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"This hard-hitting septet wears its name like a mission statement. Rich with a mix of classic elegance and exploration, the group might reference the past by name, but it never sounds less than current.
”- Chris Barton, The Los Angeles Times

After seven years together, The Cookers entered the studio earlier this year to record their fourth album, Time and Time Again, the follow up album to their three critically-acclaimed recordings, Warriors, Cast The First Stone and Believe. On Time and Time Again the incredibly high level of musicianship has only increased with the latest offering of fresh, challenging, boundary-pushing music from these legendary, revered, veteran improvisers.

The credentials of these musicians are beyond reproach, but simply gathering a group of legends and throwing them into a recording studio isn't necessarily a recipe for success, points out David Weiss, the band's founder, chief organizer, and trumpeter. "You can't just put a bunch of names together and expect it to be great. These guys just turned out to be the perfect combination."

It's impossible to foresee how any ensemble will gel until the first notes are played, of course, but The Cookers had an inherent advantage in the fact that these legendary jazzmen had all proven themselves integral components in great bands of the past. Harper was a member of groups led by Lee Morgan and Max Roach and served a two-year stint with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers; trumpeter Eddie Henderson and drummer Billy Hart were both part of Herbie Hancock's electric Mwandishi ensemble; pianist George Cables played alongside Dexter Gordon and Art Pepper; and bassist Cecil McBee anchored Charles Lloyd's famed 1960s quartet with Keith Jarrett and Jack DeJohnette. Donald Harrison has performed and recorded with an illustrious list of distinguished musicians in Jazz, R & B, Funk, Classical and more including Art Blakey, Miles Davis, Lena Horne, Ron Carter, Jennifer Holiday, Dr. John, Guru’s Jazzmatazz, Digable Planets, Notorious BIG, The Chicago Symphony Orchestra and The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra.

"Player for player, there's no better working band in jazz than The Cookers." - Andy Gilbert, Boston Globe