Although trombonist
Porky Cohen has played in the jazz major leagues since the early 1940s (including periods with
Tony Pastor,
Charlie Barnet,
the Casa Loma Orchestra,
Lucky Millinder,
Boyd Raeburn,
Tommy Dorsey,
Artie Shaw,
Bobby Hackett,
the Six with
Bob Wilber, and various Dixieland bands) and toured regularly with
Roomful of Blues during 1979-1987, this CD was his first opportunity to lead his own date. Seventy at the time,
Cohen is heard in prime form leading a romping session featuring some of the members of
Roomful of Blues, along with his successor trombonist
Carl Querfurth. The joyous music, which only has two vocals among the 13 numbers (updates of
Jimmy Rushing and
Bessie Smith songs featuring
Sugar Ray Norcia and
Michelle Willson), mixes together heated swing and 1950s style R&B blues to exhilarating effect;
Illinois Jacquet would feel quite comfortable in this setting. There are plenty of opportunities for not only
Cohen to solo, but all of the other horn players. An added plus is the lengthy and definitive liner notes, which fully relate (along with many photos) the
Porky Cohen story. Highly recommended. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide