The trumpet and piano duo of Ken Cooper and Jim Cooper will perform for the first of two spring concerts on Sunday, March 3rd at the historic Scott Club. These two veteran jazz musicians have been playing together for over five years. Their hour-long concert will feature jazz standards as well as some original music and will be followed by a reception to meet the artists.
Ken Cooper is a Chicago based trumpet virtuoso, international touring musician and recording artist. He started playing with the prestigious Nisei Ambassadors Drum and Bugle Corps in 8th grade and began touring with Curtis Mayfield and the Impressions by the age of 19. Ken has performed with B. B. King, Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Chaka Khan, Natalie Cole, and members of Earth, Wind and Fire along with many other talented musicians over the years. He is mainly a jazz musician, but also plays with R&B, country and salsa bands and has recorded a CD of classical music. He is currently composing and recording his original music.
Jim Cooper, the award-winning vibraphonist, composer and educator, has been playing the vibes for over 50 years, leading numerous groups and appearing both as soloist and sideman. Cooper is not a household name among top vibraphonists, and he is something of a regional hidden treasure since he performs mostly around his local area of West Michigan. “Cooper is not just a strong soloist but an accomplished band-leader as well…he played with a degree of subtlety and craft one does not often encounter in the work of performers far better known than he.” – Chicago Tribune.
This concert is presented in collaboration with Foundry Hall and is supported in part by Holtec-Palisades, Michigan Arts and Culture Council, National Endowment for the Arts, Rotary Club of South Haven and Whiteford Wealth Management, Inc.
