[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 132 (Thursday, September 17, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2302]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               HONORING THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF JIMMY COBB

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JOHN CONYERS, JR.

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 17, 2009

  Mr. CONYERS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the career of my 
fellow jazz enthusiast, Jimmy Cobb. Born in Washington, D.C. in 1929, 
Jimmy has for more than fifty years moved audiences with his recordings 
and live performances.
  Jimmy's passion for jazz began at an early age. He performed his 
first recording with Earl Bostic, and then played extensively with 
Dinah Washington, Billie Holiday, Pearl Bailey, Clark Terry, and Dizzy 
Gillespie.
  In 1957, Jimmy Cobb joined Miles Davis, Bill Evans, Wynton Kelly, 
Paul Chambers, John Coltrane and Julian Adderley; two years later they 
recorded the groundbreaking Kind of Blue album. Kind of Blue stands in 
American history today as one of the most influential albums in jazz 
history, ranking number 12 in Rolling Stone magazine's 500 greatest 
albums of all time.
  He collaborated with Wynton Kelly and Paul Chambers to produce the 
Wynton Kelly Trio Albums, and later released albums with Kenny Burrell, 
and J.J. Johnson, among others. Jimmy then worked with Sarah Vaughn for 
9 years, and freelanced with other acclaimed artists worldwide 
throughout the 70s, 80s and 90s including, Sonny Stitt, Nat Adderly, 
Ricky Ford, Hank Jones, Ron Carter, George Coleman, Fathead Newman, The 
Great Jazz Trio, Dave Holland and Warren Bernhardt. Jimmy has also 
performed on Sketches of Spain, Someday My Prince will Come, Live at 
Carnegie Hall, Live at the Blackhawk, and Porgy and Bess.
  Jimmy was honored for his contribution to the world of jazz in 2005 
when New York's longest running jazz series Highlights in Jazz chose 
Jimmy Cobb for its annual salute to a living jazz legend. In 2008, 
Jimmy received the Don Redman Heritage award. He was one of six chosen 
on October 17, 2008 to receive the 2009 National Endowment for the 
Arts, NEA Jazz Masters award. He was also honored with his own album on 
the Marsalis Music Honors Series.
  He currently performs and tours with his So What Band, featuring 
Miles Davis' protege Wallace Roney on trumpet, Vincent Herring on alto 
saxophone, Javon Jackson on tenor sax, Larry Willis on piano, and 
Buster Williams on bass.
  To commemorate the 50th anniversary of Kind of Blue, Jimmy and the So 
What Band will perform on September 24, 2009 in Washington, D.C. for 
the Congressional Black Caucus' Jazz Forum and Concert.
  Today, Jimmy Cobb stands as the only surviving musician of the 
original Kind of Blue Sextet. His work remains a legendary standard in 
American jazz. Through the medium of music, he continues to inspire 
generations of performers and audiences.

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