Ray Cooper

RAY COOPER: Even For A Shadow is singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Ray Cooper’s fifth solo album and is released twelve years after he ended 23 years as a member of  Oysterband. Ray Cooper’s strengths as a songwriter and arranger are particularly evident on the new album. The British singer-songwriter, who lives in Sweden, worked on the album for two years. The folk influences can still be heard clearly, but there are more echoes of other musical trends such as Americana than on his previous albums.

‘A journey, and a long one, over forty solo tours in the last twelve years and a lot of time to think. I get many of my song ideas when I am driving; it is also the only time I listen to music. These songs are my memories, imagined conversations and thoughts. This album is like a car journey and the kind of radio I would like to hear, but rarely find’. Ray Cooper

Ray Cooper started playing in bands at the age of sixteen. After studying at Art College in Brighton, he became a member of the punk band Amazorblades, moved to London and began working with other bands and genres. He was already an experienced session musician and had worked with producers such as Steve Lillywhite, Martin Rushent, Phil Chevron, Joe Jackson, Pete Bellotte, Aki Dean, and Edwin Starr when he became a member of 3 Mustaphas 3 in 1982.

He then moved repeatedly between rock, punk, pop and world music, working as a singer, bassist and cellist before joining the Oysterband and embarking on a long journey to his own roots. In 2000, Cooper moved to Sweden, but continued to work with the Oysterband, with whom he performed in 27 countries and recorded many albums. In 2012 the band won three BBC Radio 2 “Folk Awards” for Best Group, Best Album and Best Traditional Track, appeared on the Later with Jools Holland show and were declared one of the three “Icons of Folk” by FROOTS magazine. Despite the great success, Cooper decided to leave the band in 2013 and start a solo career, which he has since successfully pursued with four albums to date. Two of them were nominated for the German Record Critics’ Prize.

Doors open 7pm. Music starts 8.30pm. The venue is mixed seated and standing. Tables are limited and available on a first come first served basis so, if you’d like a seat, we recommend arriving early!