Across the table from me at a local coffee shop, Cosimo Bohrman puts up air quotes in reference to what he had thought to be just a hopeful initiative when he was only eight years old: a band started by brother True Bohrman that led to an inspiration to learn to play bass. Not even a decade later, the budding musician had developed a passion for the instrument. In teenhood he’d already formed his first official collective and began booking shows.

Cosimo “Cozzy” Bohrman lived his young life raised by musician parents. Growing older with his music-therapist mother Meg, Cozzy says that he was never forced into his passion. Still, the surrounding instruments and inviting nature of his upbringing soon left him immersed in an ever-growing understanding and passion for music and its natural flow.

“There was always music happening around me,” says the now 22-year-old. “My parents were always playing it. My mom plays accordion, piano, ukulele, a little bit of everything. She taught me how to appreciate and listen to the music. There were always instruments available.”

His introduction to live music was The Fault Lines, a rock band formed when he was just 14. The band consisted of him and brother True, later joined by drummer Gabriel Rhodes and involving fiddler and guitarist Johan Glidden, who has become a constant in Cozzy’s career; the two have played together for nearly their entire lives.

The long-running collective performed a reunion show this past December, coming a long way from their first appearance at the beginning stages of local teen center The Launch Pad. “That was the first experience, and we knew we were into it and enjoying ourselves. We started to book more and more shows, and started getting paid gigs. That’s when I started thinking that this is what I wanted to do.”

Johan and Bohrman’s journey developed into the group Sugar and the Mint, a project Cozzy joined later in its progression. The bluegrass-country-folk group, as described by Bohrman, was one of the best known names involving his talents so far. He followed on a southern tour with the band in 2018, with notable highlights.

“Dollywood in Tennessee was (one of my favorites). It’s a Dolly Parton-themed amusement park, like Six Flags but also a performance-art venue. We ended at the International Bluegrass Music Awards.”

With ongoing expertise in bluegrass, the festival would certainly not be his last.

“Bluegrass festivals are so much fun because it’s so intimate. Everybody in the audience also plays music most of the time, then you go on stage and interact with them and just end up in a tent with say, eight or nine other people just jamming all night long.”

Cozzy cares about and takes pride in the results of his practice, and listed some of his favorite things about the art.

“Working on something and getting it to a place where you feel great about it, a hard lick, a groove you’re trying to find, or a song that you’ve been working on and practicing until you have just the right sound, is a really satisfying thing about music. It’s also a great feeling just to come up with something and love the way it sounds.”

Following suit with his expertise on bass, Cosimo often plays guitar for bands in the area, while also offering vocal backings and harmonies. His resume features involvement with names such as Ponderosa Grove, a group he performed with at the Louisiana Music Prize competition, where it won first place. His role in the group has remained constant, often supporting them in showcases across the country as well as high-turnout local shows such as the Hendrix Auditorium’s Christmas Special in December.

Cosimo lends bass and backing vocals to Stephy Leigh and The Lullaby League, headed by Stephy Leigh Griffin, with whom he has played locally at multiple venues. 

In live performance with these various groups, Cozzy has gained a sense of familiarity with the stage. “Probably my favorite part (about playing live) is just being on stage and interacting with the audience. It’s the authenticity that I love. You have to be vulnerable, and it can be scary, but that’s where the real performances come from.”

When asked if he creates original work, Bohrman says, “I’m working on some originals, but it’s mainly collaborative. I like to find cool songwriters and artists and help them achieve their vision.”

He has started a new project titled Galactagogues, a folk band that debuted at The Raven Cafe on January 22. The band includes his mother Meg and Abigail Poirier. He has also been performing with The Cheektones.

Free, improvisational music is another area of strong interest. “Improvisation is one of my favorite things (to do). It’s all about finding really good players who you lock in with, and you just react to each other. You rise and fall, and make it feel like a cohesive, comprehensive journey.”

Bohrman will be traveling with Ponderosa Grove in March to several showcase venues, where he looks forward to exposure to agents and other music professionals.

Cosimo Bohrman already has 14 years of experience as a musician, and has covered nearly the whole town with his talents. We look forward to more.

Follow Cosimo Bohrman on Instagram at @cosimobohrman and @galactagogues.