Dolo Coker

Updated on Sep 24, 2024

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Occupation(s) Musician, composer Role Jazz Pianist Instruments Piano Genres Jazz		Labels Xanadu Record label Xanadu Records Name Dolo Coker

Born November 16, 1927Hartford, Connecticut, U.S. ( 1927-11-16 ) Died April 13, 1983, Los Angeles, California, United States Albums California Hard, Dolo!, Third Down, All Alone Similar People Frank Butler, Art Pepper, Blue Mitchell, Leroy Vinnegar, Billy Mitchell
Associated acts Blue Mitchell, Art Pepper

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Charles Mitchell "Dolo" Coker (November 16, 1927 – April 13, 1983) was a jazz pianist and composer who recorded four albums for Xanadu Records and extensively as a sideman, for artists like Sonny Stitt, Gene Ammons, Lou Donaldson, Art Pepper, Philly Joe Jones, and Dexter Gordon.

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2018 Dolo Coker Most Promising

Biography

Charles Mitchell "Dolo" Coker was born in Hartford, Connecticut on November 16, 1927, raised in both Philadelphia and Florence, South Carolina. The first musical instruments Coker played in childhood were the C-melody and alto saxophones, learning them at a school in Camden, South Carolina. By the age of thirteen he was starting to play piano. Coker moved to Philadelphia, where he studied piano at the Landis School of Music and at Orenstein's Conservatory. Coker also played some shows on piano for Jimmy Heath while in Philadelphia.

He was also a member of the Frank Morgan Quartet (with Flip Greene on bass and Larance Marable on drums).

Coker did not record his own album as a leader until 1976, when he recorded his debut Dolo! with Blue Mitchell, Harold Land, Leroy Vinnegar and Frank Butler. That following day he recorded California Hard for Xanadu Records, with Art Pepper replacing Harold Land on sax. Following California Hard were Third Down and All Alone. He continued to work as a sideman for other artists until he died of cancer at the age of fifty-five on April 13, 1983.

Coker's nickname is sometimes misspelt "Dodo" in sleeve notes and books on jazz.

As leader/co-leader

Dolo! (Xanadu, 1976)

California Hard (Xanadu, 1976)

Third Down (Xanadu, 1977)

All Alone (Xanadu, 1978)

Xanadu in Africa (Xanadu, 1980) with Al Cohn, Billy Mitchell, Leroy Vinnegar and Frank Butler

Night Flight to Dakar (Xanadu, 1980) with Al Cohn, Billy Mitchell, Leroy Vinnegar and Frank Butler

As sideman

With Frank Butler

The Stepper (Xanadu, 1977)

Wheelin' and Dealin' (Xanadu, 1978)

With Junior Cook

Junior's Cookin' (Jazzland, 1961)

With Sonny Criss

Crisscraft (Muse, 1975)

Out of Nowhere (Muse, 1976)

With Harry "Sweets" Edison and Eddie Davis

Simply Sweets (1977)

With Teddy Edwards

Feelin's (Muse, 1974)

With Dexter Gordon

The Resurgence of Dexter Gordon (Jazzland, 1960)

With Philly Joe Jones

Showcase (Riverside, 1959)

With Les McCann

Les McCann Sings (Pacific Jazz, 1961)

With Art Pepper

Intensity (Contemporary, 1963)

With Red Rodney

Superbop (Muse, 1974)

With Sonny Stitt

37 Minutes and 48 Seconds with Sonny Stitt (Roost, 1957)

I Remember Bird (Catalyst, 1977)

References

Dolo Coker Wikipedia

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