Donald Harrison, saxophone

Billy Harper, saxophone

Cecil McBee, bass

George Cables, piano

Eddie Henderson, trumpet

David Weiss, trumpet

Billy Hart, drums

Experience counts, especially in jazz. The more time musicians spend interpreting tunes and interacting with others, the more articulation an audience can expect. You can hear the fruits of such work in the expressive language The Cookers bring to the bandstand. This exciting all-star septet summons an aggressive mid ‘60s spirit with a potent collection of expansive post-bop originals. Additionally, they have the requisite killer instincts and pyrotechnic playing expected of some of the heaviest hitters today.

Billy Harper, Cecil McBee, George Cables, Eddie Henderson, and Billy Hart started in the heady era of the mid ‘60s. There, that period found the dimensions of hard bop morphing from their original designs. Furthermore, each artist helped facilitate the process as members of some of the most important bands of the era. Hart and Henderson were members of Herbie Hancock’s groundbreaking Mwandishi group. And, Cecil McBee anchored Charles Lloyd’s great ’60s quartet alongside Keith Jarrett and Jack DeJohnette. Billy Harper was part of Lee Morgan’s last group, and also Max Roach’s Quartet and Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers. Further, George Cables was featured in groups led by Sonny Rollins, Joe Henderson, Freddie Hubbard, Dexter Gordon and Art Pepper.

David Weiss and Donald Harrison are from a more recent generation and are the youngest members of the band. There, they gained experience performing with Art Blakey, Bobby Hutcherson, Freddie Hubbard, Charles Tolliver, Roy Haynes and Herbie Hancock.