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Jesse CookCanadian guitarist, composer and producer
Date of Birth: 28.11.1964
Country:  Canada |
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Biography of Jesse Cook
Jesse Arno Cook was born on November 28, 1964 in Paris, France. He is a Canadian guitarist, composer, and producer, and is considered one of the most influential figures of the 'nuevo flamenco' generation.
Early Life and Musical Influences
Jesse Cook was born into a family of artists, with his father being a photographer and director, and his mother a television director and producer. During his early years, Cook split his time between Paris and Barcelona. He became fascinated with the guitar at a young age, even attempting to imitate the sound of the instrument when his parents played recordings of flamenco guitarist Manitas de Plata.
When his parents divorced, Jesse and his sister moved to Canada with their mother. Recognizing her son's talent, Jesse's mother enrolled him in the Eli Kassner Guitar Academy. As a teenager, Cook frequently visited his father in Arles, France, where one of his neighbors happened to be a member of the flamenco group 'Gipsy Kings'. Jesse fell in love with the rhythmic sound of rumba flamenco, but he did not abandon his education upon returning home. He studied at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Canada, York University, and Berklee College of Music in the United States.
Rise to Fame
Jesse Cook's debut album, 'Tempest', was released independently in Canada. However, a turning point in his career came when he performed at a jazz festival in 1995. He signed a contract with the American company 'Narada', which helped him secure a spot at the Catalina Jazz Festival. Initially, Cook's band played in a small bar during the festival's 20-minute breaks. However, his exceptional talent led to an invitation to the main stage, where the audience applauded him for ten minutes before allowing him to play. Shortly after this performance, 'Tempest' reached 14th place on the American Billboard chart.
Musical Career
Jesse Cook has released eight studio albums and three live DVDs. He has traveled around the world to study various musical traditions, which he has expertly incorporated into his main style of rumba flamenco. Cook has been a star performer at numerous concerts and festivals, and has opened for legends such as B.B. King, Ray Charles, and Diana Krall. He has also collaborated with renowned artists including Charlotte Church, The Chieftains, Montse Cortés, Flora Purim, Holly Cole, Djivan Gasparyan, Dulce Pontes, and Ofra Harnoy.
His music has been featured in television series such as 'Sex and The City' and 'The Chris Isaak Show', as well as several Olympic Games. In the 2006 Winter Olympics, Russian figure skater Irina Slutskaya won a bronze medal performing her routine to Cook's composition 'Mario Takes a Walk'. Jesse Cook has received numerous accolades throughout his career, including winning the Juno Award for Best Instrumental Album in 2001. In 2009, he was the runner-up for the title of Best Guitarist in Acoustic Guitar magazine, second only to Paco de Lucia. His albums have sold over 1.5 million copies worldwide.
In one of his interviews, Jesse Cook stated, "I wear many hats - I compose music, produce, I am a sound engineer and a guitarist. My role as a guitarist is not as significant as one might think."
