Two Tenors, One Bench, No Mercy
Arnett Cobb and Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis trade fire on this 1959 Prestige session, and neither blinks.
Blow Arnett, Blow is Arnett Cobb's first recording as a leader in three years, which matters more than it might seem. A serious car accident in 1956 had sidelined him, and this Prestige date, cut in 1959, is him coming back swinging. It is his debut for the label, and it sounds like a man with something to prove.
The real hook is the pairing. Cobb is matched with Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, another tough, hard-edged tenor, and the two go at each other with plenty of sparks. Nobody is playing it safe. The tunes give them room to trade phrases and push one another, and when it works, it is pure fun, big-toned, a little raw, no polish for its own sake. Wild Bill Davis on Hammond organ fills out the bottom and keeps the whole thing grounded, while George Duvivier on bass and Arthur Edgehill on drums keep the pulse steady.
AllMusic reviewer Stacia Proefrock gave it four stars, and that rating fits. This is not a lost masterpiece or a document that reshaped the music, but it is one of the more enjoyable tenor battles on the Prestige catalogue. If you want to hear Cobb at full strength after his layoff, and you like your saxophone loud and combative, this is the place to start.
Who's playing
George Duvivierdouble bass
Arnett Cobbtenor saxophone
Eddie “Lockjaw” Davistenor saxophone
Wild Bill DavisHammond organ
Arthur Edgehilldrums
Where next?
More by Arnett Cobb
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