One of the highlights of late1950s and early 1960s was the development of "hard bop", a driving first-born descendent of the bebop era. Jazz legends like Art Blakey, Horace Silver and Max Roach were the innovators who created this sound and Lee Morgan, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter and Freddie Hubbard developed this sound and perhaps bought this music to it’s greatest heights. The gig where it all exploded into mainstream was at Club La Marchal in Brooklyn, New York, resulting in the 2 classic Blue Note LP’s entitled, Night of the Cookers (which featured Freddie Hubbard, Lee Morgan, James Spaulding, Harold Mabern and Pete “LaRoca” Sims).
Hubbard was the leader of the 1965 Blue Note record date "Night of the Cookers," on which the current band is based. Trumpeter Weiss, 42, put together the new Cookers band and is one of the pre-eminent young hard bop scholars will bring the following all-star septet to Jazz Cafe:
Billy Harper- Tenor Sax
Eddie Henderson- Trumpet
David Weiss- Trumpet
Craig Handy- Alto Sax
George Cables- Piano
Cecil McBee- Bass
Billy Hart- Drums
The Cookers is comprised of many of the musicians who contributed to the development of this sound and to pushing the music forward from there. While giants in their own right, the members of this ensemble have performed and/or recorded with pretty much every jazz great of the past 40 years including Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, Art Blakey, Dizzy Gillespie, Max Roach, Herbie Hancock, Lee Morgan, Freddie Hubbard, Wayne Shorter, and Dexter Gordon, to name just a few.
Most notably are the under appreciated tenor sax man, Billy Harper, a top flight player who worked with not only Blakey but Max Roach and Elvin Jones as well. Pianist Cables is a remarkable pianist who has sided with Blakey, Sonny Rollins, Dexter Gordon and dozens of other jazz stars, and Craig Handy- on Alto Sax, is a Blakey grad too.
The group performs newly arranged versions of classic compositions by Billy Harper along with works by the other members of the ensemble.
Tickets are $27- Visit or call Music Hall Box Office 350 Madison Ave, Detroit 313.887.8500 or online at www.ticketmaster.com
Jazz Cafe at Music Hall
350 Madison
Detroit, MI 28226
(313) 887-8500
www.jazzcafedetroit.com