Jack Cooper

Jack Cooper has a wide range of experience as performer and composer. Most recently he is the recipient of the 2010 University of Memphis Alumni Association Distinguished Achievement in the Creative Arts Award. As a saxophone/woodwind performer and staff arranger, Cooper performed, recorded, and toured with the U.S. Army "Jazz Knights" from 1989 to 1995. As a woodwind doubler, he has performed with Manhattan Transfer, Smokey Robinson, Kenny Rogers, Ray Romano, Macey Gray, Brian McKnight, the Temptations, the IRIS Orchestra and many others. His lead alto and woodwind playing can be heard on the critically acclaim 2009 release "Coming Through Slaughter" featuring trumpeter Tim Hagens. Cooper has performed with and written music for jazz artists Aaron Neville, Joyce Cobb, Donald Brown, Peter Erskine, Marvin Stamm, Bobby Shew, Mulgrew Miller, Gary Foster, Benny Powell, and Christian McBride. His most recent CD recording of his compositions is with Centaur Records, "The Chamber Wind Music of Jack Cooper" , the U.S. Army "Jazz Ambassadors," the U.S. Navy "Commodores," the Rob Parton Jazz Orchestra, the Cavani String Quartet, the Ceruti String Quartet, Alma Latina, DEKA Jazz and the Brass 5. Cooper's television music composition credits included "the Jenny Jones Show," "Xtra, "Deal or No Deal", "American Restoration" and numerous other shows and broadcasts around the world. He has been a staff arranger and clinician for Warner Brothers Publishing since 1992. His music is also published by UNC Jazz Press, ReallyGoodMusic.com, Increase Music, and Three-Two music. Jack Cooper is musical director and founder of the Jazz Orchestra of the Delta. Their CD, "Big Band Reflections of Cole Porter," was released in June 2003 on the Summit Record Label. He collaborated with award winning choreographer Mark Godden to produce the ballet "Two Jubilees" which was premiered in February of 2006. He has been the producer for three CDs on the Select-O-Hits record label.