Jesse Cook

Born in Paris, France to highly creative parents John Cook, a photographer and filmmaker, and Heather Cook, television director and producer, young Cook spent the early periods of his life moving around France and Spain being fascinated by the guitar. Following his parent’s divorce and move to Toronto, Canada, Cook enrolled at the Eli Kasher Guitar Academy and had instruction under the man himself, before studying at Canada’s Conservatory of Music, York University and at the Berklee College of Music in the U.S.

Cook’s first real break came in 1994/5 after the independent release of his debut album “Tempest” and his subsequent performance at the Catalina Jazz Festival. After being scheduled to play during intermissions on a tiny stage, the audience appreciated him so much after a lengthy standing ovation was asked to play a much bigger stage. Cook followed the album up with “Gravity” in 1996, “Vertigo” in 1998, “Free Fall” in 2000 and 2003’s “Nomad”. The album “Free Fall” won a Juno award in the Best Instrumental Album category in 2001, and the musician has had 10 other nominations for the award.

2004 marked the release of Cook’s live album entitled “Montréal” but it wasn’t until 2007 that a follow-up studio album could be released. “Frontiers” represented a shift to simpler production style followed by 2009’s “The Rumba Foundation” gold-certified, flamenco-spiced album. Cook returned in 2012 to issue “The Blue Guitar Sessions” a series of expansive and flowing ballads laden with jazzy pop.