Fri, 11 Feb 2005
Mike Cooper
(UK/Italy)
2005 Wellington Performances
The NZ Film Archive and the NZ Improvised Music Charitable Trust are proud to present the Wellington performances of
Mike Cooper, legendary British guitar exponent whose music has stretched from the blues scene of Swinging 60s London to
improvised and electronic music in the new century.
Cooper will perform two concerts that incorporate live soundtracks to film and one concert of live performance with
local musicians.
For the past 40 years Cooper has been an international musical explorer, performing and recording, solo and in a number
of inspired groupings and a variety of genres. Initially a folk-blues guitarist and singer songwriter his work has
diversified to include improvised and electronic music, live music for silent films, radio art and sound installations.
He is also a music journalist, a visual artist, film and video maker and appears on more than 60 records to date.
"As both a performer and writer he has occupied an unusual niche, being willing to engage with both western experimental
and so called Roots music styles (such as Hawaiian lap-steel guitar playing) and critical ideas about these circulating
in various journalistic and scholarly contexts."
Perfect Beat
The last ten years have seen Cooper performing live music for silent films at festivals around the world. This has
proven a rich and rewarding way of combining a variety of different musical styles and of seducing people into listening
to music they might not normally encounter. In Wellington Cooper will be performing live soundtracks to the F.W. Murnau
film, Tabu and to short films by the Quay Brothers as well as performing live sets with local musicians without film,
In Wellington Mike Cooper will be performing the following concerts:
Friday Feb 18th, 8pm
The NZ Film Archive
Presenting a live soundtrack to FW Murnau's film, Tabu
Tuesday Feb 22nd, 8pm
Happy
Performing live with Richard Nunns, Misha Marks and Anthony Donaldson
Friday Feb 25th, 12pm
Happy
Performing a live soundtrack to short films by the Brothers Quay and other short film selections
ENDS