Jim Cohen

Billy Knowles · Post by **Billy Knowles** » 6 Apr 2014 7:57 pm

Just purchased all 5 of Jim's CD and I am really impressed, sosme really great jazz with some equally talented musicians. Great CD,had to drive a distance today and listened to them all the way there and back and boy am I really impressed.
Jim is a great pedal steel guitarist.

Charley Hill · Post by **Charley Hill** » 6 Apr 2014 8:07 pm

A great guy too!

Joe Casey · Post by **Joe Casey** » 7 Apr 2014 4:05 am

I'll second both.

Mike Perlowin RIP · Post by **Mike Perlowin RIP** » 7 Apr 2014 5:29 am

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Craig Stock · Post by **Craig Stock** » 7 Apr 2014 8:29 am

Agreed, and he also has very acceptable tone!

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 8 Apr 2014 8:08 am

Thanks for the nice words, guys (Mike, I'm gonna assume those were nice symbols you posted...).

Billy, I'm so glad to hear you're enjoying those CDs. I was flattered that you wanted to buy the whole set of them. I hope to hear you play some day; I've seen some of your masterful restoration work online; stunning!

Cheers,
Jimbeaux

Mike Perlowin RIP · Post by **Mike Perlowin RIP** » 8 Apr 2014 8:20 am

Jim, I wus triying tu rite abowt wat a gtat musican yu ar, bot I fogut tu pot in mi galsses.

Ken Byng · Post by **Ken Byng** » 11 Apr 2014 8:59 am

Yep - Jim has great tone. I enjoyed his set at Dallas this year.

Bill Cunningham · Post by **Bill Cunningham** » 11 Apr 2014 9:17 am

Ken Byng wrote:Yep - Jim has great tone. I enjoyed his set at Dallas this year.

Acceptable tone, Ken!

Seriously, one of the guys playing outside the country box. My wife's favorite steel player.

Ken Byng · Post by **Ken Byng** » 11 Apr 2014 10:59 am

I was intrigued by Jim's strumming action. For me, during his Dallas set this year, he single handedly demolished the assertion held by a number of people that have informed me that the MSA carbon fiber body guitars do not sound good. That is nonsense.

Matt Berg · Post by **Matt Berg** » 11 Apr 2014 11:36 am

Having had the pleasure of accompanying Jim several times on bass, and watching him adapt to tunes he's not familiar with, I can attest to the fact that as well as chops, he also has great ears!

Bill Cunningham · Post by **Bill Cunningham** » 11 Apr 2014 5:48 pm

Ken Byng wrote:I was intrigued by Jim's strumming action. For me, during his Dallas set this year, he single handedly demolished the assertion held by a number of people that have informed me that the MSA carbon fiber body guitars do not sound good. That is nonsense.

Ken, I agree and hope you and others understand the context of my facetious quote regarding "acceptable tone". This description of Jim's tone originated with Mr. Seymour several years ago.

It's always my honor and pleasure to be Jim's bass player too!

Ken Byng · Post by **Ken Byng** » 12 Apr 2014 12:08 am

Bill Cunningham wrote:
Ken Byng wrote:I was intrigued by Jim's strumming action. For me, during his Dallas set this year, he single handedly demolished the assertion held by a number of people that have informed me that the MSA carbon fiber body guitars do not sound good. That is nonsense.
Ken, I agree and hope you and others understand the context of my facetious quote regarding "acceptable tone". This description of Jim's tone originated with Mr. Seymour several years ago.

It's always my honor and pleasure to be Jim's bass player too!

Thanks for the clarification Bill

. Yes, R K Seymour was one of the leading voices in decrying the use of carbon fiber (or fibre as we Brits spell it) in the construction of a pedal steel body. He was extremely disparaging about it when he discussed it with me. Bottom line, he felt that nothing apart from real wood would give good tone. "Acceptable tone" would indicate some element of patronisation (or patronization as you Americans spell it) .

Billy Murdoch · Post by **Billy Murdoch** » 12 Apr 2014 12:50 am

Jim Has been known as the Master of Acceptable tone as long as I can remember.
I have always loved how Jim's set is different each time I have seen Him,He does not stick with the same old same old! He takes pop songs and plays them as if they were written for pedal steel.
Oh1 and did I say He is also a real gent.
Best regards
Billy

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 12 Apr 2014 4:39 am

Thanks again, guys. To clarify, back around 2000 when my first CD, "Finally Here", was released, Bobbe wrote some nice lines about it here on the forum, including mention that my tone was "acceptable". From that point on, the amusing moniker, "Master of Acceptable Tone", was born. The CD was recorded almost entirely on a lacquer-body Fessenden (except for one tune on a push-pull Emmons), so the moniker long preceded the advent of carbon fiber steel guitars.

Mike Perlowin RIP · Post by **Mike Perlowin RIP** » 12 Apr 2014 9:28 pm

Bobbe's disparaging comments about the Millennium had less to do with the guitar and more to do with the fact that he and Reece hated each other.

We are all better off because of the contributions those guys made. What a shame they their personal relationship was so messed up. How much more could they have trying to tear each other down.

Mike Perlowin RIP · Post by **Mike Perlowin RIP** » 12 Apr 2014 9:33 pm

Getting back to Jim, he has emerged as one of the finest of the 2nd generation of steel guitarists, along with Herb Steiner and Joe Wright. Buddy, Lloyd. Jimmy Day, John Hughey and the other Nashville icons were the first generation. Now that so many of them are gone, Jim is one of the people taking their place.

Ken Byng · Post by **Ken Byng** » 13 Apr 2014 2:31 am

Mike Perlowin wrote:Bobbe's disparaging comments about the Millennium had less to do with the guitar and more to do with the fact that he and Reece hated each other.

We are all better off because of the contributions those guys made. What a shame they their personal relationship was so messed up. How much more could they have trying to tear each other down.

Actually Mike, you are wrong. Maurice and Bobbe didn't hate each other, far from it. It was a complex relationship but hatred never entered it. I say that as a good friend of both guys. Sorry for the topic drift.

Niels Andrews · Post by **Niels Andrews** » 13 Apr 2014 7:08 am

I too really enjoyed Jim's set in Dallas. I unfortunately did not get a chance to visit with him there. Classy player.
One side bar is tone, you can't buy it, you have to earn it. Anybody who thinks a certain guitar or electronic device is going to make up for years in the woodshed is just kidding themselves. Another drift is I don't think it is proper to comment on other peoples personal relationships, especially when they are both deceased. Just my thoughts!

Mike Perlowin RIP · Post by **Mike Perlowin RIP** » 13 Apr 2014 8:45 am

I don't think it is proper to comment on other peoples personal relationships, especially when they are both deceased. Just my thoughts!

[/quote]

Niels. Normally I’d agree. But Bobbe took his problems with Reece public when he had his own forum, and viciously attacked him personally on almost a daily basis.

He not only disparaged the Millennium, calling it Tupperware, he disparaged ALL MSA guitars, and everybody who played them, including Curly Chalker.

BTW, as far as I know, Reece always acted with dignity in the face of these attacks and never responded publicly.

Ray Harrison · Post by **Ray Harrison** » 13 Apr 2014 9:02 am

If in fact, Jim is lacking in tone 9which I don't believe), he certainly makes up for it in originality, song selection and arrangements.
I've had the pleasure of listening to Jimbo a lot of times at shows and he is one of a few that always varies the material in his sets.
Personally, I enjoy the tone he plays and enjoy each and every one of his shows.
Then again, I may be influenced by his stellar personally and great smile. He has great taste also, because he is married to a lovely lady.

Niels Andrews · Post by **Niels Andrews** » 13 Apr 2014 11:22 am

I would say 99%+ of the people criticizing the Carbon Fibre guitar wish they had the tone of Reece. Those that have that level of tone would not be commenting. As few players as there are of PSG, there is room for all.
Cheers and may Reece and Bobbie rest in peace.

Charles Curtis · Post by **Charles Curtis** » 13 Apr 2014 12:22 pm

In a couple of months I'll be eighty and believe me guys and gals; the older I get the more that I realize just how short life is. I never saw it that way years ago; but, IMO, it's just too short, for me, to dislike any musician. In fact, the longer I'm here, the more I love everybody and life's just too short to get PO'd at any musician. I love music with all my heart and the guys and gals that make it, and I never tire of hugging folks. I think that music is, IMO, about the best gift, along with love that I can think of. And finally one last thing; if anyone is gay, I could care less, just play!!!

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 13 Apr 2014 12:57 pm

Well this thread has taken a rather unfortunate turn.

Now, can we please get back to the original subject?

Mike Perlowin RIP · Post by **Mike Perlowin RIP** » 13 Apr 2014 5:00 pm

[quote="Jim Cohen"]Well this thread has taken a rather u[/img]

I apologize for my part in that.

As for the millennium's tone, when comparing it to the tone of my former green guitar, I felt the individual notes were crisper and more distinct, but the wood guitar had an overall warmer tone. Be that as it may, nobody has ever complained about my guitar's tone.

Jim first heard a millennium at the convention and I subsequently asked him how it sounded. His answer was "It sounds like a steel guitar."