Cook, Ray (composer, musical director)

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Ray Cook was an Australian composer, conductor and arranger. He was born in Adelaide (South Australia) in December 1936, emigrated to the United Kingdom in 1960, and died in London in March 1989. He initially worked as a pianist for the Phillip Street Revue in Sydney, working with artists such as Barry Humphries, Gordon Chater, Sheila Helpmann and Jill Perryman. After emigrating to the United Kingdom he became known for his talent as a musical director, and had a highly sucessful career in London's West End, and composing incidental music for plays, films and classical music compositions. He is remembered for his work on high profile West End musicals including Sweet Charity, Showboat, the King and I, Gone with the Wind, Pippin, Mame, Side by Side by Sondheim, Sweeney Todd, Songbook, Oklahoma!, My Fair Lady and Cabaret. He also composed scores for Australian film and television: Silent Reach (1983), Careful, he Might Hear You (1983), and Rebel (1985, for which he won an Australian Film Award). Link to catalogue record.

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