Buster Cooper, American jazz trombonist, Died at 87

  Music

George “Buster” Cooper was born on April 4, 1929, in St. Petersburg, Florida, and died on May 13, 2016.

He was an American jazz trombonist.

Cooper played in a territory band with Nat Towles in Texas in the late 1940s, and gigged with Lionel Hampton in 1953.

Buster played in the house band at the Apollo Theater in New York City in the mid-1950s, and following this spent time with Benny Goodman.

Late in the 1950s he and his brother Steve formed a unit, the Cooper Brothers Band. From 1962 to 1969 he was trombonist in Duke Ellington’s Orchestra.

During 1973, Buster relocated to Los Angeles and played in various jazz orchestras there over the next several decades; among them were The Juggernaut and Bill Berry’s L.A. band.

Cooper was the bandleader of the Buster Cooper Trio, at The Garden Restaurant, Saint Petersburg, Florida.

Buster Cooper passed away 87 yrs old.