Bob Cooper (musician)

Bob Cooper
Bob Cooper and June Christy, ca. 1947.
Background information
Also known as	Coop
Born	December 6, 1925 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania United States
Died	August 5, 1993 (aged 67) Los Angeles, California United States
Genres	Jazz
Occupation(s)	Musician
Instruments	Saxophone, clarinet, flute, oboe, english horn
Associated acts	Stan Kenton

Bob Cooper (December 6, 1925 – August 5, 1993) was a West Coast jazz musician known primarily for playing tenor saxophone, but also for being one of the first to play solos on oboe.^[1]

He worked in Stan Kenton's band starting in 1945 and married the band's singer June Christy. He had the nickname "Coop".^[2]

Bob Cooper's last studio recording was on Karrin Allyson's album Sweet Home Cookin (1993) on which he played tenor saxophone.

Discography

As leader

• Shifting Winds (Capitol, 1955)
• Flute 'n Oboe (Pacific Jazz, 1957) with Bud Shank
• 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)
• In a Mellotone (Contemporary, 1985) with the Snooky Young Sextet featuring Ernie Andrews

With Chet Baker

• Witch Doctor (Contemporary, 1953 [1985])

With Elmer Bernstein

• The Man with the Golden Arm (Decca, 1956)

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])

With Barney Kessel

• Kessel Plays Standards (Contemporary, 1954-55)

With Shelly Manne

• The West Coast Sound (Contemporary, 1955)

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)

With Bud Shank

• Jazz at Cal-Tech (Pacific Jazz, 1956)
• Barefoot Adventure (Pacific Jazz, 1961)
• Bud Shank & the Sax Section (Pacific Jazz, 1966)

References

1. Folkart, Burt A. (7 August 1993). "Bob Cooper; a Shaper of West Coast Jazz". Los Angeles Times.
2. "Bob Cooper Biography". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 11 October 2012.