JIMMY COBB NAMED NEA JAZZ MASTER, AND OTHER HONORS

Date: 11.03.2008
Publication: MM Newsletter
Author: Marsalis Music

When it comes Jimmy Cobb and Honors, we at Marsalis Music like to think of ourselves as ahead of the NEA curve. Cobb’s self-titled volume was the first to be recorded in our Honors Series. Now Cobb has joined the ranks of NEA Jazz Masters, part of the Class of 2009 that was presented at an event held at Jazz at Lincoln Center in Manhattan on October 17. Cobb is among a distinguished class of giants that also includes George Benson, Lee Konitz, Toots Thielemans, Rudy Van Gelder (acknowledged in the recently created Jazz Advocacy category) and Snooky Young.

The impending 50th anniversary of one of Cobb’s signal performances, Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue, has already generated many press stories where Cobb, the surviving member of the 1959 Davis Sextet, is a focal point. And of course Cobb’s drums continue to bring focus to every musical endeavor in which he is heard. One of the most recent, Tough Guys by the Generations Band (ICA), reunites Cobb with two key contributors to his Honors Series disc, alto saxophonist Andrew Speight and engineer Rob Hunter, in addition to Eric Alexander, Marcus Belgrave, Ray Drummond and the late Ronnie Mathews.

While on the subject of awards, it should be noted that Miguel Zenón has claimed one more. The Cork Guinness Jazz Festival has named the Marsalis Music recording artist and MacArthur Fellow this year’s Rising Star. Zenón is in the select company of the Festival’s 2008’s Jazz Legend Lee Konitz (another alto enjoying trophy season) and Award winners Martial Solal and Sean Og McEriaine (in the Europe and Irish categories respectively).