Mundell Lowe, guitar; Bill Perkins, tenor saxophone; Bob Cooper, tenor saxophone | October 9, 1982 Los Angeles | Photo by Mark Weber

Mundy, Perk, & Coop

One of the amazing things about Los Angeles in the 1970s and 80s was that all those jazz cats who became known in the 50s as part of the West Coast Cool School were still around.

Many of them are still around to this day. (Mundy & Betty re-located south to San Diego.)

In fact, when these musicians came to prominence they were still young and maybe not exactly unformed, but, by the 1970s they were fully mature artists.

The Hollywood studios had sustained them and in the evenings they’d work the little jazz clubs of the Valley.

These photos are not from the Valley side of things, but, back through Cahuenga Pass through the hills, just a taste south of Los Angeles City College, where Hollywood dissolves to fade, at the Los Angeles Press Club at 600 N. Vermont Avenue. Concert produced by Dan McKenna of the organization Jazz Central. These were regular concerts that Jazz Central organized and called Jam Session. Singular.

Musicians for this Jam Session were Bill Perkins, tenor saxophone & flute; John Perret, drums; Luther Hughes, bass; Ron Eschete, 7-string Benedetto guitar; Mundell Lowe, guitar; Bob Cooper, tenor sax & oboe.

These guys are giants of the music.

Note that Perk has a plexiglass deflector mounted on the front of his tenor bell. He designed and made that himself.

Mark Weber | March 31, 2012

Ron Eschete, guitar; Mundell Lowe, guitar; Bill Perkins, tenor saxophone; Bob Cooper, tenor saxophone | October 9, 1982 Los Angeles | Photo by Mark Weber

Ron Eschete, guitar; Mundell Lowe, guitar; Bill Perkins, tenor saxophone; Bob Cooper, tenor saxophone | October 9, 1982 Los Angeles | Photo by Mark Weber

Ron Eschete, guitar; Mundell Lowe, guitar; Bill Perkins, tenor saxophone; Bob Cooper, tenor saxophone | October 9, 1982 Los Angeles | Photo by Mark Weber

Ron Eschete, guitar; Mundell Lowe, guitar; Bill Perkins, tenor saxophone; Bob Cooper, tenor saxophone | October 9, 1982 Los Angeles | Photo by Mark Weber

Mundell Lowe, guitar; Bill Perkins, tenor saxophone; Bob Cooper, tenor saxophone | October 9, 1982 Los Angeles | Photo by Mark Weber

Mundell Lowe, guitar; Bill Perkins, flute; Bob Cooper, oboe | October 9, 1982 Los Angeles | Photo by Mark Weber

Ron Eschete, guitar; Mundell Lowe, guitar; | October 9, 1982 Los Angeles | Photo by Mark Weber