A protegee of Benny Powell, Barry Cooper acknowledges this professional instruction and guidance as "the most valuable training any young trombone player could receive," and through that experience, became uniquely positioned going on to perform with Tony Bennett, Nancy Wilson, Dianne Reeves, Dianne Schure and Liz Wright among others. On Common Journey Cooper has expanded his reach as this music has already crossed culturally to audiences worldwide through performances, lectures and master classes in the US and in emerging markets overseas.

Discovering a love for jazz music while in high school, the Jacksonville, Florida native moved to New York City to attend The New School, where he studied with veteran jazz masters. After receiving the prestigious Michael Jackson Scholarship in 2000 and the Al Grey Award in 2002, Clark Terry invited him to record with his band 'The Young Titans' in Bern, Switzerland as well as for a live DVD recording at NYC's famed Birdland. Cooper's career was kicked into gear with performances at local venues around NYC and under the guidance of Powell and Terry, there was no stopping this young Trombonist.

Today Cooper holds the same trombone chair in the Basie Orchestra that Benny Powell proudly held several decades earlier, and the two share a special connection, an eager and driven musical determination. Cooper's performance experience includes playing in: 'Bones for Basie' with Powell's Nextep Band as well as 'Slide Hampton's World of Trombones.' He has served as Musical Director for the Kamal Scott Big Band and Guest Conductor for the Valery Ponomarev Big Band, as well as playing before jazz fans at the Newport Jazz Festival, Montreal Jazz Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival, and numerous shows at NYC's famed Apollo Theater, Blue Note Tokyo, Blue Note NYC, and other venues throughout the US, Asia and Europe. Additionally, Cooper's work with Tony Bennett, included a holiday CD that has been featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show, the Today Show, the CBS Early Show and on the Rachel Ray Show.