Buster Cooper


George "'Buster" Cooper' was an American jazz trombonist.

Career

A native of St. Petersburg, Florida, United States, Cooper played in a territory band with Nat Towles in Texas in the late 1940s and with Lionel Hampton in 1953. He played in the house band at the Apollo Theater in New York City in the mid-1950s, and following this he was in Benny Goodman's band. Late in the 1950s he and his brother Steve formed the Cooper Brothers Band. From 1962 to 1969, he was a trombonist in Duke Ellington's Orchestra. In 1973, he moved to Los Angeles, and played in jazz orchestras over the next several decades, including Bill Berry's band and The Capp-Pierce Juggernaut. He led a trio at a restaurant in St. Petersburg, Florida.
In 1993, Cooper appeared as a jazz trombonist in the film Murder Between Friends, set in New Orleans.
George "Buster" Cooper died on May 13, 2016, of prostate cancer in St. Petersburg, Florida, at the age of 87.

Discography

As leader

E-Bone-Ix with Thurman Green

As sideman

With The Capp-Pierce JuggernautJuggernaut Live at the Century Plaza Juggernaut Strikes Again! Live at the Alley Cat
With Duke EllingtonThe Symphonic Ellington Afro-Bossa Ellington '65 Plays with the Original Motion Picture Score Mary Poppins
With Ella Fitzgerald & Duke EllingtonElla at Duke's Place The Stockholm Concert 1966 Ella & Duke at the Cote D'Azur
With Lionel HamptonWailin' at the Trianon Lionel Hampton Aurex Jazz Festival '81 Ambassador at Large
With Johnny HodgesEverybody Knows Triple Play Swing's Our Thing
With A. K. Salim Stable Mates Pretty for the People Blues Suite
With others