Home » Member Page

Joe Cooper

About Me

My Jazz Story

I moved to SF in the early 90's. A jazz revival seemed to be taking off. I worked in a restaurant with several other people who, like me, were trying to get careers started in other fields and worked to stay afloat. One of my coworkers was a drummer for several jazz combos around SF. I was always a music lover. It was like life's compass. I was aiming toward radio in the Bay Area. Dan started telling me about his gigs and how I should pick up a few records. Monk, Coltrane and, of course, Miles' Kind of Blue. One evening lead me to a Grateful Dead show at the Oakland Arena. I loved the Dead. But I also loved Alt Rock and Classics, etc... I always loved music. The show was, little to my knowledge about to change it all for me. Ornette Coleman and Prime Time were the openers... for GD. Jerry Garcia appeared a couple of times during the set to join in. Amazing. I sat in my seat totally spellbound. I had always heard about that moment when people hear that sound that blew their minds. And I was having it. (No drugs used). That night alone not only changed the way I heard music... But also the way I listened to every sound as well as the way I processed thoughts. It was never the same for me. I was fortunate to see Ornette Coleman live in various incarnations over the years. The very last being the "Celebrate Ornette" in Brooklyn in 2014.