Fall 2007

I'll resist the urge to open up with a line from "Autumn Leaves" and just say hello and trust a good summer was had by all. It certainly was the case for me as an enjoyable European tour was followed by a busy schedule of concerts, club work, and a few extremely satisfying recording sessions.

August saw the release of Christina Linhardt's new album "Voodoo Princess". I played electric bass throughout and enjoyed finding the answers to musical questions posed by a rather electic mix of material. It was produced by my friend, saxophonist Dr. Bruce Eskovitz. For more information visit: www.voodooprincessmusic.com

Speaking of Bruce, I was happy to play on his just completed forthcoming album of the Bruce Eskovitz Jazz Orchestra entitled "Invitation". I played both acoustic & electric bass and have a couple of solos on there that I felt pretty good about. One was on the Freddie Hubbard classic "Red Clay" which was sort of a stop-time section where I had eight-bar phrases by myself in between the band hits. It was a creative challenge to keep the time moving and yet maintain some harmonic interest as well. I think I partially succeeded. The other was on a very slow swing number by Bruce reminiscent of the old Basie tunes that had that wonderful laid-back groove. It had some nice meaty changes to dig in to and I did my best to keep things firmly in the pocket. Look for a December release. (Label and points of purchase TBA).

Also finished are three tracks for Bill Fulton's new album which had the wonderful Gary Novak on drums. Gary has played with, among many others, Chick Corea (he was in the second edition of the Elektric Band) and the late Bob Berg. It was some very challenging music made relatively easy by Gary's terrific feel and sharply tuned musical instincts. A memorable session indeed.

Upcoming is the October 18th performance at La Ve Lee of my group, The Adam Cohen Band. I'm very excited and have already begun sketching out some new material and choosing what to play from my book. I've got a great lineup - Rob Hardt/sax, Bill Fulton/keys, and Dave Derge/drums - and can't wait to begin rehearsals early next month.

On the home front, Beth & Iare taking a brief 4-day trip to Boston with our daughter Natalia. It will be her first plane ride! Drinks all around though I expect it to be a smoother experience than my nightmarish imaginations would suggest. Natalia is simply delightful (see photo) and brings more joy, surprises, and discoveries into our home with each passing day.
     

Finally, I am feeling particularly blessed by the presence & good health of my Dad, who continues to be the paradigm for everything I aspire to be as a man and as a father, and my beautiful and talented companion Beth who is the best mother, lover, and friend I could ever wish for.

That's it for now music fans. Until next time...

--Adam