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Al Cohn Memorial Jazz Collection |
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East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania |
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Phone:
570-422-3828 Email:
alcohncollection@esu.edu |
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To contact us: |
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Al Cohn
Memorial Jazz Collection Kemp
Library East
Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania 200
Prospect Street East
Stroudsburg, PA 18301-2999 |
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About Al
Cohn (11/24/25—2/15/88) Most of you know Al Cohn’s brilliance as a jazz
saxophonist. Not as well known is the scope of his other accomplishments. His career in jazz spanned more than 45 years. He
performed with the bands of Henry Jerome, Joe Marsala, Georgie Auld, Alvino
Rey, Buddy Rich, Woody Herman, Artie Shaw, Elliot Lawrence and others. Many
of the arrangements used by these bands were written by Al, and he also
arranged for Gerry Mulligan, Quincy Jones, Terry Gibbs and Jimmy Rushing. In
Herman’s band, he replaced Herbie Steward as a member of the notable “Four
Brothers” in Woody’s “Second Herd,” joining tenors Zoot Sims and Stan Getz
and baritone saxophonist Serge Chaloff. It was during this time that Al and
Zoot formed their lasting friendship and musical relationship. He composed regularly for television shows,
including “The Andy Williams Show,” “The Pat Boone-Chevy Showroom,” “The
Steve Allen Show,” “The Ernie Kovacs Show,” and “Sid Caesar’s Show of Shows.”
He also scored orchestrations for numerous televised specials, including the
week-long “50th Anniversary of CBS,” the award-winning “Anne Bancroft Show”
and “S’Wonderful, S’Marvelous, S’Gershwin” shows, along with the “Cole Porter in Paris Show,” the Tony
Awards, and Miss Universe and Miss USA shows. He also wrote for the Jack
Sterling WCBS morning radio show. In film, he appeared in “The Great Rocky Mountain
Jazz Party,” a 1977 documentary based on one of Dick Gibson’s Colorado Jazz
parties, and in the 1948 film short entitled “Woody Herman and his
Orchestra.” He also played tenor solos on the soundtrack for “Lenny,” a film
based on the life of comedian Lenny Bruce. Al was principal arranger for the Broadway
productions of “Raisin,” “Music, Music, Music” and Duke Ellington’s
“Sophisticated Ladies.” He also played
tenor sax soundtrack for the stage production of “I’m Not Rappaport.” He wrote arrangements for many singers, including
Tony Bennett, Peggy Lee, Lena Horne, Linda Ronstadt and Sammy Davis, Jr., and
special material for Dick Shawn and Kay Thompson. On occasion, Al conducted
his orchestrations during recording sessions. In addition to Bennett and
Horne, Al recorded with many of the vocal greats, including Billie Holiday,
Ella Fitzgerald, Teresa Brewer, Betty Carter, Irene Kral, Susanna McCorkle,
Carmen McRae and Nana Mouskouri. Al even ventured into the world of poetry
and prose. He and Zoot were among jazz musicians accompanying the Beat
Generation’s Jack Kerouac during club readings and recording sessions. As player, leader, and co-leader, Al toured
extensively throughout the U.S. and around the world. Al and Zoot co-led a
quintet from 1957 through the early 1980s, appearing regularly at the Half
Note in NYC. The recipient of numerous awards during his
lifetime, including 4 Grammy nominations, his posthumous awards include the
prestigious inductions to the American Jazz Hall of Fame and the ASCAP Wall
of Fame. Al composed more than one hundred original jazz tunes, all of them
recorded. He had more than 50 recordings to his credit, with appearances on
more than 350 other albums and CDs. Jazz historian Russ Chase is nearing
completion of an authoritative discography of his recordings. |
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PHOTO
BY DON BACON |
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Al Cohn and Zoot Sims — their close
friendship and professional relationship spanned almost four decades. (Photo by John P. Callanan) |