Cooper-Moore @ Zebulon 2/8/09

I got there a little before 7:30 and it was just Cooper-Moore reading a poem. I saw his instruments out, so I knew there would be more.

Next was a trombone solo. His name is Willie Applewhite and he's currently getting a Masters in jazz at Julliard. The rest of the performance was a duo.

Cooper-Moore brought out a smaller harp and played it while holding it on his lap. This was a very beautiful duo piece. I wasn't thinking New Age, but after that piece, Cooper-Moore announced "we are not a New Age band". Then he quizzed us on who was the first New Age artist. We got a couple of good guesses from the Zebulon guys, but Cooper-Moore informed us he thinks it was Bill Evans Peace Piece. He told us to download it, but, of course the guy from Zeb told us he'll play it for us after the set. Of course he would have it in his extensive music collection.

Now, I already knew it wasn't a New Age band, we next get a great tune with the funky bass. That interesting homemade bass that I love.

Right before the next piece, he tells us he went to Ethiopia recently. I think he said it was his first time in Africa at all. He didn't expect to find out the drumming in East Africa is different from West. It is slower and more mellow. The piece they did was phenomenal. He had 2 drumheads on his lap, kind of, with a drum brush in his right hand for the smaller head and 2 drumsticks in his left hand for the larger head. Sure, it was a slower rhythm, but it was still a lively rhythm that I loved. It kind of reminded me of my favorite song from the new Zorn stuff the night before.

Then he did this awesome solo piece with his homemade jaw harp. He said he had to because your babies don't like it when you bring them out and then don't play with them. It was phenomenal.

The last piece was another duo where he played the 2 drumheads. It had a Latin sound and I loved it.

It ended at around 8:30 and I loved every minute. True to his word, they played Peace Piece right after the set ended and it was beautiful and mellow.