Jamie Cohen
June 1, 1953 – September 11, 2008
Jamie Cohen was a one-time A&R man at Columbia Records and EMI Records, though he began his career in the mid ’70s as a product manager at A&M Records. He was also a musician. Cohen died of a heart attack at the age of 55.
Thanks to Craig Rosen Number1Albums for the assist.
My heart is crushed in losing Jamie. Anyone that knew him, knows what I am talking about. The world, simply put, is better for having had him here but will never be as bright without him. He was a true original — beyond smart, social, and sassy, he was “sanctified!” (to be said with a Bootsy accent of course.) I miss you, my darling boy.
To all those who loved and adored my dear brother, James “Jamie” Bruce Cohen, today (September 11) is the 1st Anniversary of his passing. The family and I miss him terribly. The void of his loss is so deep and wide that it is hard to believe he is not in this world sharing his creative genious, and infinite love. His legacy will always live on within us; vital, current and everlasting in everyone he had touched throughout his life.
Your, Susette (the nickname he gave me)
I think about JBC everyday. Although I was older, as kids he was always coming to my rescue. I was always amazed (even a little jeolous) of his artistic talent. It always seemed he could pick up any instrument and self teach how to use it. He had the eye and ear for beautiful music and art. He respected its greatness and that of others.
Miss your little brother
Uncle Jamie was one of the most creative and funniest man I have ever met. I cant count the times we would have conversations on myspace and everytime he made me laugh. I miss him so much, and I know he is with Grandma and Grandpa, just looking down on us and making sure we ALL our going to have great and happy lives. As a family that is what they would want.
As the little brother, Jamie tormented me to no end. He also illuminated for me the power of art, music, poetry, humor and the mixing of dissimilar ideas into something truly original. The Cleveland Museum of Art was his Temple, discovering new music was his passion. In 1966 I remember Jamie discovering Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention’s Freak Out album in the basement of our father’s record store, dragging me to see Jimi Hendrix in 1967 (we are in the background of a photo that made the front page of the Plain Dealer), Jamie getting thrown down the stairs after crashing a post-concert party for David Bowie, and in the early 70’s introducing all his friends to the music of an unknown New Jersey guy named Springsteen. Jamie was devoted to Ruddy and Elvi, and he also selflessly nurtured the creative talent in others. He elevated unconventionality to high art, and I believe that he was truly a very happy person. I miss Jamie very much and I feel both sadness and anger. Sadness in that Jamie is no longer among us, and anger that we have been robbed of his unlimited well of creative energy and artistic expression.
the youngest brother (sometimes referred to as “Pumpernickle Brain”)
We can verify two things about Jamie.
One, he was born on June 1, 1953.
Two, if his eyes, the font of his spontaneity, had focused in on this web page and taken in “1953(?)”, Joe Zawinul and Peter Tosh, in one hour, he would have dreamed up an album mixing jazz and reggae, composed a song to be included in the mix, painted its cover depicting the trio of Joe, Peter, and Jamie, entitled it “1953(?) but why not 1953(!)”, called up his boys to rev up on a riff about the absurdity of life, and completed his day collapsed on his bed, with a guitar he had just restored from a garbage can propped on his belly and a paintbrush in his hand doubling as a pick.
Q: Jamie. Wake up. What are you doing?
A: I’m brushing up on my work.
Three, the essence of his life was “why stop with two when you could have three?”
We wish. His starburst energy will continue to prod us out of our ordinarity.
Jamie – your prescence still resonates. So much so, it is comforting and saddening at once.
As soooo many of us do…I love and miss you very much.
I know you still have supportive “Angel” energy for us, and I am grateful for it, and you.
With love to you today and always!!!!!
P.S. You left me such a cool message two weeks before you died. Still have to keep it – hearing your voice is a comfort.
James Bruce Cohen – (The Bone) God I miss you so very much. I’m so mad at myself for losing touch. Life moves so quickly when your enjoying all you do. For both us that was pretty much the norm. And for all that had the opportunity to involve themselves in the madness of your daily routine surely would agree with me. I had the pleasure visiting with aunt and uncle john when they moved to Orlando. We would sit and laugh for hours as Uncle John would tell all the stories about you and I. I also wanted to mention to all that I just talked with Donna Love for the first time. She is a wonderful woman and loved James with every ounce of her sole. She carries her dream for both to the next level. See you one day. Will jam to the end of time.
I lost touch with Jamie a while back… always think about him, he was a spark a flame, the whole dang deal… I found this whilst wondering about his whereabouts…
Had to leave a note, like pebbles on his marker, and a tear for the soil.
Jamie and I were best of friends, from the day we met At Sunset in 1982 until his death Sept 11, 2008. I continue to write and post extensively about Jamie, because he was the best of the best and because his life and mine were tightly woven. We collaborated on numerous projects together, the first being the above-mentioned AT Sunset, which I founded with a group of others in 1981. Jamie was our 1st DJ. Later, Jamie and I reunited in Venice and ended up living a block from each other. Jamie pushed me from the coffee houses into the recording studio with ex-Zappa great Arthur Barrow at his Lotek Studios in Venice where we made the Fell Music project from 1994-2006. In 2006 I hooked up with Jamie and Andy Kravitz and we took on another music project – The Cheeters. The three of us (and many others) recorded 66 songs from June 8 2006 until August 31, 2008. We recorded in NYC, Philly, Santa Fe and at my Venice studio. During that period I began another project, the Venice Arts Club Music project and you can find Jamie all over those 8 volumes of music. Check out VeniceArtsClub dot com for links to these music projects and to a Jamie Cohen page. There is also much over at the VAC wordpress site – VeniceArtsClub dot wordpress dot com. I think about Jamie every day, he was a true radical in the best term of the word – restless, warm and endearing. Love you Jamie, DL
Jamie Cohen. He put everyone at ease. He was your best friend. Somehow, without words, of which he was a true master, he shifted you and you began to conceptualize, articulate, create more than you ever knew you were capable of. He spoke to something inside of you, touching that part of you that remembers your innocence. Without realizing it, you were suddenly no longer hostage to your dreams or ambitions. Suddenly in that moment the world around you beckons, indeed encourages you to fill the unknown with wonders and imaginings of what if. Jamie Cohen. The man existed of the world not; just in it. He was and still is a part of us, always.
Everything Jamie ever did, he did passionately. He fully committed every fiber of his being to whatever it was that he was he focused on in that moment. Jamie, always exploring, rearranging, redefining. Transparent and honest, inquisitive and bold.
I was fortunate enough to share a truly exquisite and magnificent love with Jamie Cohen. His death was the singular most poignant moment in my life. In that very last moment, as he took his last breath, he was looking into my eyes and he knew, he knew without a shadow of doubt, that he was truly and deeply loved and I knew that I was too.