Remembering The Day the Earth Stood Still

Jessie Allen Cooper's "9-11-01" tribute release

LOS ANGELES-August 1, 2002-9-11 is a date forever seared into our collective memory. Jessie Allen Cooper, producer, composer and saxophonist, captured the essence of that terrifying day in an extraordinary musical endeavor titled "9-11-01." Starting within minutes after the terrorist attacks, Cooper conceived, wrote and recorded an entire suite. In the days following, he produced an enduring tribute to a world-shaking moment in our history.

The Music
Tracks such as "Remix/President of USA," "Dark Tuesday," "Out of the Shadows," and "The End of Innocence" tell a story of one man's reactions to these horrific events: "As the reality unfolded on the TV screen, and we found out who the terrorists were, I decided to incorporate elements of middle eastern music into my compositions," recalled Cooper, "I wanted to create a sense of a dual reality."

"Classical middle eastern music layered over contemporary urban musical techniques like looping, appropriation, and ambient jazz."

Along with sound bytes culled from the ubiquitous TV coverage, you'll hear poignant vocalizations by Diane Vaughn and Serpentine, instrumentation such as harmonium and middle east percussion, and Cooper's narration of the horrific attack on America. The work resonates the composer's concern for all humanity.

"We searched online quite a bit and to our knowledge, we were the only team to incorporate live footage with our immediate reactions," said Brian S. Hanish, a Los Angeles film-maker who recorded much of the raw television material, "and Jessie was the only guy to record a full length tribute within the first few days after the tragedy."

This is Cooper's 11th recording project and his most ambitious venture to date.

Press Contact:
Jessie Allen Cooper
Cooper Sound Waves
(310) 392-7784
Fax (310) 392-1601
jessie@coopersoundwaves.com