Life & Work with Adam Cohen of Los Feliz

Today we’d like to introduce you to Adam Cohen.

Hi Adam, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was introduced to the piano when my father, Irwin Cohen, began giving me piano lessons at age 5. I continued with lessons for a few more years with pianist & composer Matt Dennis until, at age 14, I took an interest in playing the bass. I took to it very quickly with lessons from a bassist that my father was doing some local gigs with. My dad was an elementary school teacher by that time but he continued to play locally on the side picking up small gigs here & there.

Since I already had my reading together from my lessons on the piano, I progressed very quickly through the etude and method books I was working through with my bass teacher as well as the immense amount of listening I was doing while playing along to records, cassettes, and the radio. Some of the most fruitful practice was the times I would turn on the radio and see how fast I could pick up a tune, not knowing what was coming up next. It turned out to be great ear training and gave me a sense of what the necessary vocabulary was for a working bassist.

My first professional gig came in the form of a pit-band job playing for a community theater production of the musical “Sweet Charity”. My mother saw a listing in the local paper announcing auditions for the show and they were looking for musicians. I was shy, hesitant, and unsure that my skill level was up to the job. She wasn’t having it and said “You’re going”, and we packed up the car with my little white electric bass and my amp and she drove me to the audition. I was 15 years old, in the ninth grade and easily the youngest person there by many years, but I sightread the book down and pretty much nailed it. I used to jam on standards & show tunes with my Dad a lot so I was familiar with playing in that style. Later that evening after we got home, the phone rang and it was the musical director saying I had gotten the job. My mom & I were so elated. We jumped up & down laughing… she said “I told you! Now aren’t you glad I made you go?” I was, and I never turned back after that.

Fast forward to today, I’m 63 years old and I’ve been playing professionally ever since. I freelance around the LA area and beyond and I’ve been fortunate to share the stage with some incredible musicians & performers including Ray Charles, Connie Steves, Taylor Dayne, Eric Marienthal, Phil Upchurch, Mark Isham, and beginning December of this year (2026), I’ll be marking my 22nd year touring with legendary singer Engelbert Humperdinck. It’s an association I cherish and it’s given me the experiences and friendships of a lifetime.

Finally, in addition to my work as a bass player, I also compose & arrange and have two albums I’ve released of original music; “Gig Bag” (which is out of print) and “Ritual” which can be found on Spotify. My band – The Adam Cohen Band – has a gig coming up on January 15th 2027 at Club 1881 in Pasadena. Hope to see you there!

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I have to say I’ve been very fortunate. It has been a (mostly) smooth road and really the only struggles have been the growing pains and “teachable moments”, if you will, of becoming a better musician and continuing to stay busy in an ever expanding field of immensely talented musicians.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Well, what I do is and what would I say best describes the majority of what I’m called for is to provide musical support for a variety of artists/singers/performers/composers on upright & electric bass. If I’m able to contribute to making the folks I’m playing with feel comfortable and free to express themselves, then I feel like I’ve done my job.

I think one of the things I’m known for and what perhaps is part of my reputation around town is my ability to convincingly fit in to almost any musical situation. My bandmate on the Engelbert Humperdinck tour – drummer Russ McKinnon – recently used the term “Swiss Army Knife of Bassists” to describe my skill set. It got a chuckle out of me but I think there’s some truth to that.

What I’m most proud of is the longevity of my career and the fact that I haven’t become complacent. I am endlessly inquisitive – still practice! – and always looking to raise the bar on my creativity, knowledge and musicianship.

I think what sets me apart – if I can even say that in a scene like Los Angeles – is my ability to think like a composer. My harmonic knowledge and lyrical bent as a soloist also gives me a voice on the bass that maybe presents something unique. As I think back to my early days of jamming with my father; I wonder if hearing all those standards gave me a particular ear for melody and it somehow translated into my playing. Thanks Dad.

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I would not describe myself as a risk-taker… at least in the dramatic sense of the term. I believe in pushing yourself, to reach out of your comfort zone in order to learn and grow. They say that being in the company of those that are better than you (which I’m sure is 90% of the situations I’m in) is the surest way to improve. So if that’s risk-taking then I’m a believer.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.adamcohenmusic.net
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/adam.cohen.727446?mibextid=wwXIfr
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@adamcohen7086

Image Credits
Craig Cochrane
Stephanie Barone
Laurie Piccolo