Featured Local Artist: The Koop

Our Featured Local Artist for October is The Koop, an experienced and well-traveled working musician, regularly performing as a solo acoustic player throughout the Chicagoland area. So far this year, he’s played over 50 three-hour shows of what he likes to call his “essential acoustic melodies.” From wineries to breweries and a lot of pubs, bars and restaurants, The Koop’s shows bring an assortment of rock, pop, folk, country, reggae, and soul tunes. He prides himself on an eclectic selection of covers, as well as his extensive catalog of published original material that makes up his shows.

For 30 years, The Koop exclusively performed with his band DashRed, playing their own brand of indie-rock throughout the Midwest and recording four albums. But as time changes all things, so did Dashred. Their key musical relationships finally went their separate ways, and The Koop found his niche as a solo acoustic performer. However, being that he was the main song writer and producer of DashRed’s music, it now provides him with an extensive inventory of original material that he leverages in his solo shows.