Bandleader Steve Cooper presents ‘Big Band Memories’ May 10 at Oak Park Public Library

Chicago bandleader Steve Cooper will present “Big Band Memories” featuring rare film footage and behind-the-scenes stories on Thursday, May 10 at 2 pm at Oak Park Public Library, 834 Lake Street. The program is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.

Enjoy a 90-minute program featuring video of the bands of Glenn Miller, Harry James, Tommy & Jimmy Dorsey, Bob Crosby's Bobcats, Vaughn Monroe, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, and others. For comedy, laugh at a hilarious clip of Spike Jones, a rare film of comedian Sid Ceasar playing saxophone with Benny Goodman and Gene Krupa, as well as Merv Griffin singing with Freddy Martin's Orchestra. See the famous Aragon Ballroom on Chicago's north side, the Coconut Grove in Hollywood, and other famous nightspots.

Steve Cooper will also play a big band song on his trumpet and take song requests from the audience. Steve says he knows “every song ever written” and will play your favorite song.

Steve Cooper is the bandleader of The Steve Cooper Orchestra which has played many times at the Willbrook Ball Room and at many other ballrooms, banquet halls, and country clubs during the past 35 years. Steve has also played on The Oprah Winfrey Show and has played private parties for Julie Andrews, Mary Tyler Moore, Liza Minelli, Frank Sinatra Jr., and the casts of Frasier, Cheers, and Taxi.

Find more events happening at Oak Park Public Library at http://oppl.org/events/calendar.