Junior Cook

Herman "Junior" Cook (b. July 22, 1934, d. February 3, 1992) was a hard bop tenor saxophone player.

Cook was born in Pensacola, Florida. [cite web| publisher=All About Jazz |accessdate = 2008-08-09|title=Junior Cook at All About Jazz |url = http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/musician.php?id=5894] After playing with Dizzy Gillespie in 1958, Cook gained some fame for his longtime membership in the Horace Silver Quintet (1958-1964); when he and Blue Mitchell left that band, Cook played in Mitchell's quintet (1964-1969). Later associations included Freddie Hubbard, Elvin Jones, George Coleman, Louis Hayes (1975-1976), Bill Hardman (1979-1989), and the McCoy Tyner big band.

In addition to many appearances as a sideman, Junior Cook recorded as a leader for Jazzland (1961), Catalyst (1977), Muse, and SteepleChase.

He also taught at Berklee School of Music for a year during the 1970s. cite web| publisher=New York Times |accessdate = 2008-08-09|title=Junior Cook, 57, Tenor Saxophonist In Jazz Ensembles |url = http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CE1D7173CF936A35751C0A964958260|date=1992-02-05]

In the early 1990s Cook was playing with Clifford Jordan and also leading his own group. He died in his apartment in New York City.

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