Bob Cooper

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 jazz solos on oboe.

Career

Cooper worked in Stan Kenton's band starting in 1945 and married the band's singer, June Christy, two years later. 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. 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.

Selected discography

• 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

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)