HAMID COOPER

Born Hamid Mottaghinejad in 1959 in Tehran, Iran, Hamid and his five siblings were raised in a loving home with parents who encouraged a love of music and the arts. He discovered a love for Jazz at an early age by listening to his father’s collection of Afro-Cuban inspired Jazz records.  As a teen, Hamid was taught to play the drums (Persian and Congas) by his father, an accomplished percussionist.  In his early twenties he moved to Denmark, Scandinavia where he continued exploration of the arts as well as health and fitness.  A gifted artist, Hamid’s insightful paintings, sold in prominent galleries throughout Denmark.  He also attended the Occupational University Copenhagen and studied Kinesiology and Physical Therapy.

In 1998 Hamid relocated to the U.S. to pursue a life-long dream of playing in a live Jazz band. In addition to landing several engagements (playing percussion with renowned musicians) at high-profile events and festivals, he also taught percussion at the Music & Art World Academy in Los Angeles.  Soon after moving to the U.S., he settled in southern California, where he enjoys sharing his love for music and the arts. With compelling rhythms and impressive percussion duplicity, audiences are engaged by the spiritual depth of Hamid’s performances.  He was often called “Mr. Cooper” by fellow musicians because of his love of classic cinema and admiration for the legendary actor, Gary Cooper.

In 2007 he formed Hamid Cooper Latin Jazz (HCLJ).  Based in Southern California, the 5-7 member band is comprised of talented international musicians playing a range of instruments from wind to percussion. A typical performance includes: Leader and percussionist, Cooper on congas, etc.; jazzer Artis Ford on keyboards; Doug White on bass; Bill Mason on trumpet; Marco Perez on timbales; Bill James on saxophone & flute; and on occasion, an additional wind player. The band plays live dates in the Southern California region for listening and dancing.  Jazz greats, the likes of Arturo Sandoval and Freddie Ravel, have also joined HCLJ on stage for Jam sessions.

Instrumental numbers like a Cooper-arranged cover of Sonny Rollins' jazz classic "St. Thomas," Jorge Ben Jor's familiar "Mas Que Nada," and some more exotic Middle-Eastern influenced jazz-funk originals make up their repertoire. Some of their recent performances include: The Malibu Food & Wine Festival, LAPD’s Christmas Celebration hosted by Jay Leno, Jazz On The Hilltop, The Calabasas Fine Arts Festival, St. Patrick’s Day Celebration @ Muvico, The Malibu Cafe, and more.

THE BAND

Hamid Cooper Latin Jazz is a swinging Jazz combo that plays the best in live Afro-Cuban Latin Jazz. A typical performance includes: Leader and percussionist, Cooper on congas, etc.; jazzer Artis Ford on keyboards; Doug White on bass; Bill Mason on trumpet; Marco Perez on timbales; Bill James on saxophone & flute; and on occasion, an additional wind player. The band plays live dates in the Southern California region.

The band has released three CDs: Latin Jazz Dream from Persia (2010) and The Spirit Filled Latin Jazz (2011), The Humble Man (2012); available for purchase on iTunes, CD Baby and Amazon.   Their music is currently in rotation on various radio stations across the U.S. and internationally on Jazz Caribe Radio in Venezuela.