Group Activity

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 Coopers 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.


Tracklisting:
01. The Way You Look Tonight (Kern-Fields) 3:15
02. Polka Dots And Moonbeams (Burke-Van Heusen) 3:02
03. Solo Plight (Bob Cooper) 3:17
04. Lisbon Lady (Bob Cooper) 2:41
05. Group Activity (Bob Cooper) 2:33
06. She Didn't Say Yes (Kern-Harbach) 2:39
07. When The Sun Comes Out (Arlen-Koehler) 3:13
08. Excursion (Bob Cooper) 3:42
09. Hot Boy (Bob Cooper) 3:40
10. It Don't Mean A Thing (Ellington-Mills) 3:06
11. Strike Up The Band (G. & I. Gershwin) 2:51
12. Sunset (Bob Cooper) 3:39
13. Hallelujah (Grey-Robin-Youmans) 2:44
14. Deep In A Dream (DeLange-Van Heusen) 3:12
15. It's De-Lovely (Cole Porter) 2:16
16. Drawing Lines (Bob Cooper) 2:36
17. All Or Nothing At All 3:10
18. 'Round Midnight (Williams-Monk-Hanighen) ) 3:21
19. Tongue Twister (Bob Cooper) 5:14

Sources:
Tracks #1-8, from the 10-inch album
"Kenton Presents Jazz - Bob Cooper" (Capitol H 6501)
Tracks #9-19, from the 12-inch album "Shifting Winds" (Capitol T-6513)

Tracks #1-4: Recorded in Hollywood, May 14, 1954
Tracks #5-8: Recorded in Hollywood, July 30, 1954
Tracks #9-12: Recorded in Hollywood, April 26, 1956
Tracks #13-16 Recorded in Hollywood, June 13, 1955
Tracks #17-19: Recorded in Hollywood, June 14, 1955

Cover photo: William Claxton
Produced for CD release by Jordi Pujol
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Review:

"This generous English import LP has five Capitol sessions from 1954 (18 selections in all) that are led by either Bob Cooper or Bill Holman. The cool-toned but hard-driving tenor Coop is heard on his first two dates as a leader, jamming through standards and swinging originals with Bud Shank (who surprisingly sticks here exclusively to baritone), pianist Claude Williamson, guitarist Howard Roberts, either Joe Mondragon or Curtis Counce on bass and Shelly Manne or Stan Levey on drums. The remainder of this album features ten compositions by Bill Holman who not only wrote for the octet but takes some fine tenor solos. His sidemen include Don Fagerquist or Nick Travis and Stu Williamson on trumpets, valve trombonist Bob Enevoldsen, altoist Herb Geller, baritonist Bob Gordon, Curtis Counce or Max Bennett on bass and drummer Stan Levey. The generally exciting music shows that the stereotype of most West Coast jazz as bloodless was quite inaccurate. Well worth searching for."

Scott Yanow -All Music Guide