Summary
Bob Cooper (December 6, 1925[1] – August 5, 1993)[2] was a West Coast jazz musician known primarily for playing tenor saxophone, but also for being one of the first to play jazz solos on oboe.
Bob Cooper | |
|---|---|
 Cooper, c. 1947 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | December 6, 1925 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | August 5, 1993 (aged 67) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instrument(s) | Saxophone |
Career edit
Cooper worked in Stan Kenton's band starting in 1945 and married the band's singer, June Christy, two years later.[1] The union produced a daughter, Shay Christy Cooper (September 1, 1954 – February 21, 2014), with the marriage lasting 44 years, until Christy's death in 1990.[3] His last studio recording was on Karrin Allyson's album Sweet Home Cookin' (1994) on which he played tenor saxophone.
Cooper died of a heart attack in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 67. He was found in his car, which had pulled over to the side of the road.[2]
Selected discography edit
As leader edit
- The Bob Cooper Sextet (Capitol, 1954)
- Shifting Winds (Capitol, 1955)
- Flute 'n Oboe (Pacific Jazz, 1957) with Bud Shank
- Milano Blues (Music, 1957)
- Coop! The Music of Bob Cooper (Contemporary, 1958)
- The Swing's to TV (World Pacific, 1958) with Bud Shank
- Blowin' Country (World Pacific, 1959) with Bud Shank
- Tenor Sax Jazz Impressions (Trend, 1979)
- The Music of Michel Legrand (Discovery, 1980) with Mike Wofford, Tom Azarello, Jim Plank
- In a Mellotone (Contemporary, 1985) with the Snooky Young Sextet featuring Ernie Andrews
- At The Royal Palms Inn (Woofy Productions, 1993) with Carl Fontana
As sideman edit
With Chet Baker
- Witch Doctor (Contemporary, 1953 [1985])
With Elmer Bernstein
- The Man with the Golden Arm (Decca, 1956)
With Buddy Bregman
- Swinging Kicks (Verve, 1957)
With June Christy
- Do-Re-Mi (Capitol, 1961)
With Maynard Ferguson
- Maynard Ferguson's Hollywood Party (EmArcy, 1954)
- Jam Session featuring Maynard Ferguson (EmArcy, 1954)
- Dimensions (EmArcy, 1955)
With Jimmy Giuffre
- The Jimmy Giuffre Clarinet (Atlantic, 1956)
With Stan Kenton
- Stan Kenton's Milestones (Capitol, 1943-47 [1950])
- Stan Kenton Classics (Capitol, 1944-47 [1952])
- Artistry in Rhythm (Capitol, 1946)
- Encores (Capitol, 1947)
- A Presentation of Progressive Jazz (Capitol, 1947)
- Innovations in Modern Music (Capitol, 1950)
- Stan Kenton Presents (Capitol, 1950)
- City of Glass (Capitol, 1951)
- Popular Favorites by Stan Kenton (Capitol, 1953)
- This Modern World (Capitol, 1953)
- The Kenton Era (Capitol, 1940–54, [1955])
- The Innovations Orchestra (Capitol, 1950-51 [1997])
- Stan Kenton Conducts the Los Angeles Neophonic Orchestra (Capitol, 1965)
- Hair (Capitol, 1969)
With Barney Kessel
- Kessel Plays Standards (Contemporary, 1954–55)
With Shelly Manne
- The West Coast Sound (Contemporary, 1955)
With Jack Nitzsche
- Heart Beat (Soundtrack) (Capitol, 1980)
With Art Pepper
- Showcase for Modern Jazz (Brunswick, 1958)
With Shorty Rogers
- Cool and Crazy (RCA Victor, 1953)
- Shorty Rogers Courts the Count (RCA Victor, 1954)
- Collaboration (RCA Victor, 1954) with André Previn
- Afro-Cuban Influence (RCA Victor, 1958)
- Shorty Rogers Meets Tarzan (MGM, 1960)
With Pete Rugolo
- Introducing Pete Rugolo (Columbia, 1954)
- Adventures in Rhythm (Columbia, 1954)
- Rugolomania (Columbia, 1955)
- New Sounds by Pete Rugolo (Harmony, 1954–55, [1957])
- Out on a Limb (EmArcy, 1956)
- An Adventure in Sound: Reeds in Hi-Fi (Mercury, 1956 [1958])
- Rugolo Plays Kenton (EmArcy, 1958)
- The Music from Richard Diamond (EmArcy, 1959)
- The Original Music of Thriller (Time, 1961)
- 10 Saxophones and 2 Basses (Mercury, 1961)
With Bud Shank
- Jazz at Cal-Tech (Pacific Jazz, 1956)
- Barefoot Adventure (Pacific Jazz, 1961)
- Bud Shank & the Sax Section (Pacific Jazz, 1966)
References edit
- ^ a b Colin Larkin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Who's Who of Jazz (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 103. ISBN 0-85112-580-8.
- ^ a b Folkart, Burt A. (7 August 1993). "Bob Cooper; a Shaper of West Coast Jazz". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ "Bob Cooper Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 11 October 2012.
External links edit
