Compiled by Sid Gribetz
First published – June 2020
Pages in this Discography:
- Jimmy Cobb Session Based Discography
- Index of Songs Recorded by Jimmy Cobb
- Index of Personnel that Recorded with Jimmy Cobb
- Instrument Abbreviations Used In Jimmy Cobb Discography
Jimmy Cobb
b. January 20, 1929 Washington, DC
d. May 24, 2020 New York City
photo by Ted Williams
Jimmy Cobb at the drums presented subtlety and grace, while always delivering sharp accents at the right moments and spirited encouragement that inspired and swung his bands.
He will forever be famous as the drummer on the all time classic Miles Davis album “Kind Of Blue”. While Cobb deserves the worthy renown for this stellar achievement, in some ways such labeling can deflect attention from the full breadth and depth of a multi-faceted life. For, beyond his association with Davis, Cobb had a lengthy and influential career that contributed so much more to the jazz legacy.
After starting out in home town Washington, DC venues, his first major professional job was with Earl Bostic, and Cobb’s first recording was Bostic’s big hit “Flamingo” in 1951. His next stop was Dinah Washington, and he became both her musical director and romantic interest in the early 1950’s. In the mid-1950’s he was the drummer in Cannonball Adderley’s breakthrough band, and then together with Adderley joined Miles Davis in the late 1950’s for Kind Of Blue and much more.
Cobb had many other landmark credits, a regular trio with Wynton Kelly in the 1960’s, Sarah Vaughan’s accompanist for many years in the 1970’s, and work collaborating with many other greats ranging from Ricky Ford to Hank Jones, and regularly with Nat Adderley’s return tours in the 1990’s.
He was a formal educator at the New School Jazz Program and various Universities, and mentor to many younger musicians. Cobb remained an active performer and member of the jazz community till the very end of his 91 years.
At radio station WKCR in New York City, where I produce programs, we are proud of our tradition of presenting marathon broadcasts to commemorate major jazz events, such as memorial tributes upon the passings of our greats.
When one looks at the scope of Cobb’s discographical output, one can see what a daunting task it was when we put together a Cobb memorial at short notice. However, the BRIAN software program proved its value, as it allowed us to organize the material in a coherent manner that also enhanced our ability to appreciate his many recordings and prepare them for broadcast.
As a longtime Cobb fan, I had already done a good deal of this research. After the broadcast I was inspired to enhance my entries into the BRIAN system, with the result being what I hope is a comprehensive reference tool for all to share.
Notes on the presentation:
Under “location”, the default presumption is New York City, so if no city is mentioned it should be New York. However, in the few instances where the location is unknown, location is left blank also for that reason.
I’ve aimed to include all original and early releases, as well as all common US reissues over the years. I also include foreign issues that are in my collection or that I’ve seen in other archives. However, I do not intend or presume to include a comprehensive list of all issues that may be prevalent worldwide in this internet age.
Where known, I include the release date of the recording, with the exception that if the original release is fairly contemporaneous with the session, it is not included. The few instances where I cannot ascertain the date of a release, there, too, it is left blank.
This discography is most certainly a “work in progress”. Corrections and additions are welcome