Jacki Cooper

Background

Jacqueline Anne "Jacki" Cooper was born in 1967 in Slough, Berkshire.

Education

She moved to Adelaide in 1989 and attended Dover Gardens Technical and Further Education College. After receiving her Certificate of Commercial Music (Performance) she completed a Bachelor of Music in jazz performance at the University of Adelaide, in 1993.

Career

She has released five independent studio albums and one live album. Her song, "Don"t Die Wond"rin"", was a finalist at the United Kingdom Songwriting Contest, Jazz/Blues section, in 2013. On the advice of a tutor, Schmoe Elhay, she travelled to San Francisco to study at the Stanford Jazz Workshop at Stanford University, California.

While studying Cooper met jazz composer, David Dallwitz, and joined his Dixieland band.

Dallwitz was an influential mentor teaching her much about early jazz. She followed up with Love for Sale in 2002 and was a finalist in the 2006 MusicOz Awards.

In July 2006 Cooper moved to Sydney and worked with drummer and big band leader, John Morrison. She joined his big band, Swing City.

In 2007 Cooper and Morrison formed New Generation, a vehicle for promoting up and coming young talent, which featured Tim Fisher on piano, Karl Dunnicliff on bass guitar and Bernard Winetraub on vibraphone.

The quintet performed at Thredbo Jazz Festival and a live recording was released in 2007. A studio album, Mood Swings, followed in 2009, which included an original track, "Play Maine". This track earned Cooper the 2010 Musicoz Award for Best Jazz Vocal.

In late 2012 Morrison and Cooper teamed up with Australian jazz guitarist, George Golla, to record The Journey.

Alan Western of Brisbane Jazz Club felt her "vocal talents are showcased to the full, especially with standout performances of "Walk on the Wild Side", "Solitude" and her own composition "Don"t Die Wond"rin"." Also on the album was American alto saxophonist, Jeff Clayton, (Clayton Hamilton Jazz Orchestra) who was visiting Australia to perform and record with John"s brother, world-renowned multi-instrumentalist, James Morrison In May 2015, Cooper released a duo album with Golla, Tea for Two. Jacki and John are regulars at Australian jazz festivals, often appearing at Wangaratta Jazz Festival, Darling Harbour International Jazz Festival, Thredbo Jazz Festival, Noosa Jazz Festival, Moruya Jazz Festival, Dubbo Jazz Festival, Dingo Creek Jazz and Blues Festival, Stonnington Jazz Festival.

In 2013 they launched their own festival in Portuguese Macquarie - Big Band Blast, a non-competitive, festival for big bands of all ages, styles and abilities. Her song, "Don"t Die Wond"rin"", was a finalist at the United Kingdom Songwriting Contest, Jazz/Blues section, in 2013.

Achievements

• Cooper won Best Jazz Vocal in the 2010 Musicoz Awards.

Connections

friends:

Jacki Cooper