Arnett Cobb
Encyclopedia
Arnett Cobb was an American
jazz
tenor saxophonist
.
Cobb was born Arnette Cleophus Cobbs in Houston, Texas
. His musical career began with the local bands of Chester Boone, from 1934 to 1936, and Milt Larkin
, from 1936 to 1942 (which included a period on the West Coast
with Floyd Ray). Among his bandmates in the Larkin aggregation were Illinois Jacquet
, Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson, Tom Archia
, Cedric Haywood
, and Wild Bill Davis
. He replaced Illinois Jacquet in Lionel Hampton
's band in 1942, staying with Hampton until 1947. He is credited with the words and music for the jazz standard "Smooth Sailing", 1951. Ella Fitzgerald
recorded this for Decca
and it can be heard on her album
, Lullabies of Birdland.
Cobb then started his own seven-piece band, but suffered a serious illness in 1950, which necessitated spinal surgery. Although he re-formed the band on his recovery, in 1956 its success was again interrupted, this time by a car crash. This had long term effects on his health, involving periods in hospital, and making him permanently reliant on crutches; nevertheless, Cobb worked as a soloist through the 1970s and 1980s in the U.S. and Europe.
He died in his hometown in March 1989, at the age of 70.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
tenor saxophonist
Tenor saxophone
The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble...
.
Cobb was born Arnette Cleophus Cobbs in Houston, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. His musical career began with the local bands of Chester Boone, from 1934 to 1936, and Milt Larkin
Milt Larkin
Milt Larkin was an American jazz trumpeter and bandleader.Larkin was an autodidact on the trumpet, and got his start playing in Texas in the 1930s with Chester Boone and Giles Mitchell...
, from 1936 to 1942 (which included a period on the West Coast
West Coast of the United States
West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...
with Floyd Ray). Among his bandmates in the Larkin aggregation were Illinois Jacquet
Illinois Jacquet
Jean-Baptiste Illinois Jacquet was an American jazz tenor saxophonist, best remembered for his solo on "Flying Home", critically recognized as the first R&B saxophone solo....
, Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson, Tom Archia
Tom Archia
Ernest Alvin Archia, Jr. , was a jazz tenor saxophonist. He took "Texas Tom" as his marquee name.Archia was born, in Groveton, Texas...
, Cedric Haywood
Cedric Haywood
Cedric Haywood was an American jazz pianist.Born and raised in Houston, Texas, Haywood played as a teenager in a high school band with Arnett Cobb...
, and Wild Bill Davis
Wild Bill Davis
Wild Bill Davis was the stage name of American jazz pianist, organist, and arranger William Strethen Davis.Davis was born in Glasgow, Missouri...
. He replaced Illinois Jacquet in Lionel Hampton
Lionel Hampton
Lionel Leo Hampton was an American jazz vibraphonist, pianist, percussionist, bandleader and actor. Like Red Norvo, he was one of the first jazz vibraphone players. Hampton ranks among the great names in jazz history, having worked with a who's who of jazz musicians, from Benny Goodman and Buddy...
's band in 1942, staying with Hampton until 1947. He is credited with the words and music for the jazz standard "Smooth Sailing", 1951. Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Jane Fitzgerald , also known as the "First Lady of Song" and "Lady Ella," was an American jazz and song vocalist...
recorded this for Decca
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
and it can be heard on her album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, Lullabies of Birdland.
Cobb then started his own seven-piece band, but suffered a serious illness in 1950, which necessitated spinal surgery. Although he re-formed the band on his recovery, in 1956 its success was again interrupted, this time by a car crash. This had long term effects on his health, involving periods in hospital, and making him permanently reliant on crutches; nevertheless, Cobb worked as a soloist through the 1970s and 1980s in the U.S. and Europe.
He died in his hometown in March 1989, at the age of 70.
Discography
- 1943–1947: The Wild Man of the Tenor Sax, 1943–1947 (EPM Musique)
- 1946–1947: Arnett Cobb, 1946–1947 (Classics)
- 1947: Arnett Blows for 1300 (Delmark RecordsDelmark RecordsDelmark Records is an independent American jazz and blues record label, based in Chicago since 1958. The label originated in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1953 when owner Bob Koester released a recording of the Windy City Six, a traditional jazz group, under the "Delmar" imprint.-History:Born in 1932 in...
) - 1959: 'Blow Arnett, Blow (Original Jazz ClassicsOriginal Jazz ClassicsOriginal Jazz Classics was started in 1983 as an imprint of Fantasy Records. Under this name facsimiles of original editions of jazz LPs have been reissued on CD and formerly on LP and cassette also. The LPs were originally released on Riverside, Prestige and other labels that had been purchased...
) - 1959: Party Time (Original Jazz Classics)
- 1960: More Party Time (Original Jazz Classics)
- 1960: Smooth Sailing (Original Jazz Classics)
- 1960: Blue and Sentimental (Prestige RecordsPrestige RecordsPrestige Records was a jazz record label founded in 1949 by Bob Weinstock. The company was located at 203 South Washington Avenue in Bergenfield, New Jersey, and recorded hundreds of albums by many of the leading jazz musicians of the day, sometimes issuing them under the names of several...
) - 1974–1976: The Wild Man from Texas (Black & Blue RecordsBlack & Blue RecordsBlack & Blue Records is a French record label specializing in swing jazz and blues.Black & Blue was founded in 1968, and in its early years concentrated on reissuing jazz that had been previously released on American labels. The label recorded Blues and Jazz musicians both in America and France and...
) - 1978: Arnett Cobb Is Back (Progressive)
- 1987: Showtime (Fantasy RecordsFantasy RecordsFantasy Records is a United States-based record label that was founded by Max and Sol Weiss in 1949 in San Francisco, California. They had previously operated a record-pressing plant called Circle Record Company before forming the Fantasy label...
) - 1988: Tenor Tribute (Soul Note)
- 1988: Tenor Tribute, Volume 2 (Soul Note)