Bob Cooper

Tenor saxophonist Bob Cooper's only Contemporary album is a near-classic and one of his finest recordings. Cooper, along with trombonist Frank Rosolino, vibraphonist Victor Feldman, pianist Lou Levy, bassist Max Bennett, and drummer Mel Lewis, performs colorful versions of five standards (best are "Confirmation," "Easy Living," and "Somebody Loves Me") that show off his attractive tone and ability to swing at any tempo…

Proof positive that any well-executed idea translates to the jazz idiom – snobs and purists be damned – The Swing's to TV pairs altoist Bud Shank and tenorist Bob Cooper for a moody, nuanced collection of late-'50s television theme songs…

West Coast jazz of the 1950s has long had a bad reputation in jazz history books and among East Coast jazz writers who have stereotyped it as an overarranged and bloodless music best heard in movie soundtracks of the era. In reality, it was a multifaceted style, a smoothing of bebop's rough edges that could often be hard-swinging even with its quiet rhythm sections. Two of the finest West Coast players of the '50s were Bud Shank and Bob Cooper. Shank, a cool-toned altoist who on this 1998 CD also plays flute and tenor, appeared on many dates with Coop, who triples here on tenor, bass clarinet and oboe.

The music on this CD and the three others that have been released by Lone Hill Jazz that document Bud Shank and Bob Cooper's European tours of 1957 and 1958 are almost completely previously unissued. The recording quality is mostly excellent and this CD has two very interesting sessions…

Like many West Coast tenor saxophonists of his generation, Bob Cooper's style was based upon skillful emulation of Lester Young's velvety, vetiver-scented tone, harmonic ingenuity and sinuous technique. The best introduction to this artist would be Coop! The Music of Bob Cooper, released in 1958 by Contemporary Records. Initially known as an exponent of the Stan Kenton Orchestra, he branched out and spent four decades as an all-purpose session man, serving in the reed sections of multiple studio orchestras while maintaining a steady presence on the cool, bop-inflected West Coast mainstream jazz scene.

Bud Shank & Bob Cooper - Mosaic Select 10 (2004) [3CD Box Set] {Mosaic}
EAC Rip | FLAC (tracks+.cue+log) - 961 MB | Scans JPG - 30 MB | MP3 CBR 320 kbps (LAME 3.98) - 485 MB
Genre: jazz, cool | RAR 5% Rec. | Label: Mosaic / Blue Note | CAT # MS-010 | 2004

This excellent 3-CD set collects two 10" albums by Shank and 4 12" albums co-led by Shank and Cooper, all for the Pacific Jazz/World Pacific labels between 1954-58. The West Coast cool school was at its height at this time, and both Bud Shank and Bob Cooper were in the thick of it. The first disc gets off to a rousing start with the marvelously swinging VALVE IN HEAD from 1954, with Bud playing fluid alto sax. He's joined by three valve trombone players (Bob Enevoldsen, Stu Williamson, and the ringer Maynard Ferguson) on this tune and for the first half of the disc, an interesting concept. The second half finds him with Coop at Cal Tech in 1959. Count Basie's THE KING gets a rousing airing, and there's a nicely done ballad medley.

Bud Shank & Bob Cooper - Mosaic Select 10 (1954-58) [3CD] {2004 Mosaic Records 24-bit Remaster by Ron McMaster}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 960 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 484 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 30 Mb | 5% repair rar | 24-bit remaster by Ron McMaster
© 2004 Pacific Jazz / Mosaic Records / EMI Records | MS-010
Jazz / Cool / West Coast Jazz / Flute / Saxophone

This excellent 3-CD set collects two 10" albums by Shank and 4 12" albums co-led by Shank and Cooper, all for the Pacific Jazz/World Pacific labels between 1954-58. The West Coast cool school was at its height at this time, and both Bud Shank and Bob Cooper were in the thick of it. The first disc gets off to a rousing start with the marvelously swinging VALVE IN HEAD from 1954, with Bud playing fluid alto sax. He's joined by three valve trombone players (Bob Enevoldsen, Stu Williamson, and the ringer Maynard Ferguson) on this tune and for the first half of the disc, an interesting concept. The second half finds him with Coop at Cal Tech in 1959. Count Basie's THE KING gets a rousing airing, and there's a nicely done ballad medley.

The Rein De Graaff Trio with Conte Candoli & Bob Cooper - Thinking Of You (1993) {2015 Japan Timeless Jazz Master Collection Complete Series}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 430 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 158 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 228 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1993, 2015 Timeless Records / Solid Records Japan / Ultra-Vibe | CDSOL-6417
Jazz / Post Bop / West Coast Jazz / Piano Trio / Saxophone / Trumpet

Reissue with the latest remastering and the original cover artwork. Comes with a description written in Japanese. West coast meets Dutch jazz – in this sweet set that features Bob Cooper on tenor and Conte Candoli on trumpet – both musicians who rose to fame in the LA scene of the 50s, but who still stand plenty strong here with the trio of Rein DeGraaff in the 90s! Cooper and Candoli continued to play often over the years – even after both had lost the opportunity to record much as leaders – and the musicians are in fine form here, with strong backing from Rein's trio that also features Koos Serierse on bass and Erik Ineke on drums.