Al Kooper Biography
5 February 1944, Brooklyn, New York, USA. Kooper embarked upon a professional music career in 1959 as guitarist in the Royal Teens, who had enjoyed a novelty hit the previous year with "Short Shorts". He became a noted New York session musician and later forged a successful songwriting partnership with Bobby Brass and Irwin Levine. Their collaborations included "This Diamond Ring", a chart-topper for Gary Lewis And The Playboys, "I Must Be Seeing Things" (Gene Pitney) and "The Water Is Over My Head' (the Rockin" Berries). In 1965, producer Tom Wilson asked Kooper to attend a Bob Dylan session. With Mike Bloomfield already installed on guitar, the eager musician opted for organ, an instrument with which he was barely conversant. Dylan nonetheless loved his instinctive touch which breathed fire into "Like A Rolling Stone" and its attendant Highway 61 Revisited album. Kooper maintained his links with Dylan over the years, guesting on Blonde On Blonde (1966), New Morning (1970) and Under The Red Sky (1990).
Kooper became involved in several electric folk sessions, notably for Tom Rush(Take A Little Walk With Me) and Peter, Paul And Mary (Album). His solo version of "I Can't Keep From Crying Sometimes' appeared on an Elektra Records label sampler, What's Shakin", and his reading of "Parchman Farm" was issued as a single in 1966. The organist was then invited to join the Blues Project, which became one of America's leading urban R&B acts. Kooper left the group in 1967 to found Blood, Sweat And Tears, one of the originals of US jazz rock, with who he remained for one album before internal unrest resulted in his dismissal. He accepted a production post at Columbia Records, before recording the influential Super Session with Mike Bloomfield and Stephen Stills. This successful informal jam inspired several inferior imitations, not the least of which was the indulgent Live Adventures Of Al Kooper And Mike Bloomfield, which featured cameos by Elvin Bishop and the then relatively unknown Carlos Santana when Bloomfield was unable to finish the schedule. Kooper's solo career was effectively relaunched with I Stand Alone, but in keeping with many of his albums, this promising set was marred by inconsistency. A limited vocalist, his best work relied on his imaginative arrangements, which drew on the big band jazz of Maynard Ferguson and Don Ellis (whom he produced), and the strength of the supporting cast. You Never Know Who Your Friends Are and New York City (You're A Woman) were among his most popular releases. His double set Easy Does It contained a superb slowed-down version of Ray Charles' "I Got A Woman", resplendent with an exquisite jazz-piano solo introduction. Kooper, however, remained best-known for his role as a catalyst. He appeared on Electric Ladyland (Jimi Hendrix) and Let It Bleed (Rolling Stones) and produced the debut albums by Nils Lofgren and the Tubes. He established his own label, Sounds Of The South, in Atlanta, Georgia, and secured international success with early protégés Lynyrd Skynyrd. During the 70s, Kooper became involved in several Blues Project reunions and the following decade he formed Sweet Magnolia, an ad hoc group comprising several studio musicians. In 1982, he completed Championship Wrestling, his first solo album for five years, which featured contributions from guitarist Jeff "Skunk" Baxter (Steely Dan and Doobie Brothers). Kooper has since pursued an active career recording computerized soundtrack music, but in 1991 produced Scapegoats for Green On Red. After a spell when he relocated to Nashville he returned to New York, "the cold-hearted bitch" he referred to in his song "New York City". Kooper has been a major "background" personality in American rock for over 40 years and has made a considerable contribution as a songwriter, performer, producer and session musician. He has done it all with intelligence and great humour.
Source: The Encyclopedia of Popular Music by Colin Larkin. Licensed from Muze.
|
