Interview: Greg Cohen (the jazz legend who comes to play Prague with John Zorn)

Greg Cohen is a legendary jazz bassist who comes to play Prague with John Zorn in June (Bagatelles Marathon, 20 June 2019, Forum Karlín, FB event). We were delighted to get an interview.

You did quite a lot of worth for film and theatre. How is it different from being in a band, and do these experiences enrich each other?

GREG COHEN: I BELIEVE ALL EXPERIENCES CAN ENRICH ONE ANOTHER.
OF COURSE – THIS DEPENDS ON THE INDIVIDUAL AND THEIR OUTLOOKS.

I read you were living in Berlin – what made you move there, and what is life in Berlin like for you?

BERLIN HAS BEEN AN EYE OPENING EXPERIENCE FOR ME.
TEACHING AT A BIG UNIVERSITY, DISCOVERING A NEW MUSICAL SCENE.
THE TEACHING POST IS WHAT TOOK ME THERE. BUT NOW I SEE SOMETHING NEW AND SPECIAL TO THIS CITY.

Which places do you like to go there?

IT IS MORE OF AN OVERALL EXPERIENCE IN BERLIN. NOT JUST A FEW PLACES.
IT IS NOT LIKE PARIS OR LONDON – WHERE YOU HAVE “SPOTS”.
IT TAKES A WHILE, BUT AFTER SOME TIME YOU CAN FEEL THE PULSE OF THE CITY. I RAMBLE HERE.

What is playing with Tom Waits like, and how about your other high profile colleagues you worked with, such as Lou Reed?

EACH ARTIST IS HIS OR HER OWN UNIVERSE. AND WORKING WITH THEM IS TOTALLY DIFFERENT IN EACH CASE. TOM IS A DEAR FRIEND, AS WELL AS SOMEONE I HAVE WORKED WITH. SO WAS LOU, AND – IN MOST CASES, IT IS LIKE THIS. SO THE EXPERIENCE HAS MANY ANGLES AND DIMENSIONS TO IT. I HAVE BEEN BLESSED TO WORK WITH SOME FASCINATING PEOPLE.

How do you keep a good mood and also good shape/health when working long nights and traveling a lot?

HA! FUNNY QUESTION, BUT – GOOD!
I AM CAREFUL. I DON’T ABUSE MY BODY. I TRY TO KEEP MY HEAD OPEN TO NEW THINGS. SLEEP, GOOD FOOD, VICES THAT DON’T HARM MY BODY.