Richard Cook
Encyclopedia
Richard David Cook was a British jazz
writer, magazine editor and former record company executive.
Sometimes credited as R. D. Cook, Cook was born in Kew
, Surrey
and lived in west London
as an adult. He was co-author, with Brian Morton
, of The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (formerly ...on CD), now in its ninth edition. Richard Cook's Jazz Companion and It's About That Time: Miles Davis On and Off the Record were published in 2005.
A writer on music from the late 1970s until his death, he was a prominent contributor to the NME
, the jazz critic for The Sunday Times
and later a music writer for the New Statesman
. Cook was formerly editor of The Wire
, when it was a jazz centred periodical (although it broadened its coverage towards the end of his editorship), and edited Jazz Review
magazine from its foundation in 1998. Jazz Review continued for a time after his death, using Cook's attitudes as ongoing inspiration and did not name a specific successor (Morton) for six months. Cook also presented a programme on jazz for BBC
local radio GLR.
Richard Cook was formerly the UK jazz catalogue manager for PolyGram
(1992–97) and also produced albums by the trumpeter Guy Barker
. During his spell at PolyGram, Cook launched the short-lived 'Redial' re-issue line of classic British jazz
albums. In 2002, he was responsible for issuing a 10 CD limited-edition set by the American avant-garde pianist Cecil Taylor
of 1990 recordings, 2Ts for a Lovely T, which was on the Codanza label.
Richard Cook died of cancer
on 25 August 2007, aged 50, in London
.
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
writer, magazine editor and former record company executive.
Sometimes credited as R. D. Cook, Cook was born in Kew
Kew
Kew is a place in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames in South West London. Kew is best known for being the location of the Royal Botanic Gardens, now a World Heritage Site, which includes Kew Palace...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
and lived in west London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
as an adult. He was co-author, with Brian Morton
Brian Morton (Scottish writer)
Brian Morton is a Scottish writer, journalist and broadcaster, mainly specialising in jazz and modern literature. Born in Paisley, near Glasgow and raised in Dunoon, Morton was educated at Edinburgh University and taught in the late 1970s at the University of East Anglia and the University of...
, of The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (formerly ...on CD), now in its ninth edition. Richard Cook's Jazz Companion and It's About That Time: Miles Davis On and Off the Record were published in 2005.
A writer on music from the late 1970s until his death, he was a prominent contributor to the NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
, the jazz critic for The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times (UK)
The Sunday Times is a Sunday broadsheet newspaper, distributed in the United Kingdom. The Sunday Times is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of News International, which is in turn owned by News Corporation. Times Newspapers also owns The Times, but the two papers were founded...
and later a music writer for the New Statesman
New Statesman
New Statesman is a British centre-left political and cultural magazine published weekly in London. Founded in 1913, and connected with leading members of the Fabian Society, the magazine reached a circulation peak in the late 1960s....
. Cook was formerly editor of The Wire
The Wire (magazine)
The Wire is a British avant garde music magazine, founded in 1982 by jazz promoter Anthony Wood and journalist Chrissie Murray. The magazine initially concentrated on contemporary jazz and improvised music, but branched out in the early 1990s to various types of experimental music...
, when it was a jazz centred periodical (although it broadened its coverage towards the end of his editorship), and edited Jazz Review
Jazz Review
Jazz Review was a British jazz magazine, founded in 1998 by a former editor of The Wire and jazz writer Richard Cook and Roger Spence of the talent management agency Direct Music. The magazine covered the entire range of jazz history from early jazz, through Swing to Bebop, Modern Jazz and the...
magazine from its foundation in 1998. Jazz Review continued for a time after his death, using Cook's attitudes as ongoing inspiration and did not name a specific successor (Morton) for six months. Cook also presented a programme on jazz for BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
local radio GLR.
Richard Cook was formerly the UK jazz catalogue manager for PolyGram
PolyGram
PolyGram was the name of the major label recording company started by Philips from as a holding company for its music interests in 1945. In 1999 it was sold to Seagram and merged into Universal Music Group.-Hollandsche Decca Distributie , 1929-1950:...
(1992–97) and also produced albums by the trumpeter Guy Barker
Guy Barker
Guy Barker is an English jazz trumpeter and composer. Barker was born in Chiswick, London, the son of an actress and a stuntman. He started playing the trumpet at the age of twelve, and within a year had joined the National Youth Jazz Orchestra...
. During his spell at PolyGram, Cook launched the short-lived 'Redial' re-issue line of classic British jazz
British jazz
British jazz is a form of music derived from American jazz. It reached Britain through recordings and performers who visited the country while it was a relatively new genre, soon after the end of World War I. Jazz began to be played by British musicians from the 1930s and on a widespread basis in...
albums. In 2002, he was responsible for issuing a 10 CD limited-edition set by the American avant-garde pianist Cecil Taylor
Cecil Taylor
Cecil Percival Taylor is an American pianist and poet. Classically trained, Taylor is generally acknowledged as one of the pioneers of free jazz. His music is characterized by an extremely energetic, physical approach, producing complex improvised sounds, frequently involving tone clusters and...
of 1990 recordings, 2Ts for a Lovely T, which was on the Codanza label.
Richard Cook died of cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
on 25 August 2007, aged 50, in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.