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Ray Cooper, also known as Chopper, is a British singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist living in Sweden.
Ray Cooper | |
|---|---|
 Cooper performing at the South Hill Park Arts Centre, Bracknell, November 2018 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Brian Raymond Cooper |
| Born | 22 September 1954 Redhill, England |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, singer-songwriter |
| Instruments | |
| Years active | 1974–present |
| Labels | Westpark |
| Website | raycooper |
Initial musical collaborations and session work
edit
Cooper's first professional band (1975–1978) was Amazorblades[1] together with Rob Keyloch (engineer/producer/remixer[2]) and Ben Mandelson. They were a punk/jazz outfit who toured extensively and recorded the single "Common Truth" in 1977 for Chiswick Records.[3]
Between 1981 and 1982 Cooper played with the London-based band OK Jive,[4] who signed to CBS in 1981. In 1983, he played bass guitar and bugle with The Mighty Clouds of Dust on their single release Flowers on the Wall / Champion (The Wonder Horse) / Mr.Custer.[5]
In 1983, Cooper joined the World Music group 3 Mustaphas 3 where he played cello and sang under the name of Oussack Mustapha, alias The Nightingale of Szegerely. He recorded two albums with them for Globe Style Records. They also recorded a single with Agnes Bernelle produced by Phil Chevron and Elvis Costello. Cooper left the group in 1986. He performed in a reunion of six group members at the 30th Anniversary concert for fRoots magazine at the Roundhouse in London on 22 January 2010.[6]
Member of Oysterband
edit
Cooper was a member of Oysterband between 1989 and 2013.[7]
Discography
editWith Amazorblades
edit- Common Truth (Single) 1977
With Yachts
edit- Without Radar (1980)
With OK Jive
edit- To You 1982 (Single produced by Rob Keyloch)
- On Route 1982 (Single produced by Joe Jackson)
The Mighty Clouds of Dust
edit- "Flowers on the Wall" / "Champion (The Wonder Horse)" / "Mr.Custer" 1983 (Single produced by Phil Chevron)
With 3 Mustaphas 3
edit- Bam! Mustaphas Play Stereo, 1985
- From the Balkans to Your Heart: The Radio Years, 1986
With Oysterband
editAs Oyster Band
- Ride (1989)
- Freedom and Rain (1990) (collaboration with June Tabor)
As Oysterband
- Deserters (1992)
- Holy Bandits (1993)
- Trawler (1994)
- The Shouting End of Life (1995)
- Deep Dark Ocean (1997)
- Here I Stand (1999)
- Rise Above (2002)
- 25 (2003)
- Meet You There (2007)
- The Oxford Girl and Other Stories (2008)
- Ragged Kingdom (2011) (collaboration with June Tabor)
Live albums
- Little Rock to Leipzig (1990) (partially live)
- Alive and Shouting (1996)
- Alive and Acoustic (1998)
- 25th Anniversary Concert (2004) DVD
- Northern Light (2006)
Compilation albums
- The Rough Guide to World Music (1994) (contributing the track "When I'm Up I Can't Get Down")
- The Rough Guide to English Roots Music (1998) (contributing the track "Sail on By")
- Pearls from the Oysters (1998) (taking tracks from Step Outside, Wide Blue Yonder, Ride and Little Rock to Leipzig)
- This House Will Stand (The Best of Oysterband 1998–2015) (2016), double album containing alternate versions and demos
Solo
edit- Tales of Love War and Death by Hanging (2010) CD
- Palace of Tears (2014) CD
- Between The Golden Age & The Promised Land (2018) CD and LP
- Land of Heroes (2021) CD and LP
Other published material
edit- Ray Cooper Songs (2015) songbook
Awards
edit- 2003 Good Tradition Award, BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards (with Oysterband)[citation needed]
- 2005 Best Group, Oysterband Big Session, BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards[citation needed]
- 2009 Best group, Spiral Earth Award (with Oysterband)
- 2012 Best album, Spiral Earth Award (with June Tabor & Oysterband)
- 2012 Best Traditional Track, BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards (with June Tabor & Oysterband)[8]
- 2012 Best Album, BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards (with June Tabor & Oysterband)[8]
- 2012 Best Group, BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards (with June Tabor & Oysterband)[8]
References
edit- ^ "Punk Brighton Amazorblades". punkbrighton.co.uk. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
- ^ "Rob Keyloch". discogs. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
- ^ "Amazorblades –Common Truth". discogs. 1977. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
- ^ "OK Jive biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
- ^ "Single release". discogs. 26 October 1983. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
- ^ "The Young Mustaphas at the Roundhouse". fRootsmag. 22 January 2010.
- ^ "Oysterband Biography, an outsider view". Oysterband.co.uk. 2014.
- ^ a b c "Radio 2 Folk Awards 2012". BBC. 2012. Retrieved 20 February 2019.