David Bennett Cohen - At The Piano

Within self-imposed limits, as good as it gets

The world at large first knew this Cohen as founder member and guitarist of Country Joe & The Fish, though he was conspicuous for his keyboard playing on their most memorable album, 1967’s Electric Music For The Mind & Body. Following the group’s separation three years later, Cohen served Blues Project, Mick Taylor and Artie and Happy Traum, among others, prior to striking out on his own.

Though categorised by tidyminded pundits as ‘rock’, this CD reissue of a 1984 collection of solo piano items, co-produced by Country Joe, is much more Meade Lux Lewis than Jerry Lee Lewis. Cohen proves himself a subtle and compelling master, and composer, of boogie-woogie and related idioms. There’s also a warm, downhome ambience about the recordings that transcends the clinical strictures of the studio. Via fine, if unambitious, music, Cohen pays tribute to Meade Lux, Pinetop Smith, Professor Longhair and other black legends that inspired a Californian schoolboy with raging hormones to seek an opening in pop.

Rag Baby | RAG 1022

Reviewed by Alan Clayson
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