Jimmy Cobb on deciding to go to New York

Now, A Jazz Moment...

MUSIC: "Taking a Chance on Love," CD: Taking a Chance On Love: Jimmy Cobb Trio, Azzurra Music/TheOrchard (cut 1), (Amazon download)

NEA Jazz Master Jimmy Cobb grew up in Washington, DC. But, like most of the musicians from there, he decided he had to go to New York City to really make it. Cobb remembers the decision.

Jimmy Cobb: There used to be a little guy that used to hang out around the clubs, you know, like one of the brothers that knew everything, liked the music, knew everything about everybody and stuff. They called him Jim Dawg. So when I told him I was going to New York, he say, "Aw, whachu gon do in New York?" So I say, "I'm going to go try to play some music." So he said - you know how those guys try to belittle you. They don't play nothing, but they try to belittle you. (chuckles) So I went to New York and about a year later, I came back with Dinah Washington -- on my arm! (laughs) So he looked at me and he say, "WHAT?" (belly laughs) I say, "Yeah , right." So then, another maybe like three or four years after that, I came back in Miles Davis's band. He said, "WHAAAT?" I say, "Yeah, that's right!" (belly laughs)

MUSIC: "So What" (Jimmy Cobb with Miles Davis) -- up and fades

This Jazz Moment with drummer Jimmy Cobb was created by the National Endowment for the Arts.