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Arnett Cobb

One of the classic Texas Tenors, there was always excitement elicited by Cobb’s uninhibited, blasting style which earned him the label "Wild Man of the Tenor Sax."

Arnette Cleophus Cobbs, was born on August 10, 1918, in Houston, Texas. He was taught piano by his grandmother and went on to study violin before taking up tenor saxophone in the Wheatley High School band. When he was fifteen he joined Louisiana band leader Frank Davis’s band and performed in the Houston area and throughout Louisiana during the summer. He worked with trumpeter Chester Boone for two years and left to become a founding member of the Milton Larkin Orchestra in 1936.

Cobb worked with Larkin for six years and, with members Eddie Vinson, Cedric Haywood, Wild Bill Davis, Illinois Jacquet, and others, made the band one of the most successful territorial bands from Texas. The band became a regular at venues including the Apollo Theatre in Harlem and boxer Joe Louis's Rhumboogie Club in Chicago.

Originator of the “open prairie” tone and “southern preacher” style, Cobb continually turned down offers from many national bands including Jimmy Lunceford, Count Basie, and Lionel Hampton. However, with his mother’s approval, and Gladys Hampton’s offer to Elizabeth (Cobb’s wife), in 1942 Arnett took the lead saxophone chair in Hampton’s band, replacing Illinois Jacquet, who had gotten the position as Arnett’s substitute (from an original 1941 offer to Cobb). Jacquet had held his position with Hampton on the condition that he switch from alto to tenor and “play like Cobb.” With Cobb as the featured soloist, Hampton re- recorded his theme song, "Flying Home [No. 2]. He was a major asset to the Hampton band for five years as co- writer, writer, reed-section arranger, lead saxophone, featured soloist, and talent scout. Gladys Hampton and Elizabeth Cobb helped manage the band, and Cobb’s mother did the tailoring.

Cobb left Hampton in 1947, formed his own combo, and was immediately signed by Ben Bartz of Universal Attractions for management and booking. Under Ben’s direction, Cobb toured extensively through 1949, while recording such hits as “Dutch Kitchen Bounce” ( Princeton University’s theme song), "Big Red's Groove," “Go Red Go,” and "Big League Blues” for the Apollo label. He had begun some of his most influential years in American music history with his showmanship (bar walking and circular breathing techniques) and style (predecessor of Texas “swing” blues).

Between 1950 and 1956, Cobb produced a string of hits including “Jumpin’ the Blues,” “Lil Sonny,” “The Shy One,” and “Smooth Sailing” (Ella Fitzgerald’s signature scat) on the Columbia label; “Night,” “Light Like That” and “Flying Home Mambo” on the Atlantic label; and other popular tunes for these and other labels. His combos and support became a career-building platform for Red Garland (playing with Miles Davis), George Rhodes (Sammy Davis Jr.’s music director), George Duvivier (bassist), Dinah Washington, comedian Redd Foxx, Jackie Wilson, Arthur Prysock, and many others. Arnett scouted James Brown, positioned him as his opening act, and took him to New York to sign with agent Ben Bartz at Universal.

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Album Review

Roseanna Vitro: Listen Here

Read "Listen Here" reviewed by C. Michael Bailey


Roseanna Vitro is a singer's singer in the same way as Sarah Vaughan and Carmen McRae. She is a studied practitioner of the jazz vocal arts, an interpreter, performer, educator. Her repertoire, taste, and vocal chops are beyond compare. Vitro's ability has evolved horizontally and vertically over 14 recordings and nearly 40 years. The singer's most recent release, Tell Me The Truth (Skyline, 2018), was thematically devoted to the rich music of the American South where Vitro capably migrates from ...

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Album Review

Arnett Cobb, Gene Ammons, Paul Quinichette, Booker Ervin: More Party Time, Angel Eyes, For Basie, Heavy!!!

Read "More Party Time, Angel Eyes, For Basie, Heavy!!!" reviewed by AAJ Staff


There are many ways to skin a cat, and there are many ways to approach a tenor. The goosestepping Jazz Police of Mighty Manhattan will tell you what they think the “correct" ways are, but in jazz, diversity is much more appealing than dogma. Reissued for Fantasy's Original Jazz Classics line, these OJCs are by heroes of the tenor who range from down-home soul-jazzers (Arnett Cobb and Gene Ammons) to a lyrical Lester Young disciple (Paul Quinichette) to a forceful ...

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Recording

The Mighty Arnett Cobb

The Mighty Arnett Cobb

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers

Known as the “Wild Man of the Tenor Sax," Arnett Cobb began his recording career with the Lionel Hampton Orchestra in 1943. He quickly became one of the band's stars, and his solos were eagerly awaited by audiences. But Cobb would suffer several Job-like misfortunes, only to fight his way back to the microphone, where he established himself as one of the greats on his instrument. The first incident occurred in 1928, when Cobb was 10. After sliding out of ...

Video / DVD

Arnett Cobb: Tough Tenor

Arnett Cobb: Tough Tenor

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers

It's shaping up to be tenor sax sort of week. After all that Charlie Ventura over the past bunch of days, I found myself in the mood for Arnett Cobb. Born in Houston, Cobb played in locally bands until 1942, when he joined the Lionel Hampton Orchestra. Cobb played with Hampton until 1947—a critical period during which Hampton laid track for R&B and all the excitement and showmanship that would follow. Cobb started his own band in the early '50s ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Arnett Cobb

Jazz Musician of the Day: Arnett Cobb

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Arnett Cobb's birthday today!

One of the classic Texas Tenors, there was always excitement elicited by Cobb’s uninhibited, blasting style which earned him the label “Wild Man of the Tenor Sax." Arnette Cleophus Cobbs, was born on August 10, 1918, in Houston, Texas. He was taught piano by his grandmother and went on to study violin before taking up tenor saxophone in the Wheatley High School band... Read more.

Place our Musician of the Day ...

166

Recording

Arnett Cobb: The Eely One

Arnett Cobb: The Eely One

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers

Back before electric guitarists were down on their knees in stadiums playing competing rock solos, tough tenors roamed the planet. And in the 1950s and early 1960s, tenor saxophonists were plenty tough and competitive. Most came out of the r&b experience of the late 1940s and early 1950s. Hot r&b bands of the day included ones led by Lionel Hampton, Bull Moose Jackson, Tiny Grimes and Earl Bostic. The list of tough tenors starts with Coleman Hawkins and includes Gene ...

Ruud de Vries
saxophone, tenor
Enric Peidro
saxophone, tenor
Gavin Halloran
saxophone

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Listen Here

Skyline Records
2021

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More Party Time,...

Fantasy Jazz
1998

buy

Smooth Sailing

Prestige
1995

buy

Tenor Tribute

Soul Note
1990

buy

Show Time

Prestige
1988

buy

Funky Butt

Prestige
1981

buy

Videos

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