Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Junior Cook (32 Jazz: Senior Cookin

285

Junior Cook (32 Jazz: Senior Cookin

By

Sign in to view read count
Junior Cook (32 Jazz: Senior Cookin
An American Original. Junior Cook is that type of musician whose tone and technique is an archetype of jazz. Full-throated and commanding, Cook swings and swings, doubtlessly helped by his long tenure with Horace Silver (1958 – 1964). Hard Bop and Blues—Blues and Hard Bop. Swing, Swang, Swung... Born in Pensacola. FL in 1934, Herman “Junior” Cook became and remained active in mainstream jazz during the 60s, 70, and 80s. His more innovative contemporaries continually overshadowed him, an unfortunate fact that obscures his talent and true musical design. Cook and Hank Mobley may be spoken of in the same breath as the “Middle Weight Champions” of the tenor saxophone. During his career, Cook recorded far more widely for others than leading his own dates. He supported a variety of headliners from the aforementioned Silver to Kenny Burrell to Cedar Walton. Cook died in New York City in 1992.

Senior Cookin’ is 32 Jazz’s combination of Cook’s two Muse releases Good Cookin’ (Muse MR5159, 1979) and Somethin’s Cookin’ (Muse MR5218, 1981). The former finds Cook driving an all-star sextet that produces small-band music with a big-band sound. The latter is a classic tenor quartet outing where his expansive tenor rules and Buster Williams’(Sphere) burping bass fills in the spaces. The sum is an excellent portriat of an underrated tenor.

With innovation often comes excess and convention, boredom. While no trendsetter, Junior Cook’s contribution is a great one if for no other reason than towing the line consistently well. In baseball, Nolan Ryan and Cal Ripkin, Jr. possessed a work ethic that impelled them to get up and go to work every day and to perform consistently well. So with Junior Cook.

Track Listing (from Good Cookin’ ):J.C.; I’m Getting Sentimental Over You; Play Together Again; Waltz for Junior; I Waited for You; Mood.

Personnel (from Good Cookin’ ):Junior Cook: Tenor Saxophone; Walter Booker: Bass; Al Dailey: Piano; Slide Hampton: Trombone; Bill Hardman: Trumpet, Flugelhorn; Mario Rivera: Baritone Saxophone; Leroy Williams: Drums

Track Listing (from Somethin’s Cookin’ ):Fiesta Espanol; Detour Ahead; Illusion of Grandeur; Heavy Blue; Hindsight; Chi-Chi. (Total Playing Time 63:23).

Personnel (from Somethin’s Cookin’ ):Junior Cook: Tenor Saxophone; Cedar Walton: Piano; Billy Higgins: Drums; Buster Williams: Bass.

Personnel

Junior Cook
saxophone

Album information

Title: Senior Cookin | Year Released: 1999

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

Sensual
Rachel Z
Over and Over
Tony Monaco Trio
Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris

Popular

Get more of a good thing!

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