HMR Project: History of Music & Modern Recording

Jazz Drummer Cozy Cole

Birth of Swing Jazz: Cozy Cole

Cozy Cole

Source:  Ecstatic Presentation

 

Born on 17 October 1909 in New Jersey, drummer Cozy Cole began his professional career in 1928 by joining the Wilbur Sweatman band. In 1930 he joined Jelly Roll Morton's Red Hot Peppers, with whom he recorded for the first time that year on March 5 in NYC: 'Each Day' (two takes: Victor 23351 and Gannet 5552), 'If Someone Would Only Love Me' (Victor 23321), 'That Will Never Do' (Victor 23019) and 'I'm Looking for a Little Bluebird' (Victor 23004). His next session with Morton on June 2 yielded Cole's drum solos on two takes of 'Load of Coal' (Victor 23429) among others.

 

'Each Day'   Cozy Cole w Jelly Roll Morton's Red Hot Peppers

Cole's first-known recording

5 March 1930 in NYC   Matrix 59504-1   Victor 23351

Trumpet: Ward Pinkett   Trombone: Wilbur DeParis

Clarinet / bass clarinet: Ernie Bullock or Jerry Blake

Piano: Jelly Roll Morton   Guitar: Bernard Addison

Tuba: Billy Taylor Sr.   Drums: Cozy Cole

Composition: Morton

 

'Load of Coal'   Cozy Cole w Jelly Roll Morton's Red Hot Peppers

2 June 1930 in NYC   Matrix 62183-1   Victor 23429

Trumpet: Ward Pinkett   Trombone: Geechie Fields

Clarinet: Happy Caldwell / Walter "Foots" Thomas (baritone sax)

Alto sax: Joe Thomas   Piano: Jelly Roll Morton   Banjo: Lee Blair

Tuba: Billy Taylor Sr.   Drums: Cozy Cole

Composition: Morton

 

'These Foolish Things'   Cozy Cole w Teddy Wilson and His Orchestra

30 June 1936 in NYC   Matrix B19496-2   Brunswick 7699 / Columbia C3L21

Trumpet: Jonah Jones

Alto sax: Johnny Hodges   Baritone sax: Harry Carney

Piano: Teddy Wilson   Guitar: Lawrence "Larry" Lucie

Bass: John Kirby   Drums: Cozy Cole   Vocal: Billie Holiday

Music: Jack Strachey   Lyrics: Holt Marvell (Eric Maschwitz)

 

'Here Comes the Man with the Jive'   Cozy Cole w Stuff Smith and his Onyx Club Boys

21 Aug 1936 in NYC   Matrix 19733-1   Vocalion 3316

Trumpet: Jonah Jones

Piano: James Sherman   Violin: Stuff Smith (vocal)   Guitar: Bobby Bennett

Bass: Mack Walker   Drums: Cozy Cole   Vocal: Billie Holiday

Composition: Stuff Smith / Jack Palmer

 

'The Ghost of Smokey Joe'   Cozy Cole w Cab Calloway

28 March 1939 in NYC   Matrix WM-1011-1   Vocalion 4807 / Bandstand BS7125

Trumpet: Shad Collins / Irving Randolph / Lammar Wright / Doc Cheatham

Trombone: Claude Jones / Keg Johnson / De Priest Wheeler

Clarinet / alto sax: Chauncey Haughton / Andrew Brown

Tenor sax: Walter Thomas / Chu Berry

Piano: Bennie Payne   Guitar: Danny Barker

Bass: Milton Hinton   Drums: Cozy Cole   Vocal: Cab Calloway

Music: Rube Bloom   Lyrics: Ted Koehler

 

'One Sweet Letter from You'   Cozy Cole w Lionel Hampton and his Orchestra

11 Sep 1939 in NYC   Matrix 041407-1   Victor 26393

Trumpet: Dizzy Gillespie   Alto sax: Benny Carter (arrangement)

Tenor sax: Coleman Hawkins / Chu Berry / Ben Webster

Piano: Clyde Hart   Vibes: Lionel Hampton (vocal)   Guitar: Charlie Christian

Bass: Milton Hinton   Drums: Cozy Cole

Composition: Lew Brown / Sidney Clare / Harry Warren

 

'Are You Hep to the Jive?'   Cozy Cole w Cab Calloway

28 Aug 1940 in NYC   Matrix 28515-1   Okeh 5804

Trumpet: Mario Bauza / Dizzy Gillespie / Lamar Wright

Trombone: Quentin Jackson / Keg Johnson / Tyree Glenn (vibes)

Reeds: Jerry Blake / Hilton Jefferson / Andrew Brown / Chu Berry / Walter Thomas

Piano: Bennie Payne   Guitar: Danny Barker

Bass: Milton Hinton   Drums: Cozy Cole   Vocal: Cab Calloway

Music: Rube Bloom   Lyrics: Ted Koehler

 

Cole's first known name recordings as a band leader were on February 22, 1944, in NYC with his All Stars: 'Blue Moon', 'Father Co-operates', 'Just One More Chance' and 'Thru' for the Night'. He later recorded with Benny Goodman and Ella Fitzgerald before joining Louis Armstrong's All-Stars in 1949.

 

'Just One More Chance'   Cozy Cole and his All Stars

22 Feb 1944 in NYC   Matrix HLK19-2   Keynote 1300   Billboard R&B: #10

Trumpet: Joe Thomas   Trombone: Trummy Young

Tenor sax: Coleman Hawkins   Piano: Earl Hines

Guitar: Teddy Walters   Bass: Billy Taylor   Drums: Cozy Cole

Composition: Sam Coslow / Arthur Johnston

 

'A Song Was Born'   Cozy Cole w Louis Armstrong and his All Stars

WCAU radio broadcast of 2 Aug 1949 Philadelphia PA

Trumpet: Louis Armstrong (vocal)   Trombone: Jack Teagarden (vocal)

Clarinet: Barney Bigard   Piano: Earl Hines

Guitar: Teddy Walters   Bass: Arvell Shaw   Drums: Cozy Cole

Composition: Don Raye / Gene DePaul

 

Cole made a cameo appearance in the 'The Glenn Miller Story' premiering on 4 January 1954 in Japan (10 Feb 1954 in the States), Gene Krupa and Ben Pollack also in cameo. In March of 1954 Cole opened a drumming school with Krupa, remaining in business until Krupa's death in 1973.

In 1957 Cole toured Europe with Earl Hines and Jack Teagarden, visiting England and France. The latter sixties and early seventies saw albums made with trumpeter, Jonah Jones. Tom Lord traces Cole to as late as 5 October 1977 recording the album, 'Lionel Hampton Presents Cozy Cole & Marty Napoleon'.

 

'Stars Fell on Alabama'   Cozy Cole w Jack Teagarden-Earl Hines All Stars

5 Oct 1957 at Free Trade Hall in Manchester   Jazz Crusade JCCD-3131 (CD)

Trumpet: Max Kaminsky   Trombone: Jack Teagarden (vocal)

Clarinet: Peanuts Hucko   Piano: Earl Hines

Bass: Jack Lesberg   Drums: Cozy Cole

Music: Frank Perkins   Lyrics: Mitchell Parish   1934

 

'Topsy II'   Cozy Cole and His Orchestra

1958  Matrix SAL5004   Love 5004   Billboard R&B: #1

Trumpet: Bernie Privin   Trombone: Urbie Green

Clarinet / tenor sax: Peanuts Hucko   Piano: Burton "Burt" Farber

Guitar: Al Caiola   Bass: Jack Lesberg   Drums: Cozy Cole

Composition: Edgar Battle / Eddie Durham

 

'A Cozy Conception of Carmen'   Cozy Cole and His Orchestra

Album recorded 1961   Charlie Parker PLP403

Trumpet: George Holt   Trombone: Bernie Privin (flugelhorn)

Clarinet / sax: Jerome Richardson / Al Klink (bass)   Tenor sax: Al Klink / John Hafer

Piano / organ: Bob Hammer   Organ / arrangement: Dick Hyman

Bass: Milt Hinton / Jack Lesberg   Drums: Cozy Cole

Percussion: Phil Kraus / Douglas Allen

 

'Cozy's Drums'   Cozy Cole

From the film 'L'Aventure Du Jazz' recorded June 1970

See 'Drums Odyssey' by various on Jazz Odyssey JO 010

Musicians in this film include:

Trumpet: Pat Jenkins   Trombone: Eli Robinson

Clarinet / sax: Ben Richardson / Buddy Tate

Guitar: George Baker

Electric bass: Ted Sturgis   Drums: Cozy Cole

Library of Congress   Library of Congress

 

'Cabaret'   Cozy Cole w Lionel Hampton   Last-known recordings

From the album 'Lionel Hampton Presents Cozy Cole & Marty Napoleon' recorded 5 Oct 1977

Who's Who in Jazz WWLP 21003

Trumpet: Johnny Letman   Trombone: "Big Chief" Russell Moore

Clarinet / soprano sax: Joe Muranyi

Piano: Marty Napoleon   Vibes: Lionel Hampton

Bass: Arvell Shaw   Drums: Cozy Cole

Composition: Fred Ebb / John Kander

 

Cole was awarded an honorary degree from Capital University in Columbus in 1983, where he often lectured as well. He died of cancer on 9 January 1981 in Columbus, Ohio.

 

Sources & References for Cozy Cole:

arwulf arwulf (All Music)

VF History (notes)

Wikipedia

Audio of Cole: Internet Archive

Billboard Charts: Music VF

Cole in Film: IMDb

Interviews: April 1980 (Bill Kirchner / audio / text)

Recordings: Catalogs: 45 Worlds   Discogs   RYM   SHS

Recordings: Compilations:

Chronological Classics 1944 (1995 / audio)

Chronological Classics 1944-1945 (1996 / audio)

Recordings: Sessionographies:

DAHR (1930-1964)

Tom Lord: leading 30 of 338 sessions 1930-1977

Further Reading:

Cozy Cole in Memorium (Scott K. Fish / Modern Drummer / 1981)

Bibliography:

The Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz (Leonard Feather / Ira Gitler / Oxford University Press / 2007)

Authority Search: VIAF

Other Profiles: Drummer World

 

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