Jesse Cook

One of today’s virtuoso guitarists, Jesse Cook astounds his crowds with rumba flamenco dressed with African percussion, classical cello, and pop vocals (Cook, 2007). Cook has brought the audience such musicians as Chris Church in “Café Mocha” with his “melodramatic violin embellishments” (Debbage 2007) and singers such as Maryem Tollar releasing her Egyption tones.

Jesse Cook was born in Paris from Canadian parents, yet spent most of his years growing up on Canadian soil in Toronto. After establishing his sound, he returned to Europe where in Seville, Spain, he “felt like a student again, picking up… new techniques” (Cook, 2007), and thereafter returning home to produce his latest compilations. His latest work has encompassed more than instrumental wonders, it has become vision-like with vocal singers such as the Latin-Canadian Amanda Martinez (Cook, 2007).

Jesse Cook uses a Flamenco guitar, which is traditionally made from Spanish Cypress and/or Spruce –being smaller and lighter in weight to a Classical guitar. Moreover, the Flamenco guitar contains a larger volume for sound quality which is strident against the singers and associated dancers. It, as well, has a “tap plate” –a “golpeador” which protects the instrument from the constant finger tapping known as “golpes.” Traditionally, in contrast again to the Classical guitar, the Flamenco guitar has had wooden pegs for tuning forks which reduce the weight of the stem, thus permitting a quicker attack through the countless scales performed. Again, to permit quick and easy fingering movement through “picado” passages, the string’s height off the fingerboard, the “action,” is less than 3 millimeters at the 12^th fret, lower than a Classical guitar. This, however, causes a hum as the strings vibrate off the frets, and so has become integral to the flamenco sound (Wikipedia, 2007).

It should be noted however, and moreover addressed by Cook himself that his music is not “flamenco puro… [it is] really a hybrid” (Cook) of jazz, pop, and other elements with derivations in flamenco technique (Henriques, 2008).

• Henriques, Piper. (2008). Exclusive Interview with Jesse Cook. Classical Guitar Shop. Retrieved January 24, 2008; from: http://72.14.205.104/search?q=cache:ihLZCrKpSNIJ:www.guitaraffecs.com/iJesseCook.html+jesse+cook+guitar+type&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=6
• Cook Jesse – Frontiers (2007). Official Jesse Cook Website:
• Debbage, Michael. (2007). Frontiers, Jesse Cook CD Reviews: Solo Piano Publications. Retrieved on January 24, 2008; from: http://72.14.205.104/search?q=cache:FzHBb6InDOUJ:www.solopianopublications.com/reviews/cook_jesse.htm+jesse+cook+violine+church&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=4
• Wikipeida, (2007). Flamenco guitar / Acoustic guitars; article. Retrieved January 24, 2008; from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flamenco_guitars