Cohn was born in Chicago, Illinois. Cohn joined Red Saunders' group in 1945, while Saunders was out of the
Club DeLisa and working with a sextet instead of his usual mid-sized band. After his stint in the military, Cohn joined the Saunders group at the Capitol Lounge in Chicago;
Leon Washington had recommended him. Cohn was featured on Saunders' first recordings as a leader, for
Savoy,
Sultan, and (behind
Big Joe Turner) on
National. Cohn was heard on the records that Saunders made for
OKeh Records beginning in 1951 through 1953. After those records, Cohn was on Saunders' recordings for
Parrot and
Blue Lake in 1953 and 1954. Cohn survived several downsizings of the
Red Saunders band, as well as the closure of the
Club DeLisa, but eventually accepted an offer from
Count Basie, with whom he worked from 1960 through 1984. After Basie's death, Cohn returned to Chicago, where he remained active as a musician for another two decades. ==Health and death==