:24 PM

**Irez87** · 07-30-2019, 06:28 PM

I hate you guys!

Between David B, and Neatomic, and all you...

I'm gonna spend all my money on buying new music!

STOP IT, I tell you!

Hah!

That Jay Leonhart cut is SOOOO GOOOD! I thought Jay was too fixated on bringing his bass on a plane while singing to put out an album like that

**sgosnell** · 07-30-2019, 06:38 PM

Joe's comping is so good.

**David B** · 07-30-2019, 08:06 PM

Originally Posted by Irez87

That Jay Leonhart cut is SOOOO GOOOD! I thought Jay was too fixated on bringing his bass on a plane while singing to put out an album like that

Your can get it directly from Jay's Bandcamp page. Better deal for the musicians if you buy on Bandcamp.
Cool | Jay Leonhart

**David B** · 07-30-2019, 08:18 PM

One of my favourite things to listen for in a jazz performance is the handover between soloists and this is a fine example. The start of Joe's solo picks up beautifully on the last phrase of Grant Stewart's line.