Louis Hooper

Louis Stanley Hooper (May 18, 1894, North Buxton, Ontario - September 17, 1977, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island) was a Canadian jazz pianist.

Hooper was raised in Ypsilanti, Michigan and attended the Detroit Conservatory, where he played locally in dance orchestras in the 1910s. He then moved to New York City around 1920; he recorded with Elmer Snowden and Bob Fuller frequently in the middle of the decade, and performed with both of them in Harlem as well as with other ensembles. Hooper served for some time as the house pianist for Ajax Records and accompanied many blues singers on record, including Martha Copeland, Rosa Henderson, Lizzie Miles, Monette Moore, and Ethel Waters. He participated in the Blackbirds revue of 1928.

In 1932, Hooper returned to Canada, where he played in Mynie Sutton's dance band, the Canadian Ambassadors. He did local work solo and in ensembles for the next two decades, then was brought back into the limelight by the Montreal Vintage Music Society in 1962. Hooper released an LP of ragtime piano tunes in 1973 entitled Lou Hooper, Piano. He taught at the University of Prince Edward Island late in his life and appeared regularly on CBC television in Halifax.

His papers, which include unpublished compositions and an autobiography, are now held at the National Library of Canada in Ottawa, Ontario.

Birth and Death Data: Born May 18, 1894 (North Buxton, Ontario), Died September 17, 1977

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1925 - 1934

Roles Represented in DAHR: piano, composer, songwriter

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

Recordings (Results 26-50 of 61 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Columbia W141902 10-in. 4/2/1926 You can't proposition me Bessie Brown ; George W. Williams Female-male vocal duet ("blues singers"), with piano instrumentalist, piano  
Columbia W141903 10-in. 4/2/1926 Hit me but don't quit me Bessie Brown ; George W. Williams Female-male vocal duet ("blues singers"), with piano instrumentalist, piano  
Columbia W143480 10-in. 2/16/1927 The black snake moan Martha Copeland Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with piano instrumentalist, piano  
Columbia W143481 10-in. 2/16/1927 Mine's just as good as yours Martha Copeland Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with piano instrumentalist, piano  
Columbia W143689 10-in. 3/19/1927 Soul and body (He belongs to me) Martha Copeland Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with cornet and piano instrumentalist, piano  
Columbia W143690 10-in. 3/19/1927 Sorrow Valley blues Martha Copeland Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with cornet and piano instrumentalist, piano  
Columbia 146557 10-in. 6/19/1928 Ridiculous blues Bob Fuller Clarinet solo, with banjo and piano composer  
OKeh 74057 10-in. Mar. 1926 Sunset blues Buddy Christian's Creole Five ; Louise Vant Jazz/dance ensemble, with female vocal solo instrumentalist, piano  
OKeh 74059 10-in. Mar. 1926 Sugar house stomp Buddy Christian's Creole Five Jazz/dance ensemble instrumentalist, piano  
OKeh W80644 10-in. 3/18/1927 Slow up, papa Lizzie Miles Female vocal solo, with violin and cornet instrumentalist, piano  
OKeh W80645 10-in. 3/18/1927 Grievin' mama blues Lizzie Miles Female vocal solo, with violin and cornet instrumentalist, piano  
OKeh W400777 10-in. 6/11/1928 Lame duck blues Three Blues Chasers Jazz/dance trio instrumentalist, piano  
OKeh W400778 10-in. 6/11/1928 Nothin' but blues Three Blues Chasers Jazz/dance trio instrumentalist, piano  
Brunswick E1540-E1542 10-in. 10/29/1925 House party stomp Three Jolly Miners Instrumental trio instrumentalist, piano  
Brunswick E1543-E1545 10-in. 10/29/1925 Grand opera blues Three Jolly Miners Instrumental trio instrumentalist, piano, composer  
Brunswick E2108-E2110 10-in. 1/12/1926 Chicago back step Three Jolly Miners Instrumental trio instrumentalist, piano, composer  
Brunswick E2111-E2113 10-in. 1/13/1926 F minor blues Three Jolly Miners Instrumental trio instrumentalist, piano  
Brunswick E2435-E2436 10-in. 2/15/1926 Pig Alley stomp Three Jolly Miners Instrumental trio instrumentalist, piano  
Brunswick E2437-E2438 10-in. 2/15/1926 Ridiculous blues Three Jolly Miners Instrumental trio instrumentalist, piano, composer  
Brunswick E2713-E2715 10-in. 3/31/1926 Do it Mr. So-So Rosa Henderson Female vocal solo, with instrumental quartet instrumentalist, piano  
Brunswick E2716-E2718 10-in. 3/31/1926 Fulton Street blues Rosa Henderson Female vocal solo, with instrumental quartet instrumentalist, piano  
Brunswick 512W-514W 10-in. 3/9/1925 Charleston clarinet blues Three Jolly Miners Jazz/dance trio composer  
Brunswick 515W-518W 10-in. 3/9/1925 Freakish blues Three Jolly Miners Jazz/dance trio composer  
Brunswick 577W-579W 10-in. 3/20/1925 Get it fixed Rosa Henderson Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance trio instrumentalist, piano  
Brunswick 580W-582W 10-in. 3/20/1925 Low down daddy blues Rosa Henderson Female vocal solo, with clarinet and piano instrumentalist, piano  
(Results 26-50 of 61 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Hooper, Louis," accessed April 24, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/110982.

Hooper, Louis. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 24, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/110982.

"Hooper, Louis." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 24 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/110982

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