More Party Time / Arnett Cobb

Arnett Cobb, Sam Jones, Arthur Taylor, etc.

1. Lover, Come Back To Me 2. Blue Lou 3. Swanee River 4. Down By The Riverside 5. Blue Me 6. Sometimes I'm Happy

Arnett Cobb is a figure who's name would rarely come up when speaking of "jazz history," yet this is one of those shameful oversights that becomes apparent when you listen to his music with an open ear. Cobb's most obvious contribution to American music was his stint with Lionel Hampton during the period in which the bandleader was largely responsible for creating "rhythm & blues," a style which was to spawn a host of other styles including rock & roll, soul, Motown, etc. In Hampton's group Arnett's role as the "Wild Man From Texas" foreshadowed future wild men such as Little Richard and Elvis, and the wailing guitar solos that would become the staple of rock. But Cobb's later recordings in a more straight ahead jazz setting were no less important. Cobb's voice on the horn was startlingly original, at once raw and bluesy and magnificently polished. His tone and timing are impeccable, and his note choices are sometimes like a more sparse Eric Dolphy, jagged and unexpected against the mostly simple song structures he chose to record. "More Party Time" is as good a record as Cobb made, with all of his quirky phrases, humor, groans, and personality. Get it, and enjoy one of jazz's largely overlooked talents. ~ C.Moore