Louis Hooper

Louis Stanley Hooper (May 18, 1894, North Buxton, Ontario - September 17, 1977, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island) was a Canadian jazz pianist.

Hooper was raised in Ypsilanti, Michigan and attended the Detroit Conservatory, where he played locally in dance orchestras in the 1910s. He then moved to New York City around 1920; he recorded with Elmer Snowden and Bob Fuller frequently in the middle of the decade, and performed with both of them in Harlem as well as with other ensembles. Hooper served for some time as the house pianist for Ajax Records and accompanied many blues singers on record, including Martha Copeland, Rosa Henderson, Lizzie Miles, Monette Moore, and Ethel Waters. He participated in the Blackbirds revue of 1928.

In 1932, Hooper returned to Canada, where he played in Mynie Sutton's dance band, the Canadian Ambassadors. He did local work solo and in ensembles for the next two decades, then was brought back into the limelight by the Montreal Vintage Music Society in 1962. Hooper released an LP of ragtime piano tunes in 1973 entitled Lou Hooper, Piano. He taught at the University of Prince Edward Island late in his life and appeared regularly on CBC television in Halifax.

His papers, which include unpublished compositions and an autobiography, are now held at the National Library of Canada in Ottawa, Ontario.

Birth and Death Data: Born May 18, 1894 (North Buxton, Ontario), Died September 17, 1977

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1924 - 1934

Roles Represented in DAHR: piano, composer, songwriter

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 62 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BVE-33825 10-in. 10/28/1925 Ridiculous blues Charleston Trio Instrumental trio composer  
Victor BS-86446 10-in. 12/14/1934 Ridiculous blues Sepia Serenaders Instrumental trio composer  
Columbia 140411 10-in. 3/3/1925 Black cat blues Bob Fuller Clarinet solo, with banjo and piano composer  
Columbia 140412 10-in. 3/3/1925 Too bad Jim Bob Fuller Clarinet solo, with banjo and piano composer  
Columbia W140951 10-in. 9/17/1925 I'm a back bitin' mama Maggie Jones Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with jazz/dance trio instrumentalist, piano  
Columbia W140952 10-in. 9/17/1925 Dallas blues Maggie Jones Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with jazz/dance trio instrumentalist, piano  
Columbia W140964 10-in. 9/18/1925 South Street blues Maggie Jones Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with jazz/dance trio instrumentalist, piano  
Columbia W140965 10-in. 9/18/1925 Never drive a beggar from your door Maggie Jones and her Band Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with jazz/dance trio instrumentalist, piano  
Columbia W141037 10-in. 9/23/1925 Grand opera blues Bob Fuller Clarinet solo, with banjo and piano composer, instrumentalist, piano  
Columbia W141038 10-in. 9/23/1925 Pig Alley stomp Bob Fuller Clarinet solo, with banjo and piano instrumentalist, piano  
Columbia W141056 10-in. 9/29/1925 Single woman's blues Maggie Jones Female vocal solo, with instrumental trio instrumentalist, piano  
Columbia W141057 10-in. 9/29/1925 Never tell a woman friend Maggie Jones Female vocal solo, with instrumental trio instrumentalist, piano  
Columbia 141142 10-in. 10/16/1925 Uncle Remus stomp Three Monkey Chasers Instrumental trio composer, instrumentalist, piano  
Columbia 141143 10-in. 10/16/1925 Montmartre giggles Three Monkey Chasers Instrumental trio instrumentalist, piano  
Columbia W141153 10-in. 10/19/1925 Take it easy Monette Moore Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with cornet and piano instrumentalist, piano  
Columbia W141154 10-in. 10/19/1925 Get it fixed Monette Moore Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with cornet and piano instrumentalist, piano  
Columbia W141688 10-in. 2/17/1926 After all these years Ethel Waters Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with piano instrumentalist, piano  
Columbia W141689 10-in. 2/17/1926 Throw dirt in your face Ethel Waters Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with piano instrumentalist, piano  
Columbia W141690 10-in. 2/17/1926 I'm saving it all for you Ethel Waters Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with piano instrumentalist, piano  
Columbia W141704 10-in. 2/19/1926 Refrigeratin' papa Ethel Waters Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with piano instrumentalist, piano  
Columbia W141740 10-in. 3/2/1926 Let's talk about my sweetie Rosa Henderson Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with cornet and piano instrumentalist, piano  
Columbia W141741 10-in. 3/2/1926 Mama is waitin' for you Rosa Henderson Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with cornet and piano instrumentalist, piano  
Columbia W141823 10-in. 3/18/1926 It don't do nothing but rain Art Gillham Male vocal solo, with tuba and piano instrumentalist, piano  
Columbia W141897 10-in. 3/31/1926 Some baby—my gal George W. Williams Male vocal solo ("blues singer"), with cornet and piano instrumentalist, piano  
Columbia W141898 10-in. 3/31/1926 Levee blues George W. Williams Male vocal solo ("blues singer"), with cornet and piano instrumentalist, piano  
(Results 1-25 of 62 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Hooper, Louis," accessed November 2, 2024, https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/110982.

Hooper, Louis. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 2, 2024, from https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/110982.

"Hooper, Louis." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 2 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/110982

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