Mostly self-taught, Cobb is still most famous for his period with Miles Davis but before joining the trumpeter he had made his recording debut with Earl Bostic and worked with such notables as Dinah Washington, Billie Holiday, Clark Terry, Dizzy Gillespie and Cannonball Adderley.
Cobb replaced Philly Joe Jones with the Miles Davis Sextet in 1958 and during his five years with the trumpeter was on such albums as Kind Of Blue, Porgy and Bess, Sketches Of Spain, Live At The Blackhawk and Someday My Prince Will Come.
In 1963 the full Miles Davis rhythm section (with pianist Wynton Kelly and bassist Paul Chambers) went out on their own as the Wynton Kelly Trio; in addition to their own recordings, they worked and recorded with Wes Montgomery, Kenny Burrell and J.J. Johnson.
After leaving Kelly, Cobb worked with Sarah Vaughan for nine years and then freelanced with many of the top straight ahead jazz artists including Sonny Stitt, Nat Adderley, Hank Jones, Ron Carter, George Coleman, and Dave Holland among many others.
He recorded Four Generations Of Miles in 2002 with Mike Stern, Ron Carter and George Coleman, began leading albums of his own, and led the group Jimmy Cobb’s Mob.
Here is Jimmy Cobb, celebrating his 88th birthday at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola on Jan. 20, 2017, performing “On The Trail” with pianist Emmet Cohen and bassist Russell Hall.
-Scott Yanow
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