On May 19, 1984, my brother Zaid and I made a beeline from Hempstead to Manhattan to hear the late great alto saxophonist, Lou Donaldson. We carried our horns with no intention of playing. Lou was appearing at The Jazz Center of New York, a venue operated by a wonderful lady who assiduously promoted hundreds of great concerts featuring unsung artists, women, and young cats like us. Her name: Nobuko "Cobi" Narita (3//3/26-11/08/23). “Are you going to play?” she asked. What?!!... “Ask if you can sit in.” We did as instructed and to our surprise Mr. Donaldson agreed. We played a spirited version of Straight No Chaser.” “Y’all on the right track,” he said as the audience applauded. I can’t begin to convey how pivotal this moment was for us as two young teenagers.
My father Jamil Nasser and Cobi produced many great tributes, memorials, concerts, and workshops. My book Upright Bass: The Musical Life and Legacy of Jamil Nasser contains flyers, stories and other details on “The Shootout on 11st” (1979) a spirited tenor saxophone battle between George Coleman, Sal Nistico, Frank Wess, Harold Vick, and Ricky Ford. In 1982, “The Love Letter to Papa Jo Jones” at the Village Gate, and a two-day musical tribute to Red Garland in 1984 wherein Cobi introduced Phineas Newborn before his masterful solo performance. I had the good fortune of attending every aforementioned concert.
Cobi’s mission to elevate and expose women artists compelled author Entice and Stockhouse to ask her to write the following preface for “Jazzwomen” (2004): “I was invited to write this preface because of my work on behalf of women in “the music,” as producer, advisor, fan, and friend.” She mentions the support she received from her husband Paul Ash as well.
I witnessed her efforts during the seventies through the new millennium. The Jazz Center presented great artists such as Randy Weston, Terrence Blanchard and Donald Harrison, Clark Terry, Dakota Staton, Abbey Lincoln, George Coleman, and Billy Harper. Author and NEA jazz master Willard Jenkins called it a jazz shrine if he wasn’t so right, I would agree with him. Cobi departed the earth last year and leaves behind a grand legacy that should be recognized and documented for years to come. Well done!
Muneer Nasser
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