JESSE COOK
Tempest
(p) (c) 1995 Narada Media
10tks/41mins
"Tempest" is a debut album by guitarist Jesse Cook. His music
completely
corresponds to the name of the album. "Tempest" is a hurricane of feelings
which, by its sincerity, smashes on its way the conventions entangling a
person, breaks all the obstacles.
Jesse Cook was born in Paris. His parents are Canadians. Jesse spent his
childhood traveling with them in the southern France and Spain, absorbing
the beauty of these places - motherland of flamenco. Already at the age of
three the boy began trying to play the melodies he heard on a guitar. After
his family moved to Canada, Jesse entered the Guitar Academy. After 16 years
he returned to France and Spain, to discover for himself again the mystically
attractive flamenco - music of his childhood. Despite his youth, Jesse Cook
is well known in many countries. His music was distributed in the world and
became popular thanks to multimedia means. Nevertheless, Jesse began recordings
of his albums only two years ago.
Usually, when describing any music, one searches for analogies and begins
to explain its salient features through resemblance of something famous.
In the case of the "Tempest" this approach does not work, because this album
is not like anything else. By the form the music by Jesse Cook is flamenco,
but if one tries to describe informally what Jesse plays, it would be difficult,
because the music of this guitarist is rather the music of the united world,
breathing of all-human universum, the voice of our Earth-home. Oriental melodies
and African drums add a special aroma to passionate and "non-compromising"
music of Jesse Cook.
Moreover, he is perfect guitarist, who with virtuous ease can perform the
most complicated passages.
All compositions in "Tempest" are very good, and there is no sense in
distinguishing any one especially. One can admire the album just from the
start. Hear the "Tempest", and you'll discover for yourself an excellent
guitarist, Jesse Cook. I was lucky to make this discovery for myself.
Serge Kozlovsky |
