Junior Cook
Junior Cook | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Herman Cook |
| Born | July 22, 1934 |
| Origin | Pensacola, Florida, U.S. |
| Died | February 3, 1992 (aged 57) New York City, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz, hard bop |
| Occupation | Musician |
| Instrument(s) | Saxophone, flute |
| Years active | 1958-1992 |
Herman "Junior" Cook (July 22, 1934 – February 3, 1992)[1] was an American hard bop tenor saxophone player.
Biography
Cook was born in Pensacola, Florida.[1] A member of a musical family, he started on alto saxophone before switching to tenor during his high school years.[2]
After playing with Dizzy Gillespie in 1958, Cook was a member of the Horace Silver Quintet (1958–1964); when Silver left the group in the hands of Blue Mitchell Cook stayed in the quintet for five more years (1964–1969).[1] Later associations included Freddie Hubbard, Elvin Jones, George Coleman, Louis Hayes (1975–1976), Bill Hardman (1979–1989), and the McCoy Tyner big band.[1]
In addition to many appearances as a sideman, Junior Cook recorded as a leader for Jazzland (1961), Catalyst (1977), Muse, and SteepleChase.
He also taught at Berklee School of Music for a year during the 1970s.[1][3]
In the early 1990s, Cook was playing with Clifford Jordan, and also leading his own group. He died in February 1992 in his apartment in New York City, aged 57.[3]
Discography
As leader/co-leader
- Junior's Cookin' (Jazzland, 1961)
- Ichi-Ban (Timeless, 1976) with Louis Hayes
- Pressure Cooker (Catalyst, 1977)
- Good Cookin' (Muse, 1979)
- Somethin's Cookin' (Muse, 1981)
- The Place to Be (Steeplechase, 1988)
- On a Misty Night (Steeplechase, 1989)
- You Leave Me Breathless (Steeplechase, 1991)
As sideman
With Horace Silver
- Live at Newport '58 (Blue Note, 1958 [2008])
- 6 Pieces of Silver (Blue Note, 1956–58)
- Finger Poppin' (Blue Note, 1959)
- Blowin' the Blues Away (Blue Note, 1959)
- Horace-Scope (Blue Note, 1960)
- Doin' the Thing (Blue Note, 1961)
- Paris Blues (Pablo, 1962, [2002])
- The Tokyo Blues (Blue Note, 1962)
- Silver's Serenade (Blue Note, 1963)
- Song for My Father (Blue Note, 1964)
- Music to Ease Your Disease (Silverto, 1988)
With Barry Harris
- Luminescence! (Prestige, 1967)
With Bill Hardman
- Home (Muse, 1978)
- Politely (Muse, 1981 [1982])
- Focus (Muse, 1982)
- What's Up (SteepleChase, 1989)
With Freddie Hubbard
- Sing Me a Song of Songmy (Atlantic, 1971) – co-led with İlhan Mimaroğlu
- Keep Your Soul Together (CTI Records, 1973)
- High Energy (Columbia, 1974)
- Polar AC (CTI Records, 1974)
- Live at Carnegie Hall 1972 (Stepper Music, 2007)
With Clifford Jordan
- Two Tenor Winner (Criss Cross, 1984)
- Play What You Feel (Mapleshade, 1990 [1997])
With Blue Mitchell
- The Cup Bearers (Riverside, 1962)
- The Thing to Do (Blue Note, 1964)
- Down with It! (Blue Note, 1965)
- Bring It Home to Me (Blue Note, 1966)
- Boss Horn (Blue Note, 1966)
- Heads Up! (Blue Note, 1967)
With others
- Kenny Burrell: Swingin' (Blue Note, 1956 [rel. 1980])
- Kenny Burrell: Blue Lights (Blue Note, 1958)
- Dave Bailey Sextet: One Foot in the Gutter (Epic, 1960)
- Roy Brooks: Beat (Jazz Workshop, 1964)
- Barry Harris: Luminescence! (Prestige, 1967)
- Cedar Walton: Cedar! (Prestige, 1967)
- John Patton: That Certain Feeling (Blue Note, 1968; Mosaic Select, 2003)
- Don Patterson: Opus De Don (Prestige, 1968)
- Louis Smith: Prancin' (SteepleChase, 1979)
- Mickey Tucker: Sojourn (Xanadu, 1977)
- McCoy Tyner: Uptown/Downtown (Milestone, 1988)
- Walter Bishop Jr.: Hot House (Muse, 1979)
- Louis Hayes: Ichi-Ban (Timeless, 1979)
- Vibration Society Hilton Ruiz Steve Turre: The Music of Rahsaan Roland Kirk (Stash, 1986)
- Larry Gales Sextet: A Message from Monk (Candid, 1990)
- Bertha Hope: Elmo's Fire (Steeplechase, 1991)
References
- ^ a b c d e Colin Larkin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 553. ISBN 0-85112-939-0.
- ^ "Junior Cook at All About Jazz". All About Jazz. Archived from the original on October 2, 2009. Retrieved August 9, 2008.
- ^ a b "Junior Cook, 57, Tenor Saxophonist In Jazz Ensembles". The New York Times. February 5, 1992. Retrieved August 9, 2008.
External Links
- Junior Cook discography at Discogs
- Junior Cook at IMDb