SIDE A- I WANNA LOVE YOU
SIDE B- BABY I LOVE YOU -- COOPER LIVE AT THE HISTORIC STAR THEATER
Hot new artist, Cooper, and her twelve piece soul band have a reputation for rocking the house. This particular house happens to be the historical Star Theater in downtown Portland Oregon. Built in 1911, the theater has a rich and seedy past. Known for many years as a house of ill-repute it hosted burlesque in the 40s (regularly featuring such legendary dancers as Tempest Storm, Candy Renee and Arabella Andre), adult films in the 60s, and an all nude revue in the 70s and 80s. Ultimately the building was shut down and left empty after being busted for housing a ''modern day speakeasy''. In 2011, 100 years after erection, the building was remodeled to look as it did in its heyday. The old neon marquee was rebuilt and the interior fully restored. The Historic Star Theater now hosts live concerts, variety shows, and of course burlesque. Cooper cut her performance teeth as a burlesque singer in Portland and jumped at the chance to play a show at this beautiful venue with a sordid past in the City of Roses.

COOPER
It has been a year and a half since Cooper packed up her VW van in Portland, OR and made the quest to Nashville, TN. The flame haired songstress had paid her dues in Portland playing in several bands, working two jobs to pay for college, and moonlighting as a burlesque performer at the wildly popular Sinferno Cabaret downtown. It was time to take a shot at her lifetime dream of recording her songs and forming a road band in music city. After months of knocking on doors, typical hard luck, and sleeping on an air mattress in a 60's hotel room-turned studio apartment, Cooper was able to make some headway. She assembled a twelve piece soul band in both Nashville and Portland and began rehearsing both. She started writing the record she had always dreamed of making, drawing from her love of old Soul and Motown records and her 60's and 70's Rock n Roll influences. Cooper played her first gig in Nashville opening for the Queen of Rock and Roll herself: Wanda Jackson, at a birthday bash held for fashion icon Manuel. Her music caught the ear of music industry notables and she recorded her full length album at one of Nashville's top recording studios: The Tracking Room.

SIDE A- I WANNA LOVE YOU
A retro nod to the likes of Ike and Tina Tuner, ''I Wanna Love You'' packs a punch. Sprinkled with soulful snaps and groovy back up vocals, the song sneaks up on the listener like a sugary spoonful of turpentine. Cooper's buttery vocals glide over the melody, then suddenly blast into a wild fit of raspy funk and sexy abandon. The thick bass line holds down the groove while the horns pour over the top. This dynamic and explosive tune fills the beautiful arched ceiling of the Star Theater and reflects off of the excited crowd lucky enough to have been there that night. The mix is sweet and is the type of music that was made to go straight to vinyl.

SIDE B- BABY I LOVE YOU
Cooper covers this Aretha Franklin superhit with a tenacity not many young women can muster. Her powerful voice is soaked in soul and belts the tune with a voluptuous ease. This live recording is warm and full. The band is smokin' hot and includes a ripping tenor sax solo as well as a funky slap bass breakdown. Cooper's fiery vocal personality sets the recording ablaze and leaves the listener reaching for a cigarette, or at least a cold drink.

FOR FANS OF: Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, Amy Winehouse, Adele, Duffy, Joss Stone, Mayer Hawthorne, Stax Records, Motown Records

HOMETOWN: Nashville TN
KEY MARKETS: Nashville TN, Portland OR, Austin TX, San Francisco CA, Tokyo Japan

UPC: 040232008757
Label: Violet Fire Records
Release Date: 4.20.13
Format: 7" Vinyl

Cooper - I Wanna Love You / Baby I Love You (7'') (Live at the Historic Star Theater)