Jimmy Cobb

Wilbur James Cobb (January 20, 1929 – May 24, 2020) was an American jazz drummer.He was part of Miles Davis's First Great Sextet.At the time of his death, he had been the band's last surviving member for nearly thirty years.

Cobb was born in Washington, D.C. on January 20, 1929.Before he began his music career, he listened to jazz albums and stayed awake into the late hours of the night in order to listen to Symphony Sid performing in New York City.Cobb started his touring career in 1950 with the saxophonist Earl Bostic.He subsequently performed with vocalist Dinah Washington, pianist Wynton Kelly, saxophonist Cannonball Adderley, Frank Wess, Leo Parker, and Charlie Rouse.His website also recounts his gigs with Billie Holiday, Pearl Bailey, and Dizzy Gillespie that took place before 1957.

Cobb joined Miles Davis in 1957 as part of the latter's First Great Sextet, after Adderley recommended him to Davis.Cobb's best known recorded work is on Davis' Kind of Blue (1959).Cobb was the last surviving player from the sessions, a distinction he held for just under the last three decades of his life.He also played on other Davis albums, including Sketches of Spain (1960), Someday My Prince Will Come (1961), Miles Davis at Carnegie Hall (1962), In Person Friday and Saturday Nights at the Blackhawk, Complete, and briefly on Porgy and Bess (1959) and Sorcerer.His subtle and understated demeanor drew the admiration of many including Davis.However, this also meant that he did not get the same level of recognition that his fellow drummers would.Cobb had the propensity to eschew publicity and did not record his first set as bandleader until 1983, with the release of So Nobody Else Can Hear.

Cobb left the band in 1963, when Tony Williams was brought in by Davis.He formed a trio with Kelly and bassist Paul Chambers, both of whom were part of Davis' rhythm section.The group recorded with Kenny Burrell (guitar) and J. J. Johnson (trombone), before breaking up at the end of the decade.Cobb went on to join the Great Jazz Trio, together with Hank Jones on piano and Eddie Gómez on bass.He also toured with Sarah Vaughan during the 1970s, and taught at Stanford University, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and Berklee College of Music.He played in a tribute band called "4 Generations of Miles", together with Ron Carter (bass) and George Coleman (tenor saxophone).

During his career, Cobb worked with Clark Terry, Stan Getz, John Coltrane, Wes Montgomery, Art Pepper, Wayne Shorter, Benny Golson, Gil Evans, Kenny Dorham, Frank Strozier, Bobby Timmons, Booker Little, Johnny Griffin, Akiko Tsuruga, Bertha Hope, Hamiet Bluiett, Nat Adderley, Mark Murphy, Jon Hendricks, Joe Henderson, Fathead Newman, Geri Allen, Sonny Stitt, Nancy Wilson, and Ricky Ford, among many others.He also worked with Ernie Royal, Philly Joe Jones, Walter Booker, Jerome Richardson, Keter Betts, Jimmy Cleveland, Sam Jones, Red Garland, Bill Evans, Jeremy Steig, Richard Wyands, Peter Bernstein, Richie Cole, and David Amram.

In June 2008, Jimmy Cobb was the recipient of the Don Redman Heritage award. On October 17, 2008, Cobb was one of six artists to receive the 2009 National Endowment for the Arts NEA Jazz Masters award.

Cobb was married to Eleana Steinberg Cobb until his death.Together, they had two daughters (Serena and Jaime), both of whom survived him.

Cobb died on May 24, 2020, at his home in Manhattan.He was 91, and had been suffering from lung cancer.

As leader

• So Nobody Else Can Hear (Contempo Vibrato, 1983)
• Encounter (Philology, 1994)
• Only for the Pure of Heart (Fable/Lightyear, 1998)
• Four Generations of Miles: A Live Tribute to Miles (Chesky, 2002)
• Cobb's Groove (Milestone, 2003)
• Yesterdays (RteesanCobb Music, 2003)
• Tribute to Wynton Kelly & Paul Chambers (Sound Hills, 2004)
• Cobb Is Back in Italy! (Azzurra, 2005)
• Marsalis Music Honors Series: Jimmy Cobb (Marsalis/Rounder, 2006))
• Taking a Chance on Love (Azzurra, 2006)
• New York Time (Chesky, 2006)
• Cobb's Corner (Chesky, 2007)
• Jazz in the Key of Blue (Chesky, 2009)
• Live at Smalls (Smallslive, 2010)
• Remembering Miles `Tribute to Miles Davis` (Sony Music, 2011)
• The Original Mob (Smoke Sessions, 2014)
• You'll See (SteepleChase, 2016)

As sideman

With Pepper Adams-Donald Byrd Quintet

• Out of this World (Warwick, 1961)

With Cannonball Adderley

• Sophisticated Swing (EmArcy, 1956)
• Cannonball Enroute (EmArcy, 1957)
• Cannonball's Sharpshooters (EmArcy, 1958)
• Jump for Joy (EmArcy, 1958)
• Cannonball Adderley Quintet in Chicago (Mercury, 1959)
• Cannonball Takes Charge (Riverside, 1959)

With Nat Adderley

• That's Right! (Riverside, 1960)
• On the Move (Theresa, 1983)
• Blue Autumn (Theresa, 1983)
• We Remember Cannon (In + Out, 1989)
• Autumn Leaves (Sweet Basil, 1990)
• Work Song: Live at Sweet Basil (Sweet Basil, 1990 [1993])
• Talkin' About You (Landmark, 1990 [1991])

With Toshiko Akiyoshi

• Toshiko Mariano and her Big Band (Vee-Jay, 1964)

With Lorez Alexandria

• Alexandria the Great (Impulse!, 1964)
• More of the Great Lorez Alexandria (Impulse!, 1964)

With Geri Allen

• Timeless Portraits and Dreams (Telarc, 2006)

With Dorothy Ashby

• Soft Winds (Jazzland, 1961)

With Kenny Barron and John Hicks

• Rhythm-a-Ning (Candid, 1989)

With Walter Benton

• Out of This World (Jazzland, 1960)

With Walter Bishop, Jr.

• The Walter Bishop Jr. Trio / 1965 (Prestige, 1963 [1965])

With Nick Brignola

• Burn Brigade (Bee Hive, 1979)

With Paul Chambers

• Go (Vee-Jay, 1959)

With Al Cohn

• Son of Drum Suite (RCA Victor, 1960)

With John Coltrane

• Standard Coltrane (Prestige, 1958)
• Stardust (Prestige, 1958)
• Kenny Burrell and John Coltrane (Prestige, 1958)
• Bahia (Prestige, 1958)
• Giant Steps (on "Naima" only, Atlantic, 1959)
• Coltrane Jazz (Atlantic, 1959)

With Miles Davis

• Porgy and Bess (Columbia, 1958)
• 1958 Miles (Columbia, 1958)
• Jazz at the Plaza (Columbia, 1958)
• Kind of Blue (Columbia, 1959)
• Sketches of Spain (Columbia, 1960)
• Someday My Prince Will Come (Columbia, 1961)
• In Person Friday and Saturday Nights at the Blackhawk, Complete (Columbia, 1961)
• Miles & Monk at Newport (Columbia, 1963)
• Miles Davis at Newport 1955-1975: The Bootleg Series Vol. 4 (Columbia Legacy, 2015)

With Joey DeFrancesco

• Wonderful! Wonderful! (HighNote, 2012)

With Kenny Dorham

• Blue Spring (Riverside, 1959)

With Kenny Drew

• Lite Flite (SteepleChase, 1977)

With Ricky Ford

• Flying Colors (Muse, 1980)
• Tenor for the Times (Muse, 1981)
• Interpretations (Muse, 1982)
• Future's Gold (Muse, 1983)
• Shorter Ideas (Muse, 1984)
• Saxotic Stomp (Muse, 1987)

With Curtis Fuller

• Soul Trombone (Impulse!, 1961)

With Benny Golson

• Pop + Jazz = Swing (Audio Fidelity, 1961) – also released as Just Jazz!
• Turning Point (Mercury, 1962)

With Paul Gonsalves

• Gettin' Together (Jazzland, 1960)

With Bunky Green

• My Babe (Vee-Jay, 1960 [1965])

With Bill Hardman

• Saying Something (Savoy 1961)

With Joe Henderson

• Four (Verve, 1968)
• Straight, No Chaser (Verve, 1968)

With John Hendricks

• Freddie Freeloader (Denon, 1990)

With John Hicks and Elise Wood

• Luminous (Nilva, 1985)

With Wynton Kelly

• Kelly Blue (Riverside, 1959)
• Wynton Kelly! (Vee-Jay, 1961)
• Someday My Prince Will Come (Vee-Jay, 1961)
• Comin' in the Back Door (Verve, 1963)
• It's All Right! (Verve, 1964)
• Undiluted (Verve, 1965)
• Blues on Purpose (Xanadu, 1965)
• Full View (Riverside, 1967)
• Last Trio Session (Delmark, 1968)

With Hubert Laws

• The Laws of Jazz (Atlantic, 1964)

With Johnny Lytle

• New and Groovy (Tuba, 1966)

With Harold Mabern

• To Love and Be Loved (Smoke Sessions, 2017)

With Pat Martino

• Desperado (Prestige, 1970)

With Ronnie Mathews

• Legacy (Bee Hive, 1979)

With Billy Mitchell

• De Lawd's Blues (Xanadu, 1980)

With Wes Montgomery

• Full House (Riverside, 1962)
• Boss Guitar (Riverside, 1963)
• Guitar on the Go (Riverside, 1963)
• The Alternative Wes Montgomery (Riverside, 1963)
• Smokin' at the Half Note (Verve, 1965)
• Smokin' Guitar (Verve, 1965)
• Willow Weep for Me (Verve, 1969)

With Frank Morgan

• Quiet Fire (Contemporary, 1987 [1991] with Bud Shank

With David "Fathead" Newman

• Still Hard Times (Muse, 1982)
• Song for the New Man (HighNote, 2004)

With Art Pepper

• Gettin' Together (Contemporary, 1960)

With Jimmy Raney

• Here's That Raney Day (Ahead, 1980)

With Sonny Red

• Out of the Blue (Blue Note, 1960)
• The Mode (Jazzland (1961)
• Images (Jazzland, 1961)

With Shirley Scott

• For Members Only (Impulse!, 1963)
• On a Clear Day (Impulse!, 1966)

With Wayne Shorter

• Introducing Wayne Shorter (Vee-Jay, 1959)

With Don Sleet

• All Members (Jazzland, 1961)

With Sonny Stitt

• In Style (Muse, 1982)

With Teri Thornton

• Devil May Care (Riverside, 1961)

With Bobby Timmons

• This Here is Bobby Timmons (Riveside, 1960)
• Easy Does It (Riverside, 1961)
• From the Bottom (Riverside, 1964)
• The Soul Man! (Prestige, 1966)
• Got to Get It! (Milestone, 1967)

With Norris Turney

• Big, Sweet 'n Blue with Larry Willis and Walter Booker (Mapleshade, 1993)

With Phil Upchurch

• Feeling Blue (Milestone, 1967)

With Sarah Vaughan

• Live in Japan (Mainstream, 1975)
• Ronnie Scott's Presents Sarah Vaughan Live (Pye, 1977)

With Cedar Walton

• Midnight Waltz (Venus, 2005)

With Dinah Washington

• For Those in Love (EmArcy, 1955)

With C. I. Williams

• When Alto Was King (Mapleshade, 1997)