Mike Cooper?

[Brian Olewnick]

So I received a disc in the mail today from the Italian Rossbin label, Mike Cooper's "Metal Box". I have to say Cooper has never, ever appeared on my radar which seems odd given his resume (more info at: http://www.shef.ac.uk/~ps/efi/mcooper.html) In addition to being credited by some with being a leading light of the British blues revival of the late 60s (see everyone's favorite critic Thom Jurek's reviews of his early albums at AMG), he's played with a number of the leading British free jazz luminaries since the early 70s, with multiple albums on labels I rarely ran across back then, like Pye and Nato.

I have no idea how typical, if at all, the current one is, but it's pretty impressive. Multi-tracked National Steel guitar, splintering between blues and avant tendencies, It's dedicated to the late John Fahey and you can certainly hear some of his sound approach. Lotta great, cavernous resonances.

Was wondering if anyone's familiar with his earlier work?

[Lore]

I'm not terribly versed with his work, but I particularly enjoy Cooper's "Trout Steel," which is available on a 2CD set with his earlier, more traditional, "Do I Know You?".

He came to NYC some years back and performed at the Hint House, No-Neck Blues Band HQ. If I recall correctly, he played two sets, one showcasing his ultrafine slide guitar work, the second a more atmospheric, "noise" set.

An archive of a 2002 performance on John Allen's program on WFMU can be found at:

http://wfmu.org/special.php

[Clay Fink]

He was at the High-Zero festival a couple of years ago. I thought he was pretty interesting.

[Brian Olewnick]

Thanks, guys. Yeah. "Trout Steel" seems to be the one to hear of his early stuff--I'll look for it.

[Jesse]

There is a haiku length snippet of Cooper (with The Recedents), working what appears to be a bottleneck over some junk on a table, here:

http://www.dunoisjazz.info/TRESOR1.htm


Scroll down to 1985, click on The Recedents.

You've doubtlessly seen this already?

[Brian Olewnick]

Originally Posted by Jesse

You've doubtlessly seen this already?

I have now, thanks! fwiw, the Rossbin disc sounds a lot better (and different) than that snippet.

[clinthopson]

He was very good coming off the bench with the Lakers in the past.

[Jesse]

"The Blade." I rememeber him (mid-80's). Looked like he weighed about 60 pounds.