Will Marion Cook  (1869-1944)
Last updated: 01.02.24
Will Marion Cook was an American composer and violinist born in Washington, D.C. He studied violin at the Oberlin Conservatory for two years after which, with the assistance the African American community, he studied under Heinrich Jacobson at the Berlin Hochschule für Musik, Germany from 1887 to 1889. Finally, Cook studied with Antonín Dvorák and John White at the National Conservatory of Music between 1894 and 1895. His career as a concert violinist was brief and he became director of a chamber orchestra touring the east coast in 1890. In 1893 he adapted scenes from the Opera of Uncle Tom's Cabin for performance at the Chicago World's Fair which however were cancelled. His next major work was Clorindy; or, The Origin of the Cakewalk (1898), a musical comedy written in collaboration with Paul Laurence Dunbar. Cook was then appointed principal composer and musical director for the George Walker-Bert Williams Company producing many successful musicals.
Today he is best known for his songs which used folk elements in an original and distinct manner. These songs were mostly first performed in his musicals and some were published in A Collection of Negro Songs (1912).Towards the end of his career, Cook was a choir and orchestral conductor giving concerts both in New York and in Washington, D.C. He founded the The New York Syncopated Orchestra which toured the United States in 1918 and then went to England in 1919 for a command performance for King George V. He died in New York

  Title (Release Year) Co-Author(s) Performers Issue
         
cylinder15.gif My Little Irish Canary Mary Ann (1902) Arthur Collins
Byron George Harlan
Edison Record: 8647
cylinder15.gif Any Old Place in Yankee Land Is Good Enough For Me (1909) C. Smith Edward Meeker Edison Standard Record: 10189
cylinder15.gif Bon Bon Buddy (1908) Billy Murray Indestructible Record: 794
cylinder15.gif Swing Along! (1916) Orpheus Male Chorus Edison Blue Amberol: 2908
  Title Co-Author(s) Sequencer
       
audiomidi15.gif On Emancipation Day (1902) Colin D. McDonald
  Title (Release Year) Co-Author(s) Performers Issue
         
audioextmp315.gif Down De Lover's Lane (1928) Paul Robeson HMV B2777
  Title (Release Year) Performers Instruments
       
audiodbemp315.gif Cruel Papa! (1914) Midi Ragtime Recorder Ens. A/T/T/B/GB(B)
audiodbemp315.gif On Emancipation Day (1902) Midi Ragtime Recorder Ens. T/T/T/B/GB(B)
     Performer CD Title Supplier
       
Jazz Music CDs:
cd15.gif Bix Beiderbecke The Art of Bix Beiderbecke flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif flag15it.gif flag15es.gif
cd15.gif Thomas Waller Classic Jazz from Rare Piano Rolls CD(s) & MP3 Album(s) flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif flag15it.gif
cd15.gif Thomas Waller Complete Associated Transcription Session 1935-1939 CD(s) & MP3 Album(s) flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif flag15it.gif flag15es.gif
cd15.gif Thomas Waller The Definitive Fats Waller Vol. 1: His Piano, His Rhythm flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif flag15es.gif
cd15.gif Thomas Waller Fats at the Organ CD(s) & MP3 Album(s) flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif flag15it.gif
cd15.gif Thomas Waller Fats Waller: The Cream Series flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif flag15it.gif
cd15.gif Thomas Waller Golden Greats flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif
cd15.gif Thomas Waller Part 2 I'm Gonna Sit Right Down: The Early Years flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif flag15es.gif
cd15.gif Thomas Waller The Very Best of Fats Waller CD(s) & MP3 Album(s) flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif flag15it.gif flag15es.gif
Ragtime Music CDs:
cd15.gif Various Artists Lost Sounds: Blacks and the Birth of the Recording Industry 1891-1922 flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif flag15it.gif flag15es.gif
cd15.gif  Various Artists That Devilin' Tune CD(s) & MP3 Album(s) flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif flag15it.gif flag15es.gif
cd15.gif Robert R. Darch Reunion in Ragtime flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif
cd15.gif Winifred Atwell Dixie Boogie CD(s) & MP3 Album(s) flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15it.gif flag15es.gif
cd15.gif Winifred Atwell Let's Have a Party CD(s) & MP3 Album(s) flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif
cd15.gif Paragon Ragtime Orchestra Black Manhattan CD(s) & MP3 Album(s) flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif flag15it.gif flag15es.gif
cd15.gif Paragon Ragtime Orchestra Black Manhattan Vol. 2 CD(s) & MP3 Album(s) flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif flag15it.gif flag15es.gif
cd15.gif Willie 'The Lion' Smith Lion Roars: His Greatest 1934-44 flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif
cd15.gif Muggsy Spanier The Great 16 flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif
cd15.gif Eubie Blake Golden Reunion in Ragtime flag15us.gif
cd15.gif Terry Waldo Hot House Rag flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif flag15it.gif flag15es.gif
cd15.gif George Lewis George Lewis' Ragtime Band of New Orleans: The Oxford Series Vol. 09 flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif flag15it.gif flag15es.gif
cd15.gif  Rod Miller Rod Miller Ragtime flag15us.gif flag15de.gif
cd15.gif Butch Thompson Minnesota Wonder 88's flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif flag15it.gif flag15es.gif
Item Title Available €     £     $     Other
             
DBE414 Cruel Papa! (1914) - Fox Trot
A/T/T/B/GB(B), approx. 3½ mins.
out-of-print €12.00 £10.00 $15.50  
DBE415 On Emancipation Day (1902) - Characteristic Negro March & Two-Step
T/T/T/B/GB(B), approx. 3½ mins.
out-of-print €12.00 £10.00 $15.50  
     Title Instruments Remarks
       
sm15.gif Cruel Papa! (1914) A/T/T/B/GB(B) dbe15.gifwvicon.gif
sm15.gif On Emancipation Day (1902) T/T/T/B/GB(B) dbe15.gifPub.
     Title Attribution Instruments Source Remarks
           
pdf15.gif Any Old Place in Yankee Land Is Good Enough For Me (1908) W.M. Cook (music)
C. Smith (coauth.)
Alex Rogers (words)
Williams & Walker (perf.)
Robinson Trio (perf.)
Piano, Voice Indiana wvicon.gif
pdf15.gif
pdf15.gif
Good Evenin' (1902) W.M. Cook (music)
Paul Laurence Dunbar (words)
Piano, Voice Kirk
Indiana
wvicon.gif
pdf15.gif Hurrah for Captain Kidd (1904) W.M. Cook (music)
Paul Laurence Dunbar (words)
Williams & Walker (perf.)
Piano, Voice Indiana wvicon.gif
pdf15.gif In De Evenin (1910) W.M. Cook (music)
Alex Rogers (words)
Piano, Voice Indiana Pub.
pdf15.gif Leader of the Colored Aristocracy (1902) W.M. Cook (music)
James Weldon Johnson (words)
Williams & Walker (perf.)
Piano, Voice Indiana Pub.
pdf15.gif Little Gypsy Maid (1902), The W.M. Cook (music)
Harry B. Smith (words)
C. Mack (words)
I. Bentley (perf.)
Piano, Voice Indiana Pub.
pdf15.gif Molly Green (1902) W.M. Cook (music)
C. Mack (words)
Piano, Voice Indiana Pub.
pdf15.gif  My Lady Nicotine (1910) W.M. Cook (music) Piano Indiana Pub.
pdf15.gif On Emancipation Day (1902) W.M. Cook (music)
Paul Laurence Dunbar (words)
Piano, Voice Indiana Pub.
pdf15.gif Parthenia Johnsing (1902) W.M. Cook (music)
Hugh Morton (words)
Abbie Mitchell Cook (perf.)
Piano, Voice Indiana wvicon.gif
pdf15.gif Returned (1902) W.M. Cook (music)
Paul Laurence Dunbar (words)
Abbie Mitchell Cook (perf.)
Piano, Voice Indiana wvicon.gif
pdf15.gif She's Dancing Sue (1902) W.M. Cook (music)
W. Accooe (coauth.)
Charles S. Sager (words)
Williams & Walker (perf.)
Piano, Voice Indiana Pub.
pdf15.gif Swing Along! (1912) W.M. Cook (music) Piano, Voice Indiana wvicon.gif
pdf15.gif What Would You Be A' Doing? (1902) W.M. Cook (music)
W.S. Estren (words)
Piano, Voice Indiana Pub.
pdf15.gif Whoop 'er Up! (1910) W.M. Cook (music)
M. Cahill (perf.)
Piano Indiana Pub.
This list is arranged in chronological order and contains 60 works by Will Marion Cook (1869-1944). It does not claim to be complete and represents only the number of items located. Keys: ER pdf15.gif (w&m)
Title Year Attribution Remarks
       
Negro Love Song 1895  wvicon.gif
Love Is the Tend'rest of Themes (w&m) 1896  wvicon.gif
That'll Be All Right Baby 1896 Maud Huth (perf.)  wvicon.gif
Darktown Is Out Tonight 1897 Paul Laurence Dunbar (words)  wvicon.gif
Clorindy 1898  Pub. youtube15.jpg
Darktown Is Out To-Night - Song (w&m) 1898  Pub.
Who Dat Say Chicken in Dis Crowd? 1898 Paul Laurence Dunbar (words)  Pub.
By-Gone Days Are Best 1900 L. Lamprey (words)  wvicon.gif
Down De Lover's Lane 1900 Paul Lawrence Dunbar (words)
Virginia Earle (perf.)
Paul Robeson (perf.)
 Pub.  audioextmp315.gif
Romance 1900 Harry B. Smith (words)
Mabelle Gillman (perf.)
 Pub.
Whatever the Hue of Your Eyes 1900  Pub.
Wid De Moon, Moon, Moon 1901 William Moore (words)  wvicon.gif
Brown-Skin Baby Mine (w&m) 1902 Cecil Mack (words)  Pub.
Good Evenin' 1902 Paul Laurence Dunbar (words)  wvicon.gif
Leader of the Colored Aristocracy 1902 James Weldon Johnson (words)
Williams & Walker (perf.)
 wvicon.gif
Little Gypsy Maid, The 1902 Harry B. Smith (words)
Cecil Mack (words)
Irene Bentley (perf.)
 Pub.
Title Year Attribution Remarks
       
Molly Green 1902 Cecil Mack (words)  wvicon.gif
My Lady Frog 1902  Pub.
My Little Gypsy Maid 1902 Paul Laurence Dunbar (words)  Pub.
On Emancipation Day 1902 Paul Laurence Dunbar (words)
Midi Ragtime Recorder Ensemble (perf.)
 Pub. audiomidi15.gif audiodbemp315.gif
Overture to ''In Dahomey'' 1902
Parthenia Johnsing 1902 Hugh Morton (words)
Abbie Mitchell Cook (perf.)
 wvicon.gif
Returned 1902 Paul Laurence Dunbar (words)
Abbie Mitchell Cook (perf.)
 wvicon.gif
She's Dancing Sue 1902 Will Accooe (co-author)
Charles S. Sager (words)
Williams & Walker (perf.)
 Pub.
What Would You Be A' Doing? 1902 W.S. Estren (words)  Pub.
Daisy Deane 1904 Richard Wilkens (words)  wvicon.gif
Darktown Barbacue 1904 Abbie Mitchell Cook (perf.)  wvicon.gif
Hurrah for Captain Kidd 1904 Paul Laurence Dunbar (words)
Williams & Walker (perf.)
 Pub.
It's Allas De Same in Dixie 1904 Richard Grant (words)
H.B. Smith (words)
 wvicon.gif
Julep Song 1904  Pub.
My Little Irish Canary Mary Ann 1904 Andrew B. Sterling (words)
Arthur Collins (perf.)
Byron George Harlan (perf.)
  cylinder15.gif
Mandy Lou 1905 R.C. McPherson (words)  Pub.
Title Year Attribution Remarks
       
Bon Bon Buddy 1907 Alex Rogers (words)
Billy Murray (perf.)
Williams & Walker (perf.)
 wvicon.gif  cylinder15.gif
Corn Song 1907 Alex Rogers (words)  wvicon.gif
Dinah 1907 Alex Rogers (words)  Pub.
Fas' Fas' World 1907 Alex Rogers (words)  Pub.
I'm Very Fond of Jokes 1907 Alex Rogers (words)  Pub.
In Bandanna Lan' 1907 Alex Rogers (words)
Williams & Walker (perf.)
 Pub.
It's Hard to Love Somebody 1907 Alex Rogers (words)  Pub.
Just the Same 1907 Alex Rogers (words)
Williams & Walker (perf.)
 Pub.
Saucy Little Sadie 1907 Alex Rogers (words)  Pub.
Until Then 1907 Alex Rogers (words)
Williams & Walker (perf.)
 Pub.
Any Old Place in Yankee Land Is Good Enough For Me 1908 Chris Smith (co-author)
Alex Rogers (words)
Edward Meeker (perf.)
Robinson Trio (perf.)
Williams & Walker (perf.)
 Pub.  cylinder15.gif
Kinky 1908 Mord Allen (words)
J. Ed. Green (words)
 Pub.
Red Red Rose 1908 Alex. Rogers (words)
Abbie Mitchell Cook (perf.)
 Pub.
Will You Come Along With Me 1909  wvicon.gif
In De Evenin 1910 Alex Rogers (words)  wvicon.gif
My Lady Nicotine 1910  Pub.
Title Year Attribution Remarks
       
Whoop 'er Up! 1910 Marie Cahill (perf.)  wvicon.gif
Exhortation 1912 Alex Rogers (words)  wvicon.gif
Rain Song 1912 Alex Rogers (words)  wvicon.gif
Swing Along! 1912 Orpheus Male Chorus (perf.)  Pub.  cylinder15.gif
Cruel Papa! 1914 Midi Ragtime Recorder Ensemble (perf.)  wvicon.gif  audiodbemp315.gif
Explanation, An 1914 James Weldon Johnson (words)  Pub.
If the Sands of the Seas Were Pearls 1914
My Lady 1914 Paul Laurence Dunbar (words)  Pub.
My Lady's Lips Am Like De Honey 1915
I'm Coming Virginia 1927 Donald Heywood (words)
Der'll Be Wahm Coons A-Prancin' n.d. Paul Laurence Dunbar (words)  wvicon.gif
Hottest Coon in Dixie n.d. Paul Laurence Dunbar (words)  wvicon.gif
     Composer Title Performer
       
youtube15.jpg W.M. Cook Clorindy (3:16) Ragtime Dorian Henry