Jack Cooper (American musician)

Jack Cooper (born John Thomas Cooper Jr., May 14, 1963) is an American composer, arranger, orchestrator, multireedist, and music educator. He has written music for and performed or recorded by internationally known pop, jazz, and classical artists including Aaron Neville, Marc Secara, Jiggs Whigham, the Berlin Jazz Orchestra, Lenny Pickett, Joyce Cobb, Bernie Dresel's BBB, Donald Brown, Young Voices Brandenburg, Jimi Tunnell, Christian McBride, the Westchester Jazz Orchestra, the U.S. Army Jazz Ambassadors, the Dallas Winds, and the Memphis Symphony Orchestra.[1][2][3][4][5][6]

Jack Cooper
Conducting the Mists recording session
April 4, 2014
Background information
Birth nameJohn Thomas Cooper, Jr.
Born (1963-05-14) May 14, 1963
Whittier, California, U.S.
OriginLa Habra, California, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)
Instruments
  • Saxophone
  • Clarinet
  • Flute
Years active1981–present
Labels
Associated actsThe Jazz Knights
Jazz Orchestra of the Delta
Michael Waldrop
Berlin Jazz Orchestra
Bernie Dresel's BBB
Young Voices Brandenburg

Early life, musical education and influences

Jack Cooper was born in Whittier, California on May 14, 1963, he was raised in nearby La Habra.[7] He is the younger brother of artist and stylist Cathy Cooper and also the grandson (x4) of Harriet Byron McAllister[8][9] His mother, Georgie Cooper, was an accomplished classical pianist.[10] His father was an amateur clarinet and sax player who gave Cooper his first instruments. He first heard Artie Shaw at age eleven, he soon was taken by Charlie Parker heard from 78's; he learned flute in college.[11][12][13]

After graduating from Sonora High School and having first studied with Ernie Del Fante, Cooper attended Fullerton College where he studied composition and arranging with Tom Ranier and saxophone with Dave Edwards and Don Raffell (later studied with Peter Yellin in New York).[14] While at Fullerton College he recorded on the Down Beat award-winning LP, Time Tripping. He later transferred to California State University, Los Angeles where he received a BA in Music education and clarinet in 1987. Cooper also studied jazz composition with composers Bob Curnow and David Caffey. "Since college, when I first began studying big band musical arrangements, (I) wanted to orchestrate for jazz ensembles."[15] Two years later he completed a MA in composition at C.S.U.L.A. and had studied with Byong-Kon Kim, George Heussenstamm and William H. Hill.[16] He has collaborated closely on several professional projects with CSULA classmate Luis Bonilla.[17] Early on in Cooper's life he started experiencing acute Synesthesia/Chromesthesia which would become an important part of his process to composing and arranging music.[15]

Later composition studies were with David Baker, Gerald Wilson, Manny Albam, Karl Korte, and Richard Lawn; in 1999 he earned a DMA in composition from the University of Texas at Austin.[18][19][20]

His first notable professional work in Los Angeles as a multireedist was with the Kingsmen, Shari Lewis, Mateos Parseghian, the Tak Shindo Orchestra, Si Zentner, Steve Jam, the Dive, and the Last Mile.[21]

Armed forces and the West Point Jazz Knights
Cooper on a tour with the Jazz Knights, Branford, CT., June 1994

At age 25 (in 1989) Cooper was hired as a saxophonist and staff arranger for the United States Army Jazz Knights, a premier musical ensemble of the United States Armed Forces.[22] For 6 years he toured, performed, wrote for and recorded extensively with the West Point Band's musical group to include A&E television appearances at the Hatch Memorial Shell with the Boston Pops, jazz festivals across the Northeastern United States, backing entertainers and jazz artists.[21] He participated in the funeral of former President Richard M. Nixon in April 1994.[23]

While in New York he worked extensively backing entertainers and artists such as Tony Martin, The Lettermen, Clint Holmes, Fred Travalena, Dennis Wolfberg, and worked as arranger and saxophonist with the band Alma Latina. Cooper was introduced by composer Carl Strommen during this time to Columbia Pictures Publishing/Belwin and Warner Bros.; Double Helix was the first of many works published.

Professional career

As instrumentalist

Cooper has played woodwind instruments professionally since the 1980s. His work includes backing Jennifer Holliday, Lady Rizo, Kenny Rogers, Macy Gray, Manhattan Transfer, Glen Campbell, Mitch Ryder (and Detroit Wheels), Chris Stamey and playing woodwinds on national tours for the Producers, Sweet Charity, and A Chorus Line.[21] He has played in saxophone sections for the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, the Guy Lombardo Orchestra, the Temptations and on the CD Coming Through Slaughter: The Bolden Legend.[24][25][26] He has also been a featured guest artist/soloist at the Western States Jazz Festival, the Birmingham International Jazz and Blues Festival (U.K.), the 45th International Horn Symposium, and the Festival Virtuosi (2007) in Recife, Brazil.[27][28][29][30] Also as a woodwind player, Cooper has been a featured classical artist and soloist with the Hot Springs Festival Orchestra, Memphis Symphony Orchestra, the IRIS Symphony Orchestra, and as chamber soloist internationally.[31][32][33]

As composer (highlights)

Cooper first writing music professionally in the early 1980s. He was first hired in 1992 as a staff arranger for Columbia Pictures Publishing/Belwin; his television and media music writing credits include The Jenny Jones Show, Danish Radio 2 (DR P2), E! Entertainment shows, Access Hollywood, JBVO: Your All Request Cartoon Show, American Restoration, Deal or No Deal, and Extra.[34][21] His music has been featured at numerous venues around the world to include the North Sea Jazz Festival and the Montreux Jazz Festival.[35] He is the musical director, composer and chief arranger for the Jazz Orchestra of the Delta; in 2003 they produced the CD Big Band Reflections of Cole Porter. He also serves as the musical director and chief arranger for Kathy Kosins and her show Rhapsody in Boop. In February 2006 Cooper collaborated with choreographer Mark Godden to produce the ballet Two Jubilees commissioned by and for Ballet Memphis.[21] His musical influence on the ballet gained critical acclaim.[15][36]

Though his catalogue has a great deal of varied music, his work emphasizes the big band genre.[15] His big band writing has been featured with many groups internationally on the professional and educational levels, "...this style of jazz music (sic) is my wheel house of expertise."[20][37] Two definitive CDs were recorded in 2014 that exemplify Cooper's adeptness as a jazz orchestra composer and arranger: Mists: Charles Ives for Jazz Orchestra and Time Within Itself.[38][39] Both are recognized internationally as exceptional examples of contemporary, progressive big band composition and orchestration.[40]

Chamber and solo works

His Sonata for Trombone was commissioned in 1997 and has been widely performed and recorded by trombone artists including Mark Hetzler, Tom Brantley, Lance Green, Chris Buckholtz, and Michael Davidson (among others).[41] The work is recorded on two highly acclaimed recordings for Centaur Records and Summit Records. Cooper's 2nd Sonata for Trombone was completed in 2018 and recorded on the release Synthesis for SkyDeck Music. The Sonata for Alto Saxophone was commissioned for and first premiered in July 2000 at the 12th World Saxophone Congress in Montreal, Canada. It is described as belonging with "such landmark 'jazz/classical' pieces as the Phil Woods Sonata, on any recital or concert program that explores (both) these worlds."[42][43]

One of the Missing – for those lost in Iraq for euphonium was commissioned in 2007 and premiered in 2008.[44] It is a protest piece that shows the composer's anti-war stance against the Iraq War; the title is taken from the anti-war/Civil War short story and film adaptation of Ambrose Bierce.[45] The work was also used on the soundtrack of a 2011 Canadian television film broadcast on the Vision network.[46] Cooper's Violin Sonata was premiered on May 27, 2018 as part of the Barnstedter Kapellen Konserte series in Barnstedt, Germany; recording of the work for commercial release was on June 26/27 at Greve Studio in Berlin.[47][48]

Berlin, Germany
Cooper preparing for recording session with Young Voices of Brandenburg, February 2016

From June 2015 through August 2016 Cooper resided full-time in the Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf borough of Berlin, Germany and continues to commute between the U.S. and Germany and makes his home in both Schöneberg, Berlin and Memphis, Tennessee. He serves as a staff arranger, musical director and production assistant for Marc Secara and the Berlin Jazz Orchestra and the Young Voices Brandenburg for live performances and recording sessions.[49][50] He also assisted in arranging for the Collegium musicum Potsdam Symphony Orchestra and the Compass Big Band.[51][52][53] Cooper has conducted music and performed in venues such at the Wühlmäuse Theater, Heimathafen Neukölln and Kunstfabrik Schlot.[54] He also served as a Visiting professor and Artist-in-residence at the SRH Hochschule der populären Künste.[55] He has worked closely with German jazz, pop and Schlager personalities such as Marc Secara, Jiggs Whigham and Marc Marshall.[56][57][58][59]

Awards and special recognition

Jack Cooper was named the Pearl Wales Professor of Music of the University of Memphis in August or 2020. He was also the 2020 recipient of the University of Memphis CCFA Dean's Creative Achievement Award and the 2010 recipient of the Distinguished Achievement in the Creative Arts Award from the UMAA.[60] He was chosen in 2003 as a nominee for the annual NARAS Premier Player Awards and also was awarded a $10,000 grant from the Aaron Copland Fund Recording Program in 2003.[61][62] He is also the recipient of numerous ASCAP composer awards since 1996.[63] As a presenter he has been honored as the key-note speaker for the Modern Language Association, scholar and main presenter for four different National Endowment for the Humanities series on American Music, and the Hawaii International Conference on Arts & Humanities.[21]

Teaching and education career

Cooper has been teaching at the collegiate level for over 20 years, earning the rank of Professor. Before his appointment to the University of Memphis as director of jazz studies in 1998, he had taught privately and worked as a clinician for the U.S. Army Jazz Knights. He has served as an invited clinician, guest artist, and conductor in Recife (Brazil), Birmingham (U.K), Berlin Germany, Graz Austria and Bogotá Colombia.[64] He has also served as guest conductor for the Missouri All-State Collegiate Jazz Orchestra, the Arkansas All-State High School Jazz Ensemble, and the Arizona All-State High School Jazz Ensemble.[65] Since Fall of 2016, Cooper has been host of the WUMR radio program The Voice of Jazz which airs on Wednesday night from 5-6 P.M. CST.[66]

Timeline of professional/musical career

Audio Recordings

As composer, arranger, conductor or producer (and instrumentalist on select tracks)

As instrumentalist

Film, television, DVD, video

As instrumentalist/actor

As composer/arranger/conductor/musical director

Published music, books, educational media, articles as reviewer

Other artists worked with (partial list)

Discography (select, reviewed)
Year Album Primary artist
producer
conductor
composer
arranger
instrumentalist		 Type Label U.S. Canada U.K. Germany Review
Rating
1983 Time Tripping instrumentalist Studio Trend AM PM Down Beat
1st Place Winner
1988 Monstrosity! instrumentalist
composer		 # CSULA 888 Los Angeles Times
1994 Mainstream arranger Studio/Live FC Down Beat
1998 Games arranger UNI Down Beat

best CDs of the 1990s
2003 Big Band Reflections of Cole Porter Primary artist
producer		 Studio Summit JazzWeek
August 22, 2003
#88		 Jazz Journal
very positive		 All About Jazz
Upside Out composer
(title track)		 Sea Breeze JazzWeek
February 6, 2004
#164		 All Music Guide
2004 Memphis Jazz Box producer
instrumentalist
composer
arranger		 Studio/Live Icehouse Commercial Appeal
2009 Coming Through Slaughter: The Bolden Legend instrumentalist Studio SkyDeck Exclaim!
very positive		 Down Beat
2010 The Chamber Wind Music of Jack Cooper Primary artist
producer		 Centaur Fanfare Magazine
very positive
2014 Mists: Charles Ives for Jazz Orchestra Primary Artist Planet Arts JazzWeek
October 6, 2014
#59		 Roots Music Report
October 26, 2014
#8		 BBC Radio 3
November 1, 2014
playlist choice		 Jazz Podium
Highly recommended
 All About Jazz

Chicago Tribune 2014 Top 10 Jazz
2015 Time Within Itself composer
arranger
conductor		 Origin Records JazzWeek
April 13, 2015
#71		 Jazz Journal
 All About Jazz
2015 Local Color composer UNI All About Jazz
2015 Blues, Ballads and Beyond composer Summit Classical Musical Sentinel
very positive		 All About Jazz
2016 I Can Do All Things composer JDW Music Roots Music
Report
#4		 Amazon 'Vine Voice'
2018 Origin Suite composer
arranger
conductor		 Origin Records JazzWeek
February 26, 2018
#67		 Jazz Journal
 All About Jazz
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See also

References
  1. Cannon Center for the Performing Arts, September 30, 2011, The Shadow of Your Smile arranged for orchestra by Jack Cooper for Aaron Neville
  2. Sparke, Jon W. BPACC Showcase flows in with tribute to Ellington, The Commercial Appeal, August 28, 2009. Jack Cooper, musical director/arranger for Joyce Cobb and Donald Brown
  3. Shew, Jazz Orchestra Bring Out Best in Each Other. Austin American-Statesman, April 28, 1997, pp. E3, Music for Shew by Jack Cooper, also on the 2001 CD Showcase
  4. McBride stresses work, luck, Austin American-Statesman, April 1, 1997, Page E2. Music for McBride by Jack Cooper, also on the 2009 CD Voices
  5. The Westchester Jazz Orchestra Archived November 12, 2013, at the Wayback Machine, commissioned work and premiered September 24, 2005
  6. Scene for Brass commissioned by the Dallas Winds and premiered on September 14, 2004
  7. "History of La Habra". Lahabramasons.com. January 8, 2015. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  8. Jack Cooper's mother is Georgie Blanton Finlay Cooper from Greenville, Mississippi who is direct lineage to Harriet Blanton Theobald
  9. Blanton-Smith Collection, University of Mississippi. Department of Archives and Special Collections. University, MS 38677, USA
  10. "Festival of Song" LP, Georgie Cooper - pianist
  11. Focus on the Arts WUMR Radio interview with D.J. Malvin Massey (reviewed from recording), talking about Cooper's background in music, February 2004
  12. Cooper's adeptness as a clarinetist is demonstrated on "Memphis Blues" and "Tiger Rag" from the CD release Ninety Years of Making Music in Memphis: The University of Memphis
  13. Cooper adeptness on the alto sax is demonstrated on his composition "The Protagonist" on Youtube
  14. Alumni Biographical page, Fullerton College Music Department
  15. Blank, Chistopher. Ballet Memphis takes a jazzy step – Choreographer Mark Godden swings to a new set of beats by Big Band jazz arranger Jack Cooper. The Commercial Appeal, February 10, 2006.
  16. Cooper, Jack. "Solace" a Three Movement Composition for Saxophone Soloist and 18 Piece Jazz Orchestra. Los Angeles: California State University, 1989. M.A. THESIS
  17. April 4, 2014, recording completed at Systems Two Recording in Brooklyn, New York of Cooper's 8 adaptations/orchestrations of Charles Ives music, Luis Bonilla producer. Released August 22, 2014 on the Planet Arts Records label
  18. Alumni Biographical page (jazz) Archived January 6, 2013, at Archive.today, The University of Texas, Butler School of Music
  19. Cooper, Jack T. Three Sketches for Jazz Orchestra Inspired by Charles Ives Songs. University of Texas at Austin, 1999. Thesis (D.M.A.) OCLC 44537553
  20. "Gerald is 95 now, I had studied with him in Los Angeles...", Jack Cooper. interview with Kacky Walton, Checking on the Arts, Natl. Public Radio, WKNO-FM, Memphis, October 9, 2013.
  21. "Jack Cooper : Search Results". Alfred.com. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  22. Department of the Army Enlistment and Honorable discharge records from Cooper, Jack T., orders 196–1 dated November 30, 1989 and orders 33–5, dated February 22, 1995
  23. "Nixon Funeral Departure Stewart Air Base, Apr 26 1994". C-SPAN.org. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  24. Lover Man, The Memphis Jazz Orchestra, Jack Cooper, solo/lead alto sax, June 2, 2013.
  25. Jeremy Shrader (March 18, 2010). "NMHSummerWind.mov". YouTube. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  26. Dave Lisik (October 1, 2012). "Coming Through Slaughter I, Dave Lisik Orchestra, Tim Hagans, Donny McCaslin, Matt Wilson". YouTube. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  27. "Festival Virtuosi, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil". Virtuosi.com.br. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  28. "Western States Jazz Festival, Los Angeles, CA. clarinet and composer – guest artist on main concert, 1 March 2013". Frequency.com. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  29. "Cooper featured with the Midland Youth Jazz Orchestra, Fat Chops Big Band, Great Birmingham Trombone Company, 6–9 July, 2013" (PDF). Visitbirmingham.com. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  30. "私が糖尿病予防で日頃から気をつけていることは運動と食事". ihs45.org. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  31. Ellis, Bill. Ma, Stern Resonate Far Beyond The Musical Score, The Commercial Appeal, September 20, 2000. Cooper – alto saxophone and clarinet soloist, IRIS Orchestra
  32. Sparks, Jon W. 'Nut ReMix' brings energy to new Cannon Center setting; The Commercial Appeal, November 23, 2014. Cooper – tenor saxophone soloist on Ellington/Strayhorn Nutcracker adaptations, MSO Big Band
  33. "St Martin in the Bull Ring » Sat 6th July Concert: Oksana Poleshook, International Russian Concert Pianist". Bullring.org. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  34. IMDb Listing, Jack Cooper, also refer to Double Helix
  35. UNI Jazz Ensemble Band One, playing The Cage (arr. Jack Cooper) at the North Sea Jazz Festival, July 10, 1998
  36. Blank, Christopher. Spirit of jazz sets stage for tribute – Ballet premieres divergent pieces, The Commercial Appeal, February 13, 2006.
  37. Yokohama Aoba Jazz Band and Big Band de Sarreguemines are examples of international groups using Cooper's music.
  38. Jack Cooper Interprets Ives On New CD, U of Memphis CCFA Newsletter "Voices" Winter 2015
  39. Interview with Scott Ellsworth on jazz radio show "Scoot's Place", Saturday, May 18, 2018
  40. Jazz, All About. "Notable and Nearly Missed 2015". All About Jazz. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  41. "Sonata for Trombone, Eastern Trombone Workshop, 16 March 2011, Washington D.C., Michael Davidson – trombone soloist" (PDF). Usarmyband.com. Archived from the original on January 27, 2012. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  42. Dempsey, David. Sonata for Saxophone, Saxophone Journal, Jan./Feb. 2012, pp 14
  43. XII° Congrès Mondial du Saxophone, July 9th, 2000, World Premiere of the Sonata for Alto Sax (Université du Québec à Montréal) Montréal, Québec, Canada 536.pair.com
  44. "One Of The Missing, ITEA International Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio, 2008". Iteaonline.org. Archived from the original on March 22, 2012. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  45. Today, section 2.2.4 of Euphonium Repertiore, Wikipedia – The Free Encyclopedia
  46. Teens Gone Wrong, Volume 1,, television series Vision of Youth Ministry, VisionTV 2011
  47. GEIGE UND PIANO, Barnstedter Kapellen Konserte, May 27, 2018, Barnstedt Germany
  48. YouTube. Cooper Sonata for Violin and Piano. Live performance in Berlin, Germany. Greve Studio. June 26, 2018
  49. "Berlin Jazz Orchestra - Home". Berlin Jazz Orchestra. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  50. "Bob Mehr's Memphis Music Beat: "Beale Street Saturday Night" comes back and more". Commercialappeal.com. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  51. "Concerts". Cm-potsdam.de. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  52. Bastian Lee Jones (July 4, 2016). "Bastian Lee Jones interviews Dr. Knut Andreas (Klassik am Weberplatz Potsdam)". YouTube. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  53. "Compass Big Band Berlin". Facebook.com. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  54. Kunstfabrik Schlot Berlin concerts, January 27, 2016 and March 9, 2017, five new arrangements played of Cooper's
  55. "hdpk begrüßt Jack Cooper als ersten "artist in residence"". Hdpk.de. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  56. klavieresque (July 3, 2016). "'SONGS OF BERLIN' Marc Secara, Jiggs Whigham, Berlin Jazz Orchestra, arr. and cond. Jack Cooper". YouTube. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  57. ""In dieser Stadt" Marc Secara, Jiggs Whigham Berlin Jazz Orchestra, arr. and cond. Jack Cooper". YouTube. June 14, 2016. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  58. "Marc Secara and the Berlin Jazz Orchestra with Peter Kraus, September 18, 2017" (PDF). Wuehlmaeuse.de. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  59. Berlin Jazz Orchester und Marc Secara in Rheinsberg, Märkische Allgemeine - Ihre Zeitung aus Brandenburg, 10:24 18.11.2018
  60. "2010 recipient of the Distinguished Achievement in the Creative Arts Award". Emephis.edu. Archived from the original on October 21, 2013. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  61. Ellis, Bill. Premier Player Awards To Honor, The Commercial Appeal, March 1, 2003
  62. "Aaron Copland Fund Awards $500,000 in Recording Grants". Newmusicbox.org. May 29, 2003. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  63. U of M Music Professors Awarded ASCAP Awards, Memphis Daily News - Newsmakers, VOL. 117, NO. 161, Wednesday, September 10, 2003
  64. "Events". jazz.kug.ac.at. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  65. Hot House arr. Jack Cooper- 2012 Arizona All State Jazz Band conducted by Jack Cooper
  66. Profile for Jack Cooper, WUMR radio host
  67. "Jack Cooper - Credits - AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  68. Enriching Life With Jazz CD, Love For Sale, arr. Jack Cooper (4:51) OCLC 774893336
  69. Jazz, All About. "Bob Lark Alumni Band / Bob Curnow / JazzMN Big Band". All About Jazz. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  70. Peanuts for Christmas – Die Big Band Der Lübecker Hochschulen, released 4. December 2012, MP3 CD, Winter Wonderland, arr. Jack Cooper (4:25)
  71. Juletona – Trondheim Ballroom Orkester, Trondheim Norway, December 2, 2013, MP3 CD, Winter Wonderland, arr. Jack Cooper (4:25)
  72. Sounds of the Season CD, "Oh Holy Night" arranged by Jack Cooper
  73. Jack Cooper-solo tenor sax, Valerie chose... the University of Memphis, uofmemphisvideos
  74. Jack Cooper-solo tenor sax, Cathy chose... the University of Memphis, uofmemphisvideos
  75. Experiencing jazz Students CD ROM, McGraw Hill. Content on website for Routledge Publishing OCLC 68712015, 764304925
  76. U or Memphis School of Music, UOM137-FY1112/3M
  77. Baur, John. Practical Music Theory, Chapter 19 – analysis of Jack Cooper's arrangement of What a Wonderful World, Kendall Hunt Publishing Company. 2014. pp. 287–289, ISBN 978-1-4652-1790-5
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