Al Kooper Tickets

About Al Kooper

Besides co-writing the classic mid-'60s rock single, "This Diamond Ring", he was the most eagerly audible sessionman on the most important records for decades containing Bob Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone." He joined and led, and then gave up major rock groups, the Blues Project and Blood, Sweat & Tears. He participated in two classic albums on blues-rock in collaboration with friend Mike Bloomfield. At Columbia, as a producer, he sponsored the British band the Zombies just in time and helped them to finish their best LP in entire history. He groomed Lynyrd Skynyrd and produced their best ever album. He continues to make and sponsored great music, which has put him in the league of extraordinary gentlemen.

Al Kooper was born in Brooklyn, New York (1944). During his teens, he enjoyed singing along his father playing to the Bessie Smith records. It provided his preamble to blues. All these were extended to the sounds like gospel, R&B and soul, which formed the basis of his own music. Evenly prominent, he divulged himself as a natural musician. Once he sat down before a piano and began playing one among the best hits of the early '50s, without any prior training or experience. Kooper learned on his own, and soon adopted the guitar. Gospel music was his main interest in the 1950s. When rock & roll came, he broke to the vocal side of the new music. He formed a doo-wop band that sang on street corners. He became professional in 1959 when he signed as a guitarist for the line-up of the Royal Teens. In the early '60s, he began writing songs and "I Must Be Seeing Things," a hit for Gene Pitney was among his early efforts.

Kooper's biggest smash as a songwriter came in 1964 when he co-authored a song with Bob Brass and Irwin Levine named "This Diamond Ring". Composed with the Drifters in mind, it came to Liberty Records producer Snuff Garrett's hands. A new group, Gary Lewis & the Playboys debuted with it. It spent weeks in 1965 at the number one spot. Its recording created a string of unbelievably and accidental events in his life and career. He was struggling to get a big part as a session guitarist. When producer Tom Wilson, asked him to watch a Bob Dylan recording session, with hope that something might happen, he came with his guitar. When a second keyboard player was needed for the organ on the song "Like a Rolling Stone," Kooper rode his way to the stage. Dylan appreciated the part, which Kooper managed and enhanced in the mix.

Kooper became a regular in the band that backed Dylan. He introduced electric music at the Newport Folk Festival of 1965 and to the Blonde on Blonde album. Same year, he was invited to join the New York blues-rock group the Blues Project. He became one of its lead singers. His yearlong stay gave to the blues three massively significant and critically acclaimed albums. Kooper started a band, after a year, with a jazz and R&B sound, which he had dreamt. It was called Blood, Sweat & Tears. Signing to Columbia Records, they released the debut album made up entirely of Al Kooper songs. It put the music pages and authors ablaze with enthusiasm. Titled, "The Child Is Father to the Man", it was one of the most significant and bold albums of the '60s.

After a year Kooper was back at playing sessions and appeared on records of Jimi Hendrix, the Who, and the Rolling Stones. He became a producer at Columbia Records. He engineered a concert of Simon & Garfunkel. He cut a pair of albums with his longtime friend and guitarist Michael Bloomfield. Super Session, with Stephen Stills, and The Live Adventures with Mike Bloomfield were among the best-selling LPs of that period. It put Columbia Records on the avant grade of popular music. Kooper’s contribution at Columbia included the signing the Zombies. He got a classic album named Odyssey & Oracle and a monster hit single "Time of the Season" from the deal.

During the early '70s, through MCA his own label he discovered Lynyrd Skynyrd. He produced first three albums of the group, whose sales were in the millions. He also produced records of the Tubes, B.B. King, Nils Lofgren, and Joe Ely and many more. He wrote the best book ever written on rock & roll. After a more-than-20-year break he returned in the 1990s to record his own sound for ReKooperation, an instrumental album by the Music Masters.

In 1994 he went for a handful of live gigs with the principal members of the Blood, Sweat & Tears. Kooper brought together a sound, unifying soul, jazz, and gospel influences, though the varied personnel were involved. There are tens of millions records in which one can found Al Kooper has played a key role in songwriting, singing, keyboard managing, as a guitarist or producer. Till date, Kooper remains a formidable performing talent, and one of the most inspired and intelligent people in rock music. You don't wanna miss a chance to groove with Al Kooper LIVE. Get you tickets as fast as possible; contact your on-line ticket vendor now!

Discography
I Stand Alone (1969)
You Never Know Who Your Friends Are (1969)
Super Session (1968)
Easy Does It (1970)
New York City (1971)
A Possible Projection of the Future / Childhood's End (1972)
Naked Songs (1973)
Act Like Nothing's Wrong (1977)
Championship Wrestling (1982)
Rekooperation (1994)
Soul of a Man (1995)