Doc Cook

Charles L. Cooke (September 3, 1891 – December 25, 1958), known as Doc Cook, was an American jazz bandleader and arranger. Cook was a Doctor of Music, awarded by the Chicago Musical College in 1926.

Born in Louisville, he first worked as a composer and arranger in Detroit before moving to Chicago around 1910. Cook became resident leader of the orchestra at Paddy Harmon's Dreamland Ballroom in Chicago from 1922 to 1927, acting as conductor and musical director.

The ensemble recorded under several names, such as Cookie's Gingersnaps, Doc Cook and his 14 Doctors of Syncopation, and Doc Cook's Dreamland Orchestra. Among those who played in Cook's band were Freddie Keppard, Jimmie Noone, Johnny St. Cyr, Zutty Singleton, Joe Poston, Andrew Hilaire, and Luis Russell. After 1927 Cook's orchestra played in Chicago at the Municipal Pier and the White City Ballroom.

In 1930, Cook moved to New York City and worked as an arranger for Radio City Music Hall and RKO, working there into the 1940s. On Broadway, he had a number of important orchestration credits, including The Hot Mikado (1939) and the first U.S. production of The Boy Friend in collaboration with Ted Royal in 1954. A proponent of ragtime, he also worked frequently with Eubie Blake, supplying the arrangements for the 1952 revival of Shuffle Along.

Birth and Death Data: Born September 3, 1891 (Louisville), Died December 25, 1958

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1914 - 1939

Roles Represented in DAHR: leader, composer, songwriter, arranger, lyricist

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 26-35 of 35 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
OKeh 9769 10-in. 6/22/1926 High fever Cookie's Gingersnaps Jazz/dance band leader  
OKeh 9770 10-in. 6/22/1926 Here comes the hot tamale man Cookie's Gingersnaps Jazz/dance band leader  
OKeh 9771 10-in. 6/22/1926 Love found you for me Cookie's Gingersnaps ; Jimmie Noone Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo leader  
OKeh S-70082 10-in. 8/9/1921 Daisy days Shannon Four Male vocal quartet, with orchestra lyricist  
OKeh [OK cat 4500-b] 10-in. approximately Nov. 1921 Goodbye pretty butterflies Damon's Orchestra Jazz/dance band composer  
Brunswick 6922 10-in. approximately Dec. 1921 Goodbye, pretty butterflies Selvin’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band composer  
Brunswick E3884-E3885 10-in. 10/1/1926 Messin’ around Royal Flush Orchestra ; Fess Williams Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Brunswick C531 10-in. 7/23/1926 Messin’ around Dixie Syncopators ; King Oliver Jazz/dance band songwriter  
Brunswick LAE610 10-in. 9/4/1929 Feelin’ the way I do Jesse Stafford Palace Hotel Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) songwriter  
Edison 8216 10-in. 9/14/1921 Mississippi cradle Green Brothers' Novelty Band Jazz/dance band composer  
(Results 26-35 of 35 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Cook, Doc," accessed April 25, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/105546.

Cook, Doc. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 25, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/105546.

"Cook, Doc." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 25 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/105546

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