Michael “Ibo” Cooper is a Jamaican keyboardist, a founding member of the renowned reggae band Third World, and a teacher who bridges the gap between European formal musical training and Jamaica’s oral tradition. As a member of Third World, Cooper opened for Bob Marley, played around the world, and released numerous albums, including the legendary 1977 album 96 Degrees in the Shade with its classic title track “1865 (96 Degrees in the Shade).” Also a veteran of the prominent reggae group Inner Circle, Cooper embarked on a second career after years of touring with Third World as a music teacher and advocate in Kingston, where he currently lives. Now, he works to enrich and vitalize the connections between his dynamic, sophisticated reggae and a new generation of Jamaican musicians.
New York City, NY; NYC