Al Cohn was a jazz and big band saxophonist and arranger who had a very successful career playing and recording with major artists from 1950 until his death from liver cancer in 1988 at the age of 62. He had stints with bands led by Artie Shaw, Buddy Rich and Woody Herman and performed and recorded regularly with saxophonist Zoot Sims.
His many recordings include 'Al Cohn's Tones' (1950), 'The Sax Section' (1956), 'Jazz Mission to Moscow' (1962), 'Easy As Pie: Live at the West Bank' (1968) with Zoot Sims, 'Silver Blue' (1976) with Dexter Gordon, 'Al Cohn's America' (1976), 'Tour De Force' (1981) with Buddy Tate and Scott Hamilton, and 'Rifftide' (1987).
He collaborated with other jazz performers such as Art Blakey, Bob Brookmeyer, and Coleman Hawkins. He did arrangements for artists including Maynard Ferguson, Astrud Gilberto, Quincy Jones and Gerry Mulligan and for Broadway shows such as 'Raisin' (1973) and 'Sophisticated Ladies' (1981).
