Porky Cohen born 2 June 1924

Zolman “Porky” Cohen (June 2, 1924 - April 14, 2004) was a trombonist who enjoyed a long and varied career, capped off by performing with the Grammy-winning Room Full Of Blues from 1981-1987. 

Born in Springfield, Massachusetts, his family moved to Providence when he was two. His sax playing older brother Ray gave him a trombone for his 13th birthday. Practicing with his cousin, Saul Feinstein, the two became inseparable they were dubbed Porkchop and Beans, hence, his nickname, Porky. At 15, he was playing the Pyramid Club in Warwick and got lessons from Miff Mole after graduating from senior high school in 1941. 

The Commanders 1955. Porky 2nd left, top right 

At the age of 18 he had gone on the road with Benny Goodman after which he played with Tony Pastor’s music group, Charlie Barnet (on / off during 1943-1948), the Casa Loma Orchestra, Lucky Millinder, Tommy Dorsey, Boyd Raeburn, Artie Shaw (1949-1950), and with a number of Dixieland rings in the 1950s  including Bob Wilber, the Six (1954)  the Commanders (1955) and had often recorded with some of the fore mentioned. 

Declining an offer to tour Europe with Duke Ellington, he settled down with his wife Esther, and played nights with the Jewels of Dixie or worked general business gigs. By day he sold records at Ladd’s Music. The Jewels became local icons and Porky stayed with them for 25 years. In the ’70s, Roomful of Blues members Doug James and Al Copley would often be in the audience. At their urging, Porky checked out Roomful and understood why they had bugged him relentlessly to come and sit in. His big tone and driving style fit Roomful perfectly. 

Roomful of Blues

In 1979 Roomful asked him to join and, encouraged by Esther, he agreed. Bob Bell joined the band in 1981as manager, publicist, driver, etc., and got to know Porky very well. They spent years together, criss-crossing the country endlessly. Driving late at night is a lonesome business, and Porky would keep Bob company while the rest of the band dozed. His stories were endless. He could talk about his idol, Jack Teagarden, for hours. "The Master Painter," he called him. 

He recalled playing opposite Buddy Johnson at the Savoy Ballroom; digging Lester Young from the side of the stand; rehearsing with Charlie Parker. Porky played with everyone. He talked about Stevie Ray Vaughan, too, who was just coming up in the early ’80s. And Albert Collins, Joe Turner, Bunk Johnson, Ellington and  Armstrong — to Porky, the style was unimportant. It had to have feeling and not be "Mickey Mouse." Purity of passion was paramount.

                    Here’s “Trombone Porky” from above CD

                              

"Did you have fun tonight?" That, inevitably, would be the question Porky Cohen posed after a show, as band members stumbled off to their hotel rooms in some town in America. Or drop him off at his home at sun-up, after driving all night back from a gig. Whatever the circumstance, the question was always the same. Underlying it was a seriousness that implied many things, the most important being that if playing music resulted in no transcendence, no real entertainment, then it wasn’t worth the effort.

Porky left Roomful in 1987 due to the rigors of constant touring and returned to Providence and played around Rhode Island for the rest of his life, on a freelance basis and in the band Swingtime with John Worsley. In 1995 Roomful’s Carl Querfurth recorded him with Roomful and guests. Titled Rhythm and Bones, it was his first recording as a bandleader. He continued performing until increasing ill-health sidelined him late in 2003. 

Porky Cohen died April 14, 2004 in his hometown of Providence, Rhode Island of complications resulting from a stroke. His dedication to music can best be summed up by a statement from Bob Bell who points out that Porky Cohen was, “the only musician to have performed with both W. C. Handy and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Now that is a stretch of history!” 

(Edited from Providence Pheonix & Trombone USA)

Rhode Island blues and swing revival band Roomful of Blues perform two songs in a March 1988 late night TV broadcast. You can see Porky Cohen at far right of band on and off throughout the video.