Jesse Cook is a Canadian guitarist, who’s widely considered one of the most influential figures in the ‘nuevo flamenco’ guitar. His ability as a performer came to widespread attention in the mid-1990s. But his musical journey began much earlier. Cook had always been interested in music from a young age. At the age of six, he enrolled at Eli Kassner Guitar Academy. This marked the beginning of a 16-year progression of formal musical education. He later went on to work as a composer and producer, a career that required him to experiment with many other genres. As a result, Cook significantly widened his range of musical taste, something that would ultimately pay off.
In 1994, Cook signed a deal with Narada Productions and released his debut album Tempest one year later. The album was a success. In fact, it earned him the chance to perform at the Catalina Jazz Festival, which proved to be the opportunity he had been waiting for. Cook’s three-decade-long career has culminated in 11 studio albums and five-line DVDs. He has earned him several accolades, including a Silver Player’s Acoustic Guitar Player’s Choice award. He is also a three-time winner of the Canadian Smooth Jazz award for Guitarist of the Year. In addition, he has garnered eleven Juno nominations and one win. If you are yet to listen to this genre-defying guitarist, you definitely should at least one in your life.
