Greg Cohen


Greg Cohen is an American jazz bassist who has been a member of John Zorn's Masada quartet and worked with numerous other noted musicians for over four decades.

Career

Cohen plays traditional jazz and other styles, including work with Ken Peplowski, Kenny Davern, Marty Grosz, and Woody Allen. He has also worked with Tom Waits, David Byrne, Elvis Costello, Dagmar Krause, David Sanborn, Susana Baca, Gal Costa, Marisa Monte, Laurie Anderson, Willie Nelson, Bill Frisell, Norah Jones, Dave Douglas, Tricky, Jesse Harris, Keith Richards and Charlie Watts, Joey Baron, Donovan, Crystal Gayle, Nina Nastasia, Alan Watts, Lee Konitz, Richie Havens, Dino Saluzzi, Lou Reed, Marianne Faithfull, Odetta, Vesna Pisarović, Danny Barker, Christina Courtin, Tim Sparks, and Antony and the Johnsons.
In August 2006 he was musical director of the Century of Song series at the German arts festival RuhrTriennale. He invited songwriters and performers such as David Byrne, Holly Cole and Laurie Anderson.
He has been a regular member of Woody Allen and his New Orleans Jazz Band, which played at the Carlyle Hotel in Manhattan. He appeared in the documentary Wild Man Blues about a 1996 European tour by Allen and his band. Cohen appears in Robert Altman's 1993 film Short Cuts.
Cohen is a bass professor and the head of string department at the Jazz Institute Berlin. He is also an honorary professor in contemporary rhythmic music at SDMK - Danish National Academy of Music.

Discography

As leader

  • Way Low
  • Moment to Moment
  • ''Golden State''

    As sideman

With Terry Adams
  • Terrible
With Laurie Anderson
  • Bright Red
  • Life on a String
With Elvis Costello
  • Painted from Memory
With Christina Courtin
  • Christina Courtin
  • Situation Station
With A. J. Croce
  • Twelve Tales
With Dave Douglas
With Marty Grosz
  • Extra!
  • Unsaturated Fats
  • Laughing at Life
  • Donaldson Redux
  • Songs I Learned at My Mother's Knee and Other Low Joints
  • Live at the L.A. Classic
  • Thanks
  • Rhythm for Sale!
  • Just Imagine … Songs of DeSylva, Brown & Henderson
  • Keep a Song in Your Soul
  • Ring Dem Bells
  • Going Hollywood
  • Left to His Own Devices
  • Marty Grosz and His Hot Combination
With Tim Sparks
  • At the Rebbe's Table
  • Little Princess
With Tom Waits
  • Heartattack and Vine
  • Swordfishtrombones
  • Rain Dogs
  • Franks Wild Years
  • The Black Rider
  • Mule Variations
With Victoria Williams
  • Happy Come Home
  • Loose
  • Musings of a Creek Dipper
With John Zorn
  • Masada: Alef with Masada
  • Masada: Beit with Masada
  • Masada: Gimel with Masada
  • Masada: Dalet with Masada
  • Masada: Hei with Masada
  • Masada: Vav with Masada
  • Masada: Zayin with Masada
  • Bar Kokhba with Bar Kokhba
  • Masada: Het with Masada
  • Masada: Tet with Masada
  • Live in Jerusalem 1994 with Masada
  • Live in Taipei 1995 with Masada
  • Masada: Yod with Masada
  • The Circle Maker with Bar Kokhba and Masada String Trio
  • Live in Middleheim 1999 with Masada
  • Live in Sevilla 2000 with Masada
  • Live at Tonic 2001 with Masada
  • First Live 1993 with Masada
  • Filmworks XI: Secret Lives with Masada String Trio
  • The Unknown Masada
  • 50th Birthday Celebration Volume 1 with Masada String Trio
  • 50th Birthday Celebration Volume 7 with Masada
  • 50th Birthday Celebration Volume 11 with Masada String Trio
  • Astaroth: Book of Angels Volume 1 with the Jamie Saft Trio
  • Sanhedrin 1994–1997 with Masada
  • Azazel: Book of Angels Volume 2 with Masada String Trio
  • Filmworks XX: Sholem Aleichem
  • Lucifer: Book of Angels Volume 10 with Bar Kokhba
  • Stolas: Book of Angels Volume 12 with Masada Quintet
  • Alhambra Love Songs
  • Baal: Book of Angels Volume 15 with Ben Goldberg Quartet
  • Haborym: Book of Angels Volume 16 with Masada String Trio
  • In Search of the Miraculous
With others