JESSE COOK IN CONCERT:
Canadian guitarist Jesse Cook is one contemporary flamenco's most beloved acts, combining unparalleled guitar work with elements of world music and jazz on his elegant compositions. Possessing a deep, first-hand knowledge of gypsy musical traditions, Cook has earned himself opening slots for luminaries including B.B. King and Ray Charles, but it's his recent solo shows that have really turned heads. Whether he's showing off his furious finger-picking skills on "Tempest" or slowing things down with "Europa," fans can expect an unforgettable night of music at his 2014 tour dates.
BACKGROUND SNAPSHOT:
Born in Paris, Jesse Cook spent his early years moving between various European locales including the South of France and Barcelona. There, he was introduced to the sound of gypsy guitarists like Manitas de Plata, a discovery that proved formative as he developed his own flamenco-inspired playing style. After receiving extensive musical training in the US and Canada, Cook got his big break at the 1995 Catalina Jazz Festival, where his performance on a smaller stage was so well received that the festival's organizers moved him to the main stage. A few months later, his 1995 debut album Tempest landed at No. 14 in the US, kicking off extensive touring and setting the stage for 1996's gold-selling Gravity. With 11 Juno nominations to his name, Cook remains at the vanguard of nuevo flamenco, hitting the road once again in 2014 for a highly anticipated tour.
FANS WHO BOUGHT TICKETS SAY:
"Cook is such a virtuoso guitarist that I feel he's up there with Clapton and Mark Knopfler -- but very different, of course -- and his combination of Flamenco and Spanish meshed into Middle Eastern/Mediterranean/Baltic is stunning. The musicians in his band are geniuses in their own right and together they form a very tight and talented unit."
"No glitz, no glamour, just 5 guys who can play the heck out of their instruments and have a lot of fun doing it. Jesse's storytelling between songs was funny in a genuine way."
"Concert was very entertaining. Not only was Jesse Cook amazing, his band members were very impressive and talented, playing various instruments."
