Rich Cohen

http://www.richcohenmusic.com/press/2.html - .

A new blues favorite
Reviewer: Michael Devito

My ears are always out for good blues. That’s exactly what we got at a NJ club two years ago -- the night parts of this ablum were recorded. I went to check out Jason Ricci, ended up completely amazed by Rich Cohen. The tastefulness, the sheer power and soul of his playing took me by surprise. Get this fine album and hear it for yourself. There’s a remarkable range of flavors here, from raw Chicago blues to gospel, even a remarkable, searching exploration of Tom Wait’s “2:19”. Rich has the chops alright. His fine guitar work is everywhere on SOUR MASH, but it’s Rich's deep soul and spirit that move me the most. This man is singing from the heart. Highly recommended!



You guys were awesome yesterday night. I did not tell you how privileged I felt witnessing the small storm that the band generated. Blues had more life than ever. It felt like being guided around in this bewildered sonic world of 'important' music. 'Important' being that which not only meant something to us yesterday, but will still stand up in the future as something you can never imagine doing without. And Mr. Cohen: you are a true genius of the guitar. The old blues sound was more relevant than ever...played with conviction, love and choice.It came from you heart...
So, I do believe I visited the 'crossroads' yesterday, and going home on my little wing, I didn't know which way to turn.
Thank you guys - you will sorely be missed until we hopefully meet again.

from belguim blues fan


Today, with all the hard competition in the music business, it is almost impossible to come up with anything totally original, however, Rich Cohen is interpreting the blues with so much conviction and taste, that you have to sit back and listen and try and decide if you can find a small place in your heads for it. i bet you will. if you like the mood to travel from anything between exuberant and rollicking, organic rowdiness and sophisticated energy, visceral passion and raw-boned earthiness, they make you dig for more; if you are craving for genuine performers, wizards mastering their instruments with absolute finesse, they are the real thing; being into bluesmania or not, if you are searching for a generous band capable of freewheeling through all of the vast musical landscape, pouring a soul into forgotten sounds and tunes and by doing so, rendering the blues more present-day then ever, they are the prescription you need.
Rich Cohen is the haphazard cure for mediocrity and the secret antidote for boredom.
all of the band members definitely got ramblin' on their minds...
steven dewaele


Reviewer: Zook Noone
Listening to Moods and Meditations is beyond listening to notes coming out of a guitar or sound coming out of speakers. If you listen to it with your heart, close your eyes, tune into your inner soul - this music will send you to an alternate loving universe where you will see visions of the great beyond. Listening to this music is like having a conversation with God or the spiritual entity of your choice. This music is there - the spirits are flying through it. Get ready to be moved beyond your wildest dreams - this music is the ticket to the next dimension. Fall in love - tune in, turn on - stay on!



Deeply spiritual music
Reviewer: Michael Devito

Moods & Meditations:
Here's how good this disc is: It's the only set I've heard with the rare depth and emotional impact of John McLaughlin's "My Goal is Beyond". We're not talking new age fluff here. Moods and Meditations is acoustic jazz, celtic folk, medieval dance -- so many things, all of it, music for the soul. The original compositions are so good, so instantly evocative, you might think they've been around forever. A note for guitarists: Check out the fingerpicked baritone. Beautiful!


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Rich Cohen is no stranger to the music scene, through his work with Ricki Lee Jones, Ted Hawkins, Chuck Jackson, Buddy Miles, Lucky Peterson, Billy Branch, Phoebe Snow, Gavin Degraw, Jason Ricci, Mashek Fashek, Alvaro Torres, Mason Casey, Gerry Gibbs and many others who all managed to get a hold of him. In the mean time, Rich Cohen started his solo-career and now two years later Cohen is a singer/guitar player who has developed his own style and also writes his own compositions. His former albums "Who's That Knockin?" and "Moods and Meditations", two releases from last year, received a lot of praise, and apart from the many performances (for example at "De blauwe kater" in Leuven, Belguim in January of this year) there was still some time left for the recording of his third album, "Sour Mash".

You can picture this music perfectly in a dark shady bar where everyone sits with a whisky, as well as on a festival site. One moment they're playing hard and aggressive, a little later they're playing songs that make you sad; although these moments are rather rare. The ingredients of "Sour Mash" are blues and rock with a fantastic crew always onboard: Barry Harrison (Johnny and Shemekia Copeland) on the drums, George Papa George (Mighty Sam McClain, Melvin Sparks) on the organ, Rod Gross (Bo Diddley) on the drums on a few tracks and co-producer, Admir 'Dr. Blues' Hadzic on bass.

Cohen makes sure that the group switches seamlessly from blues/rock to rhythm & blues over to jump-swing and that his 'not so everyday/common' guitar playing matches all of Barry Harrison's different drum patterns perfectly. The first number "Can't Do Nothing About It" starts from a simple blues pattern, but very fast it becomes clear that this music is aiming for technical highlights, especially when special guest Jason Ricci is showing his skills on harp. This CD continues with swinging sounds, a passionate voice and especially guitarwork that has a 'greasy' sound. The swinging rhythm that can be heard every now and then makes everything come alive. The vibe of Cohen's "Who's That Knockin'?" and Slim Harpo's "Shake Your Hips" immediately evoke a festival atmosphere. The bass guitar and the drums keep Cohen on track while they both slowly but securely start their orchestrated flight.

At certain moments Rich Cohen & The Blues Prescription play true rock, but for sure rock that is built from very nice harmonious guitar improvisations. Also, space is left for quieter numbers as in the gospel-tinted "Floating Bridge", so that it leaves us with enough variety in rhythmic changes. It stays beautiful throughout, while the musical finishing touch was never lost out of sight.For good time jumpin' swing, they're at their best in the instrumental "Bounce and Burn", a track where the band did not forget to make nice sounding music instead of simply proving how technical and how fast they can play. Furthermore, one of the strengths of "Sour Mash" is that six out of the nine numbers were written by Cohen; except for 3 covers that includes a very swampy version of Tom Waits' "2:19".

On "Sour Mash" you can hear different influences like raw Chicago blues, gospel, swing and rock. This music holds up well mainly because of the outstanding variety between the tracks.

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- http://www.rootstime.be

Rich Cohen Featuring Jason Ricci "Sour Mash". Stonetone Records.
BY PETER "BLEWZZMAN" LAURO, © DECEMBER, 2006

With my slogan being "The Blues Is My Passion & Therapy" I just had to get my hands on a dose of THE BLUES PRESCRIPTION. A couple of listens to this was just what the doctor ordered.

On "SOUR MASH", the pharmacists are: RICH COHEN, the bands leader, guitarist, vocalist and writer; JASON RICCI on harp; GEORGE PAPA GEORGE on organ, BARRY HARRISON and ROD GROSS on drums; ADMIR "DR. BLUES" HADZIC on bass; BRIAN CHARETTE on piano.

The title track, "SOUR MASH", is one of six originals by RICH. It's a funky jam that's appropriately played in the key of "WHIS"....that's right, the whole song is sung in "WHIS-KEY". Hey, I'll drink to that. Along with RICH's interesting vocals, GEORGE, ADMIR and BARRY highlight this harpless track.

"2:19" is a seven minute track and anyone who knows JASON "WICKED" RICCI, as he was affectionately referred to in his early Ft. Lauderdale days, knows this means lots of hot harp solos. Once again, RICH's vocals are superb.

"BOUNCE & BURN", another original, could not have been more appropriately titled. This smoker will cause you to bounce uncontrollably and when it's done, your hands will surely burn from clapping along. This one's all about the guitar and the drums. It's a fierce instrumental in which RICH and ROD battle it out.........and they both win. It's no wonder this track only lasted about three minutes. Any longer and the rush could have been dangerous.

"SHAME ON YOU" could very well be the G-Spot on "SOUR MASH". It's one of those incredible musical moments, that some CD's are fortunate to have, where all the musicians are peaking simultaneously. I lost track of the number of times I replayed it.

Hmmmmm, I may have spoken to soon. Either that or these cats are having multiple peaking sessions. "Rx BLUES" takes up right where "SHAME ON YOU" left off. With JASON sitting out this instrumental, the rhythm section absolutely goes wild on this one. Some of the best organ on the disc, and for that matter on any disc, can be heard right here on this track. GEORGE PAPA GEORGE is an absolute genius.

Closing out the disc is nearly a ten minute track, recorded live at TRUMPET'S in Montclair, NJ. It's called "SHAKE YOUR HIPS" and I promise you they'll be shakin'. As expected, with this amount of time and in front of a live audience, JASON will be JASON. He closes out the number with a mind blowing two minute harp solo. However, on the way to that, you'll have to sit through a few phenomenal guitar licks by RICH.

Checking out the bands schedule gave me the impression that they are based out of the metropolitan NY-NJ area. If you are as well, for that reason alone I'm sure you could use a dose of musical medicine, so be sure to get it filled with RICH COHEN & THE BLUES PRESCRIPTION. - http://www.mary4music.com