Willie Cook (November 11, 1923 – September 22, 2000) was an American jazz trumpeter.
Cook was born in Tangipahoa, Louisiana, on November 11, 1923.[1] He grew up in Chicago and learned to play violin before settling on trumpet as a teenager.[1] He joined King Perry's band in the late 1930s, then joined Jay McShann's band early in the 1940s.[1] His later credits include performing and recording with Johnny Hartman, Earl Hines, Jimmie Lunceford, Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, Duke Ellington, B.B. King, and Count Basie.[1] He joined Ellington's band in October 1951 as lead trumpeter and stayed for a decade.[2] He moved to Sweden in 1982 after spending time in the country touring.[1] He died of heart failure in Maria Regina Hospice in Stockholm on September 22, 2000.[2]
Discography
editWith The Young Swedes
- Christl Mood (Phontastic, 1985)
With Nappy Brown
- Roots of Scandinavian Blues (Hot Club, 1983)
With Duke Ellington
- Ellington '55 (Capitol, 1999)
- Blue Rose (Columbia, 1956)
- All Star Road Band (Doctor Jazz, 1957 [1983])
- Hot Summer Dance (Red Baron, 1960 [1991])
With Dizzy Gillespie
- The Complete RCA Victor Recordings (Bluebird, 1937–1949, [1995])
With Gugge Hedrenius Big Blues Band
- Swings Again, Live!!! (Scranta, 1999)
With Johnny Hodges
- Ellingtonia '56 (Norgran, 1956)
- The Big Sound (Verve, 1957)
With Billy Taylor
- Taylor Made Jazz (Argo, 1959)
With Paul Gonsalves and Enrique Villegas
- Encuentro (1968)
References
edit- ^ a b c d e Hogan, Ed "Willie Cook". AllMusic. Retrieved July 13, 2017.
- ^ a b Ratliff, Ben (October 21, 2000) "Willie Cook, 76, Lead Trumpeter with Gillespie and Ellington". The New York Times.