Willie Cook

Willie Cook (November 11, 1923 – September 22, 2000) was an American jazz trumpeter.

Cook was born in Tangipahoa, Louisiana, on November 11, 1923.^[1] He grew up in Chicago and learned to play violin before settling on trumpet as a teenager.^[1] He joined King Perry's band in the late 1930s, then joined Jay McShann's band early in the 1940s.^[1] His later credits include performing and recording with Johnny Hartman, Earl Hines, Jimmie Lunceford, Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, Duke Ellington, B.B. King, and Count Basie.^[1] He joined Ellington's band in October 1951 as lead trumpeter and stayed for a decade.^[2] He moved to Sweden in 1982 after spending time in the country touring.^[1] He died of heart failure in Maria Regina Hospice in Stockholm on September 22, 2000.^[2]

Discography

With The Young Swedes

• Christl Mood (Phontastic, 1985)

With Nappy Brown

• Roots of Scandinavian Blues (Hot Club, 1983)

With Duke Ellington

• Ellington '55 (Capitol, 1999)
• Blue Rose (Columbia, 1956)
• All Star Road Band (Doctor Jazz, 1957 [1983])
• Hot Summer Dance (Red Baron, 1960 [1991])

With Dizzy Gillespie

• The Complete RCA Victor Recordings (Bluebird, 1937–1949, [1995])

With Gugge Hedrenius Big Blues Band

• Swings Again, Live!!! (Scranta, 1999)

With Johnny Hodges

• Ellingtonia '56 (Norgran, 1956)
• The Big Sound (Verve, 1957)

With Billy Taylor

• Taylor Made Jazz (Argo, 1959)

With Paul Gonsalves and Enrique Villegas

• Encuentro (1968)

References