Josh Cohen Takes His Solo Bass World Into a Full Band on “We Are Home”
For years, Josh Cohen has created jaw-dropping music with just his bass. (His solo rendition of “Chameleon” still blows my mind.) Now, the six-string bassist has expanded his palette with We Are Home, which marks his first ensemble recording as a bandleader.
“For years, solo bass allowed me to shape an entire musical world in my own hands,” Cohen says. “With We Are Home, I had to hand that world over — to let go, trust the ensemble, and allow the music to grow beyond what I could have imagined alone.”
Cohen is joined by keyboardist Jeremy Ledbetter, guitarist Lucian Gray, woodwind player Rob Christian, and drummer Mateo Mancuso on eight original compositions with guest guitarist Elmer Ferrer on two tracks. Together, they explore “home” as more than a physical location.
“The title reflects the idea that home is not only a place, but a feeling: belonging, shared purpose, creative possibility, and the people who help us find our way,” the liner notes explain. “Written during a major chapter of Cohen’s life as a musician, husband, father, and independent artist, the album carries traces of family, transition, return, and a deep connection to the Toronto and Canadian jazz community.”
Watch Cohen discuss the album’s creation:
Cohen takes several incredible solos across the album. Check out this snippet of “My Lima”:
We Are Home is out now on Bandcamp, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and other digital platforms.
We Are Home Track List:
- Supernueve
- Five on the Floor
- Next Steps
- Newborn
- Operation Mexi-Can
- Inner Embrace
- Elevate
- My Lima
In his time with No Treble, Kevin has met hundreds of amazing bassists and interviewed icons like Jack Casady, Victor Wooten, Les Claypool, Marcus Miller, and more. He's a gigging bassist performing jazz in Northern Virginia and bluegrass with The Plate Scrapers up and down the East Coast. Kevin appreciates all genres of music, from R&B to metal and everything in between. Connect with Kevin on Facebook and check his performance schedule on his website.
