Bob Cooper (musician)

Bob Cooper
Cooper, c. 1947; by William P. Gottlieb
Cooper, c. 1947; by William P. Gottlieb
Background information
Born(1925-12-06)December 6, 1925
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedAugust 5, 1993(1993-08-05) (aged 67)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres
OccupationMusician
Instruments
Years active1940s–1993
Labels
Formerly ofStan Kenton Herd
Spouse
​
(m. 1947⁠–⁠1990)​

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 the oboe.

Career

Cooper worked in Stan Kenton's band starting in 1945 and married the band's singer, June Christy, two years later.[1] Their 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] He later left the Kenton band in 1951 and joined Howard Rumsey's Lighthouse All-Stars with his friend and bandmate Bud Shank. The two would go on to form a wind partnership, with Cooper on oboe and Shank on flute, that was a novel frontline combination for jazz.[4]

Cooper (furthest left on saxophone) with the Stan Kenton band, Richmond, Virginia, c. 1947; by William P. Gottlieb

He worked in Pete Rugolo's orchestra from the mid-1950s through 1960s as well as in the later bands of Stan Kenton. From the 1960s, he became mainly a sideman and studio musician, often arranging music for his wife, June Christy.

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

Cooper and June Christy, c. 1947; by William P. Gottlieb

As leader

As sideman

With Karrin Allyson

With Chet Baker

With Elmer Bernstein

With Buddy Bregman

With June Christy

With Maynard Ferguson

With Jimmy Giuffre

With The Gene Harris All Star Big Band

  • Tribute to Count Basie (Concord Jazz, 1988)

With Stan Kenton

With Barney Kessel

With Shelly Manne

With Jack Nitzsche

With Art Pepper

With Shorty Rogers

With Pete Rugolo

With Bud Shank

References

  1. 1 2 Larkin, Colin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Who's Who of Jazz (1st ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 103. ISBN 0-85112-580-8.
  2. 1 2 Folkart, Burt A. (August 7, 1993). "Bob Cooper; a Shaper of West Coast Jazz". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 11, 2012.
  3. ↑ Arwulf, Arwulf. "Bob Cooper Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved October 11, 2012.
  4. ↑ Kramer, Arthur (2006). Bud Shank Bob Cooper European Tour 57' (Liner notes). Lonehill Jazz. LHJ10246. Retrieved June 12, 2026.
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