When Bob Cooper (1925-1993) made his record debut as a leader in 1954, he was already well known for his solo work on tenor sax with Stan Kenton. He was articulate and original in both writing and playing. Cooper and his associates take us here through a wide range of musical adventures, from a slow subtle ballad, to clever contrapuntal invention, to swinging dynamic improvisation. All the arrangements and four of the compositions are by Cooper’s own pen. These recordings feature some of his most swinging, best-sounding tenor on record. Here are winds blowing out of the west, carrying the sound of Jazz, zesty as a salt breeze off the California beach, kaleidoscopic, like spindrift.
Featuring Stu Williamson (tp, vtb), Bob Enevoldsen (vtb, ts, bcl), Bob Cooper (ts), Bud Shank (as, ts, bars), Jimmy Giuffre (cl, ts, basr), John Graas (frh), Howard Roberts (g), Claude Williamson (p), Joe Mondragon, Curtis Counce or Max Bennett (b), Shelly Manne (d)
13 Tracks. Recorded in Hollywood, between 1954 to 1955