Home » Jazz Musicians » Cooper-Moore

Cooper-Moore

Cooper-Moore is a composer-improviser, instrumentalist, designer and builder of musical instruments, and music educator, living and working in New York City. A native of the Piedmont area of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, Cooper-Moore began studying piano at age eight. Four years later, he was listening to the musics of Thelonius Monk, Charles Mingus, Ornette Coleman, and working on improvisation.

He earned a B.A. in Music Education from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. and later studied composition-arranging at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA. Moving to New York in 1973, Cooper-Moore leased the five-floor 501 Canal Street building and transformed it into an artist live-in/work space, making possible numerous experimentations between performing and visual artists.

While his attention was focused on piano performance in New York clubs and touring abroad, Cooper-Moore began designing and building musical instruments and played them in collaboration with all kinds of artist at lofts, galleries, artist spaces, museums, and in the streets of New York City.

He has over the years built an extensive instrument collection, using such material as paper, bamboo, metal, wood, and acrylic. He most often performs with his ashimba (a type of xylophone), bass diddly-bow, horizontal hoe-handle harp, three stringed fretless banjo, and electric mouth bow. His instruments have been exhibited at the Thread Waxing Gallery, NYC, and The Goddard Riverside Community Center, NYC.

His performance, A MINDSET, resulting from a Diverse Forums Grant, was presented by Dance Theater Workshop in 1992. This was a work comparing the criminal justice and the social welfare systems in America.

Other noted projects include his collaboration with ecologist and coordinator of the first Earth Day, Sam Love, on their work, Visions of Tomorrow. This show toured one hundred college campuses in 44 states. There was the year long exploration with book and paper artist Susan Share on her Unfolded Worlds, his work with Moving Spirits Dance Theater, and his present collaboration in the experimental improvisational instrumental trio, Triptych Myth.

His teaching and workshop experiences include seven years as a music therapist at the Harlem Interfaith Counseling Service in NYC, and five years at the Wolf Trap Foundation in Virginia where he developed methods for using music to teach subjects in Headstart classrooms. His innovative approaches were recognized by National Headstart which hired him to help reproduce his work across America.

Cooper-Moore has a teaching association with The New School for Social Research, Jazz Department.

Tags

2
Album Review

Francisco Mela: Music Frees Our Souls Vol. 2

Read "Music Frees Our Souls Vol. 2" reviewed by John Sharpe


The three protagonists gaze out from the cover, variously smiling, appearing wryly amused, and looking stern. The image suggests a will to tackle things head on, without artifice or adornment. To tell it like it is. And that is the result: a thrilling no-nonsense representation of the combined artistry of drummer Francisco Mela, pianist Cooper-Moore and bassist William Parker. Though billed as Volume 2 of Music Frees Our Souls it isn't more from the same session. In ...

11
Interview

Cooper-Moore: Catharsis and Creation in Community Spirit

Read "Cooper-Moore: Catharsis and Creation in Community Spirit" reviewed by Jakob Baekgaard


It's tempting to think of a life in music as a linear story with a beginning, middle and end, because that's the way life is: we are born, we live, and then we die. In this narrative, one could assume there will be highs and lows and masterpieces might emerge out of a misty fog of events. The idea is that some pieces of music must be better than others. This way of thinking naturally poses the question of which ...

5
In Pictures

Vision Festival 2017

Read "Vision Festival 2017" reviewed by Frank Rubolino


New York's Vision Festival of innovative music marked its 22nd anniversary last month with another stellar lineup boasting pioneers of the avant-garde playing alongside a premier cadre of younger musicians. Presented at the historic Judson Memorial Church in the heart of Greenwich Village by Arts for Art, the festival featured six nights of challenging music, much of it instantly composed. Each year, the festival honors a living legend with a Lifetime Achievement award. This year's recipient was Cooper-Moore, who was ...

280
Album Review

Cooper-Moore: The Cedar Box Recordings

Read "The Cedar Box Recordings" reviewed by Ted Gordon


Cooper-Moore, at first glance, can be compared to a savant subway musician: eccentric, obsessed with repeating melodic and rhythmic patterns, fast, passionate, eye-catching. Though many subway musicians would never sound good besides the brief respite they afford a too-crowded platform, occasionally there is one that is so moving, so original and so well-composed that they warrant another listen. That's kind of how it feels when listening to Cooper-Moore's The Cedar Box Recordings. This collection archives both his amazing ...

351
Album Review

Cooper-Moore: The Cedar Box Recordings

Read "The Cedar Box Recordings" reviewed by Mark Corroto


In 2004, the multi-instrumentalist Cooper-Moore and 50 Miles of Elbow Room released a handmade cedar box filled with 5 vinyl 7" records, each with the artist playing a different handmade instrument. These collectible art pieces were soon sold out.But you're in luck, as AUM Fidelity along with 50 Miles of Elbow Room is repressing the Cedar Box recordings in a limited edition of 500 CDs, silkscreened and hand numbered to commemorate Cooper-Moore's 2008 solo American tour.The ...

274
Album Review

Cooper-Moore / Assif Tsahar / Chad Taylor: Digital Primitives

Read "Digital Primitives" reviewed by Ian Patterson


Take a touch of blues-edged funk, add some free jazz (of both the howling and Eastern-meditative varieties), a dash of African percussion and a sprinkling of didgeridoo, and you may (or may not) begin to get some idea of the musical gumbo served up by Cooper-Moore, Taylor and Tsahar on Digital Primitives.

And if you don't know your Bo Diddley from your diddley bow, then all will become clear on the opening track, “Turn it Up. Cooper-Moore plays ...

131
Album Review

Cooper-Moore: Outtakes 1978

Read "Outtakes 1978" reviewed by Jeff Stockton


About ten years ago, Cooper-Moore was a bona fide man of mystery. He had a reputation as a formally trained, creatively inspired master improviser who was fluent on just about any instrument he touched (particularly the piano), but he was also in possession of a notoriously maverick heart. It was said he would only perform and record with William Parker, usually with the In Order to Survive quartet. And when he stepped away from the piano, he made his own ...

Read more articles
1

Festival

Jazz this week: Poncho Sanchez; Cooper-Moore, Abrams & Drake; Glendale Jazz Festival; Willie Akins Jazz Festival; and more

Jazz this week: Poncho Sanchez; Cooper-Moore, Abrams & Drake; Glendale Jazz Festival; Willie Akins Jazz Festival; and more

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman

The busy Memorial Day weekend schedule of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis includes the return of a leading light of Latin jazz; an all-star assembly of creative improvisors; a benefit raising funds for scholarships in the name of the late St. Louis saxophonist Willie Akins, and more. Let's go the highlights.... Wednesday, May 23 Percussionist Poncho Sanchez and his band, who are pretty much the gold standard these days for small combo Latin jazz, perform for the ...

1

Video / DVD

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Cooper-Moore, Joshua Abrams & Hamid Drake

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Cooper-Moore, Joshua Abrams & Hamid Drake

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman

This week, let's check out some videos featuring multi-instrumentalists Cooper-Moore, Joshua Abrams, and Hamid Drake, who will be teaming up for a show presented by New Music Circle next Saturday, May 26 at Off Broadway. All three are veterans of the international creative music scene who have performed in St. Louis previously in different ensembles. Most recently, Drake played here with violinist Iva Bittová last year; with fellow percussionist Adam Rudolph in 2016; and, along with Cooper-Moore, as part of ...

7

Recording

New Work From William Parker Featuring Lisa Sokolov & Cooper-Moore To Be Released On April 1, 2016

New Work From William Parker Featuring Lisa Sokolov & Cooper-Moore To Be Released On April 1, 2016

Source: Steven Joerg

On April 1, 2016, a new album of William Parker's luminous compositions will be released on his own Centering Records imprint (distributed via AUM Fidelity). Stan’s Hat Flapping In The Wind presents new work from one of the jazz avant-garde’s most essential individuals, presented in one of the most traditional of forms: voice & piano duets; by fully illuminated masters of their instruments. 19 new songs composed by William Parker, and performed by Lisa Sokolov & Cooper-Moore. Parker is—among his ...

196

Radio

The Jazz Session #126: Cooper-Moore

The Jazz Session #126: Cooper-Moore

Source: Michael Ricci


123

Performance / Tour

Jazz This Week: Les McCann and Javon Jackson, Fran Landesman, Cooper-Moore, TKT Memorial Scholarship Concert, and More

Jazz This Week: Les McCann and Javon Jackson, Fran Landesman, Cooper-Moore, TKT Memorial Scholarship Concert, and More

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman

There's lots going on in jazz and creative music this week in St. Louis, and so we bring you StLJN's weekly highlights post slightly earlier than usual to perhaps better help facilitate some advance planning.One of the week's major attractions is the team-up of pianist and singer Les McCann (pictured) and saxophonist Javon Jackson, who will perform Wednesday through Saturday at Jazz at the Bistro. Both men previously have led their own bands at the Bistro, but their ...

66

Performance / Tour

Cooper-Moore Adds Second St. Louis Performance

Cooper-Moore Adds Second St. Louis Performance

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman

NYC-based multi-instrumentalist Cooper-Moore, already scheduled to perform on Saturday, October 25 at Joe's Cafe, has added a second show to his St. Louis sojourn. While he's in town, Cooper-Moore also will play at 7:00 p.m. Sunday, October 26 at the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site's Rosebud Cafe. This concert is under the auspices of the Black Artists Group aka BAG II, and BAG II's Zimbabwe Nkenya will open the show with a solo performance of his own. ...

61

Performance / Tour

Cooper-Moore to Play Joe's Cafe on October 25

Cooper-Moore to Play Joe's Cafe on October 25

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman

Via poet, mixologist and man-about-town Brett Underwood, StLJN has learned that musician Cooper-Moore, who plays original jazz- and blues-influenced music on both conventional and self-built instruments, is coming to St. Louis on Saturday, October 25 to perform at Joe's Cafe.Tickets are $10 in advance or $12 on the day of show, and can be purchased at Subterranean Books and Marbles Yoga Studio; by emailing Josh Weinstein at [email protected]; or calling 314-664-6998. The concert begins at 8:00 p.m. at ...

73

Performance / Tour

Cooper-Moore to Play Joe's Cafe

Cooper-Moore to Play Joe's Cafe

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman

Via poet, mixologist and man-about-town Brett Underwood, StLJN has learned that musician Cooper-Moore, who plays original jazz- and blues-influenced music on both conventional and self-built instruments, is coming to St. Louis on Saturday, October 24 to perform at Joe's Cafe.Tickets are $10 in advance or $12 on the day of show, and can be purchased by emailing Josh Weinstein at [email protected] or calling 314-664-6998. The concert begins at 8:00 p.m. at Joe's Cafe, which also is the studio ...

69

Performance / Tour

Vision Club Kickoff October 6-7: Brotzmann/Bennink, Allan/Parker/Cooper-Moore/Campbell

Vision Club Kickoff October 6-7: Brotzmann/Bennink, Allan/Parker/Cooper-Moore/Campbell

Source: Jim Eigo, Jazz Promo Services

IT'S TIME!! THE VISION CLUB KICK OFF Two Nights of Amazing Performances

Friday October 6 Peter Brotzmann / Han Bennink Duo First NYC Appearance of European Free Music Duo Since 1975

Saturday October 7 Marshall Allen / William Parker Cooper-Moore / Roy Campbell For the First time - A New and Unique Collective!

Peter Brotzmann / Han Bennink Duo Friday October 6 , 2006 ...

50

Event

An Afternoon with Cooper-Moore at the Vision Club, Sun. February 5, 2006

An Afternoon with Cooper-Moore at the Vision Club, Sun. February 5, 2006

Source: All About Jazz

Sunday Afternoon February 5, 2005 1:30pm Electronic Set: Cooper-Moore, percussion, elecronics, voice; Nioka Workman, cello, voice; Matt Motel, synthesizers 3pm Acoustic Set: Cooper-Moore, multi-instr; Assif Tsahar - woodwinds; Chad Taylor, drums

@The Vision Club Series 2006 Location: Clemente Soto Velez - 107 Suffolk St. @ Rivington $10 per set, $7 student, kids 14 & under get in free (families encouraged!!!) Tickets available at the door. Contact: 212.696.6681 or ...

Photos

Concerts

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

The Cedar Box...

AUM Fidelity
2008

buy

Digital Primitives

Hopscotch Records
2007

buy

Outtakes 1978

Hopscotch Records
2006

buy

Tells Untold

Hopscotch Records
2005

buy

Triptych Myth

Hopscotch Records
2004

buy

Videos

Similar

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.