NEWS

29 OCTOBER 08

PERFORMING LIVE @ THE SANDRINGHAM NOV 26TH WITH AMY

Hi folks- Just back from a lovely 3 weeks in London/Dublin. Very inspired. Amy & I will be performing at the Sando Nov 26th supporting Julie Kember. We'll have an upright bassist with us. Should be folky. Come to hear songs that we're in the middle of recording at the moment. Check out the MYSPACE

22 AUGUST 08

RECORDING AGAIN

Hello friends, Amy & I will be back in the studio this weekend recording again. We've been inspired to get started on a few new tracks especially since we've taken delivery of a beautiful old upright Victor piano recently. We're up to song 8 at the moment and I think we'll record around 15 tracks for the album. I'd say we'll release 10 or 11. We'll post a video and some photos from the sessions on our Facebook Page. Become our friend!

Also I've just downloaded the new Byrne & Eno album 'Everything that happens will happen today'. It's pretty cool stuff. Get the free download here.

13 JULY 08

NEW FOLK DUO ALBUM IN THE MAKING...

Hi all-I've abandoned my plans for a 2nd solo album. I'm delighted though as I'm creating beautiful, honest music, in my new home studio made up of wonderful bits & pieces I've been collecting since I was 19. My partner Amy & I have been writing new songs & demoing these up. So far we've recorded infant versions of 8 new songs. They're sounding sparse, textured & vocally intimate. I want these new songs to be an honest reflection of our music making & not a construct of the pro tools dimension. We've been really enjoying the music of Gillian Welch & David Rawlings lately. We have the idea that we'll put these new songs together into a limited edition folk duo album next year (2009) & sell some at shows (I assume we'll cater to you online folk too). It's a strange time for the music industry these days - the template has changed: no more crazy label advances, records don't really sell & live music is very healthy again - we're looking forward to performing live as a duo this and next year. What will the future bring??? We are the music makers...We are the dreamers of dreams. JC (PS. Check out the lovely new Fleet Foxes album...magic)

20 MAY 08

DOUBLE A-SIDE DIGITAL SINGLE OUT NOW!

James has finished recording his new double A-Side single 'Everyman wants the world / Ballad Of The Preacher's Son' and it's available to buy from iTunes worldwide.
Buy the single HERE.

James & Amy are currently recording their debut folk duo record due out mid-2009. Enjoy the new single and stay tuned for deets.

18 JANUARY 08

HAND DRAWN SINGLE COVER BEGUN...

Hey All -
Check out My MP3 Page for news.
I've just begun the art work for my new double A side single coming out in March. The mood of the visuals will reflect the hand crafted and organic nature of the single. I've just started the hand-drawn typography this week.... I expect the single at this point to include 4 tracks: Everyman Wants The World, Ballad Of The Preacher's Son, Icarus & Electric Fence (Mother's Intuition). The last track is a song I just wrote in Ireland a few weeks ago and I think I'm going to record it on Ukulele... here goes! I'm feeling the wind of music under my wings this year. It's going to be a good year. The single will be coming out on the Whitewash Recordings label & a small run of hand numbered copies will be available at my Newtown show on the 7th Feb. Stay tuned for an actual release date. Peace - James.

30 OCTOBER 07

FEB 7 2008 - SANDO SHOW ANNOUNCED

It's been almost a year but the wait is over. First 2008 show announced for Feb 7, Sandringham, Newtown. James will be previewing material from the as yet untitled second album with special guest, musical brother Greg Cooper who's releasing his debut EP this month.

12 OCTOBER 07

MIXING COMPLETED

Hey All. Just a note on this windy, rainy afternoon to say that my 2 newbies are mixed and ready for mastering. We're waiting on a release date for the tracks but I've been fortunate to have guest appearances from Casey Atkins on lead guitar (no relation to Chet) and Amy Kelly on Backing Vocal's for one of the tracks. Producer and all-round talented freak Michael Carpenter also plays a killer slide part in one track. More to come....

03 OCTOBER 07

STUDIO MAGIC HAPPENS!

Despite the heat today in Sydney, in an air-conditioned studio in the inner west Michael Carpenter and I finished laying down tracks and initial mixing of 2 new songs for release. I'm very exicted after the session as the songs paint a new direction musically. The magic of slide guitar will be apparent on one track as will my newly found blues harp skills. Final mixes should be done in the next week so I'll keep you posted! Cheers, James.

02 OCTOBER 07

POLISHING OFF A NEW DOUBLE A-SIDE SINGLE TOMORROW!

Hi folks, James here. Just to let you all know, I'm back in the studio tomorrow morning (after a long leave of absence) to finish off my new double A-Side single. I've been listening to mixes over the weekend and I'm very exicted that pretty soon I'll be able to offer you 2 new tracks! The single will be a download only single available from iTunes and probably james-cooper.com. Stay tuned for clips from the songs and official release dates. Thanks for dropping by, James.

26 JUNE 07

NEW DEMOS ADDED TO MYSPACE

James is about halfway through the recording of his second album with a working title of "Last Of The Great Mavericks". Three demos for the sessions have been posted today on James's MySpace. The songs "Worthy Of Wine" and "Ballad of The Preacher's Son" reflect the new direction James is taking. Also another demo "Icarus" has been posted. The album, due out 2008, is going to be a folk/rock style record with James citing influences as Ryan Adams, Old Crow Medicine Show, Paul Kelly & Johnny Cash. Hear the demos at JAMES'S MYSPACE

05 MARCH 07

'BEAUTIFUL' DEBUTS IN TOP 5 AUSTRALIAN SINGLES!

We're very happy to announce that the Cooper/Freedman penned single for the Whitlams "Beautiful As You" has debuted this week at #5 on the top 20 Australian Singles Chart. The position is based on sales in the last chart week. In the overal physical singles chart (national and international) the single entered at #26 in the top 50. To help the single climb further in the coming weeks buy a copy at SANITY

21 FEBRUARY 07

WHITLAMS / WARNERS RELEASE SINGLE VERSION OF COOPER CO-WRITE 'BEAUTIFUL AS YOU'

The Whitlams have re-recorded James & Tim's co-write from Disc 2 of Little Cloud, 'Beautiful As You' for release on Monday 26 February. This is the first physical Whitlams single since 2003. The main track is a re-recording of 'Beautiful as You' that the boys finished in January this year. You can download the single from iTunes as of next week or physical CD BUY SINGLE or check out The Whitlams Site for more info...

James goes into the studio on March 30 to start recording his second album...

13 FEBRUARY 07

LIVE VIDEO OF LOVE IN LONDON

Some kind soul posted this on you tube from the Vanguard Launch.

08 FEBRUARY 07

JAMES SET TO RECORD SECOND ALBUM...

James will begin recording his follow up LP to 'Second Season' in the studio on March 30th. The album will be produced by Second Season's Michael Carpenter and James and is as yet untitled. 40 songs have been written for the album and James is currently pre-producing to whittle the collection, written mainly in England over the last 2 years, down to a workable number. More news as it is available.

02 FEBRUARY 07

'BEAUTIFUL AS YOU' MAKES NATIONAL TELEVISION DEBUT

James's Co-Write with Tim Freedman made it's TV debut on the 25th Jan. As part of Network TEN's Australia Day Celebrations from Canberra, The Whitlams performed "Beautiful As You" to a national audience.

22 DECEMBER 06

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR

Wishing you a great Christmas and peaceful 2007. New photos have just been added from the sold out Metro show with the Whitlams. Thanks to all who have been to shows, bought CDs or downloaded albums from iTunes this year. James is working on new material over the break and looking forward to getting out there in 2007 to road-test some new songs. Merry Christmas!

11 DECEMBER 06

WHITLAMS SUPPORT SUCCESS!

Whitlams fans cheered as James & The Band played their support set in front of hundreds of music hungry Sydney-siders on Friday. In James's last Sydney show for 2006, he belted out renditions of "Everything to Everyone" and a track currently being polished off in the studio "Every Man Wants The World". With the sublime "Dry Reaching For Grace" winning over more and more listers with each outing, we're looking forward to annoucing more live shows in 2007. Until then catch James at noon on 31 Dec at the Peat's Ridge Festival or buy the Live EP only on iTunes.

05 DECEMBER 06

VANGUARD SHOW CANCELLED

Please note James will NOT be performing at the Vanguard on the 20th Dec as previously listed but you can catch him at the Peat's Ridge Festival on the 31st Dec at 12 noon.

30 NOVEMBER 06

EXCLUSIVE ITUNES EP OUT NOW!

For fans of James's live sound you can now download the 5 track 'Live at the Vanguard EP' from his sell-out Vanguard album launch for $6.99 from iTunes Australia. The EP includes a sublime version of Bob Dylan's 'Make You Feel My Love', a new track 'Every Man Wants The World' penned by James in the Amsterdam Hilton (of John Lennon bed-in-for-peace fame) and cover photography taken in Melbourne whilst on his east coast tour. Download it now from the link

James's show with his band supporting the Whitlams at Sydney's Metro on Fri 8th Dec has now sold out. For those that missed out on tickets, grab your tickets to James's final 2006 Sydney show at the Vanguard HERE