Author Archives: janine

Further Airdates for PBS Special, Beyond Borders

There are airdates for Jesse’s Beyond Borders PBS special!

See below for further viewings! Pledging viewers will also have access to tickets, meet and greet, the CD as well as the latest companion DVD Follow the Road.

STATION:  Connecticut Public Television – Hartford, Connecticut
PREMIERE AIRING:   Saturday, August 17, 2019 at 11:00 pm

STATION:  KVPT – Valley Public Television – Fresno, California
PREMIERE AIRING:   August 22, 2019 at 10:30 pm

STATION:  Alabama Public Television – Birmingham/Montgomery/Mobile/Huntsville/Selma
PREMIERE AIRING:   Saturday, August 24, 2019 at 7:00 pm
REPEAT AIRING(S):  Sunday, August 25, 2019 at 9:30 pm

Additional dates added to existing:

STATION: WOSU, Columbus, Ohio
REPEAT AIRING(S):  Sunday, August 18, 2019 at 3:30 am
Monday, August 19, 2019 at 9:30 pm

STATION: KBDI-CPT12, Denver, Colorado
REPEAT AIRING(S): August 22, 2019 at 11:00 pm

STATION: KVIE, Sacramento, California
Saturday, August 24, 2019 at 10:00 am

STATION: KUAT – Tucson, Arizona
REPEAT AIRING(S):  Tuesday, August 27, 2019 at 8:00 pm
Wednesday, August 28, 2019 at 1;30 pm

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More Airdates for the Beyond Borders PBS Special

Jesse’s PBS special Beyond Borders continues! Pledging viewers will also have access to tickets, meet and greet, the CD as well as the latest companion DVD Follow the Road.

Directed by Jesse, this stunning concert file is the result of filming 25 nights of the Beyond Borders tour. The special has several new airdates, so tune in and let us know!

STATION: KVIE, Sacramento, California
PREMIERE AIRING:    Monday, July 29, 2019 at 2:30 am
REPEAT AIRING(S):   Thursday, August 1, 2019 at 3:00 am
Wednesday, August 14, 2019 at 4:30 am

STATION: KBDI-CPT12, Denver, Colorado
PREMIERE AIRING):  Wednesday, July 31, 2019 at 8:00 pm – KBDI2
REPEAT AIRING(S):  Wednesday, July 31, 2019 at 9:30 pm – KBDI2
Thursday, August 1, 2019 at 1:00 am – KBDI2
Tuesday, August 6, 2019 at 9:00 pm – KBDI2
Tuesday, August 6, 2019 at 10:30 pm – KBDI2
Thursday, August 8, 2019 at 2:30 am – KBDI2

STATION: AETN – Arkansas Statewide Network
PREMIERE AIRING:   Monday, August 5, 2019 at 6:30 pm

STATION:  WEDU – Tampa, Florida
PREMIERE AIRING:   Friday, August 16, 2019 at 10:30 pm

STATION: KUAT – Tucson, Arizona
PREMIERE AIRING:   Sunday, August 18, 2019 at 4:30 pm
REPEAT AIRING(S):  Wednesday, August 21, 2019 at 9:30 pm

STATION: KVIE – Sacramento, California
REPEAT AIRING(S):  Sunday, August 18, 2019 at 9:00 pm – KVIE  DT2
Monday, August 19, 2019 at 8:00 pm

STATION: WVIZ, THE IDEA STATION – Cleveland, Ohio
PREMIERE AIRING:   Sunday, August 18, 2019 at 6:00 pm (Revised)
REPEAT AIRING(S):  Thursday, August 22, 2019 at 9:00 pm

STATION: WOSU, Columbus, Ohio
PREMIERE AIRING:   Monday, August 19, 2019  at 1:00 am
REPEAT AIRING(S):  Thursday, August 22, 2019 at 9:30 pm

STATION:  New Hampshire Statewide Network
PREMIERE AIRING:   Monday, August 19, 2019 at 8:30 pm
REPEAT AIRING(S):  Sunday, August 25, 2019 at Midnight

STATION: Maine Public Broadcasting                
PREMIERE AIRING:   Thursday, August 22, 2019 at 9:30 pm
REPEAT AIRING(S):  Saturday, August 24, 2019 at 8:30 pm

Tickets not being offered – DVD and CD’s only

STATION: KWSU – Spokane, Washington
PREMIERE AIRING:   Thursday, August 15, 2019 at 9:00 pm

STATION: WDCQ – Flint / Saginaw, Michigan
PREMIERE AIRING:      Thursday, August 15, 2019 at 8:00 pm – WDCQDT3

STATION: KVIE – Sacramento, California
REPEAT AIRING(S):  Sunday, August 11, 2019 at Midnight
Wednesday, August 14, 2019 at 4:30 am

STATION: KBDI-CPT12, Denver, Colorado
REPEAT AIRING(S):  Thursday, August 15, 2019 at 11:30 pm
Friday, August 16, 2019 at 10:00 pm
Saturday, August 17, 2019 at 12:30 pm

STATION: Blue Ridge PBS, Roanoke, Virginia 
PREMIERE AIRING:   Sunday, August 18, 2019 at 12:00 Noon

STATION: NHPBS, Durham NH 
PREMIERE AIRING:   Sunday, August 18, 2019 at 5:30 P.M.
REPEAT AIRING(S):  Saturday, August 24, 2019 at 8:00 pm
Tuesday, August 27, 2019 at 9:00 pm
Saturday, August 31, 2019 at 3:30 pm
Sunday, September 1, 2019 at 7:00 pm

STATION: WOSU, Columbus, Ohio
REPEAT AIRING(S):  Thursday, August 22, 2019 at 2:00 am

STATION: AETN – Arkansas Statewide Network
REPEAT AIRING(S):  Sunday, August 25, 2019 at 6:30 pm

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Beyond Borders PBS Special

Jesse’s new PBS special Beyond Borders is premiering in March! Pledging viewers will also have access to tickets, meet and greet, the CD as well as the latest companion DVD Follow the Road. Jesse directed and edited this stunning concert film; the result of filming 25 nights of the Beyond Borders tour. The new show will be premiered on the following PBS stations…check your local listings! Let us know where you tuned in!


Beyond Borders PBS Special will be Airing:

STATION: WGBY – Springfield, Massachusetts
REPEAT AIRING(S): Thursday, June 13, 2019 at 9:30 pm

STATION: WEDU, Tampa, Florida
REPEAT AIRING(S): Thursday, June 13, 2019 at 10:30 pm
Sunday, June 16, 2019 at 11:30 pm

STATION: KBDI, Denver, Colorado
REPEAT AIRING(S): Friday, June 14, 2019 at 1:00 am
Saturday, June 15, 2019 at 4:00 pm

STATION: KVIE – Sacramento, California
REPEAT AIRING(S): Friday, June 14, 2019 at 1:30 am
Wednesday, June 19, 2019 at 12:00 Midnight

STATION: KCET – Los Angeles, California
REPEAT AIRING(S): Saturday, June 15, 2019 at 1:00 pm

STATION: NHPBS, Durham NH
REPEAT AIRING(S): Saturday, June 15, 2019 at 10:00 pm
Sunday, June 16, 2019 at 6:30 pm WENH DT2

STATION: WQED – Pittsburgh
REPEAT AIRING(S): Sunday, June 16, 2019 at 3:30 pm WQEDDT4
Sunday, June 16, 2019 at 5:30 pm WQEDDT4
Monday, June 17, 2019 at 7:30 am WQEDDT4
Monday, June 17, 2019 at 9:30 pm WQEDDT4
Tuesday, June 18, 2019 at 11:30 am WQEDDT4
Wed, June 19, 2019 at 1:30 am WQEDDT4
Wed, June 19, 2019 at 3:30 pm WQEDDT4
Thursday, June 20, 2019 at 5:30 am WQEDDT4
Thursday, June 20, 2019 at 7:30 pm WQEDDT4
Friday, June 21, 2019 at 9:30 am WQEDDT4
Friday, June 21, 2019 at 11:30 am WQEDDT4
Saturday, June 22, 2019 at 1:30 pm WQEDDT4

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The Beyond Borders Tour continues…

Europe – November 2018

A unique opportunity to see Jesse and band performing in intimate venues in the historic cities of Europe.
Tickets are limited and all shows are on sale now here.

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US Midwest – January 2019

The Beyond Borders Tour continues to wind its way through America in 2019, this time visiting the U.S. Midwest.
All shows on sale now here.

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Ontario – March 2019

Jesse and the Beyond Borders Tour return to Ontario, where his performing career first started.
All shows on sale now here.

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Québec Avril / April 2019

Célébrant ses 20 ans de tournée au Québec, Jesse Cook est reconnaissant d’être de retour avec Beyond Borders.

Tous les spectacles sont en vente maintenant ici.

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June News

Jesse Cook

DID YOU KNOW?

Over One Million have enjoyed FRIDAY NIGHT MUSIC in just three months!!!

Check out Jesse’s new free weekly content series on Facebook, Follow on Instagram or Twitter or subscribe to Jesse ’s channel on YouTube …and follow the Journey. Jesse uploads one new video each and every Friday!!


Jesse Cook

THANK YOU CHINA!

Jesse, Chris and Nick went Beyond Borders to perform in six diverse cities across China last month. They were met by enthusiastic audiences and several dozen fans even brought their guitars to be signed by Jesse!

To capture the sights and sounds of this unique journey, cameraman Corey joined the trio on their adventure in China. From the Forbidden City in Beijing, to the lights of Shanghai, to the top of the Great Wall, footage was captured that will be seen on Friday Night Music so you can enjoy the journey as well!

Jesse and his team wish to thank Huang Chia-Wei and his wife Maggie for their incredible hospitality and guidance throughout this initial Chinese tour.


Jesse Cook

Jesse Cook returns to the West Coast this Fall!

Tickets are now on sale in all markets please contact your local theatre or click here for ticket purchase links.

Jesse Cook

Jesse Cook

SPRING 2019 DATES

Spring 2019 is a special time for Jesse as it marks the 20th anniversary of him touring in theatres throughout Central Canada. To commemorate this, he will be bringing the Beyond Borders tour to the communities and venues that have supported him from the beginning. He will also be capturing footage for upcoming segments of his free weekly content series FRIDAY NIGHT MUSIC. Jesse and the band look forward to reconnecting with their fans once again across Ontario and Quebec next spring.

Select dates on sale NOW. Click here for ticket purchase links. Other dates will follow soon.


Jesse Cook

Jesse Cook LIVE on PBS!

Jesse recently flew to California to visit PBS stations in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Fresno to promote the pledge airings of the current PBS special and to support the launch of the fall West Coast tour of both Canada and the United States.

Upcoming PBS airings are:
VALLEY PBS (Fresno/Visalia)
Thursday, June 14 at 9:30pm.

KQED (San Francisco)
Sunday, June 17, 2018 at 7:30pm
Monday, June 18, 2018 at 7:30pm
Thursday, June 21, 2018 at 7:00pm
Friday, June 22, 2018 at 7:30pm
Saturday, July 14, 2018 at 3:30 pm
Saturday, July 21, 2018 at 6:30pm
Sunday, July 22, 2018 at 12:30am

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Beyond Borders and Upcoming Shows

JesseCook-ByndBrdrsTour2017_Poster_FBIn anticipation of Jesse’s new album release Beyond Borders due out late August 2017, Jesse is embarking on a wide reaching Canadian and United States tour. The first show announcements can be seen below, rest assured there are plenty more to come as Jesse will be hitting a city near you throughout Fall 2017 and early 2018. As you are a member of Jesse’s mailing list you have exclusive access to many pre-sale tickets. simply follow the links below and use the code JESSE2017 to get your seats. Please note you will be given the opportunity to pre-order a discount copy of the new album ‘Beyond Borders’ which will be delivered to you on the day of release. We hope you take advantage of this opportunity.

SHOW ANNOUNCEMENT:
10/25/2017 – Royal Theatre – Victoria BC

Pre Sale 10am May 11th – Public Onsale May 13 – http://bit.ly/2qTFSS1

10/26/2017 – Queen Elizabeth Theatre – Vancouver, BC

Pre Sale 10am May 11th – Public Onsale May 13 – http://bit.ly/2pV7FnD

10/27/2017 – Cleland Community Theatre – Penticton, BC

Pre Sale 10am May 11th – Public Onsale May 13 – http://bit.ly/2qJHw9A

10/29/2017 – Jubilee – Calgary, AB

Pre Sale 10am May 11th – Public Onsale May 13 – http://bit.ly/2pskoeF

10/30/2017 – Jubilee – Edmonton, AB

Pre Sale 10am May 11th – Public Onsale May 13 – http://bit.ly/2qTtaTd

11/02/2017 – Casino Regina – Regina, SK – On Sale TBA

11/05/2017 – Community Auditorium – Thunder Bay, ON

On Sale 11:30am May 12 – http://bit.ly/2qd1c5Y

11/14/2017 – NAC Southam Hall – Ottawa, ON

Presale On Now – Public On Sale May 15 – http://bit.ly/2q7IYVb

11/17/2017 – Arts Centre – St Catharines, ON – On Sale Sept 12

11/21/2017 – Salle Maurice-O’Bready – Sherbrooke, QC

On Sale May 13 – http://bit.ly/2pFYlBl

11/23/2017 – Playhouse Theatre – Frederiction, NB

On Sale May 12 – http://bit.ly/1z1TdJ4

11/24/2017 – Rebecca Cohn Auditorium – Halifax, NS

On Sale May 12 – http://bit.ly/1d5Fcvi

11/25/2017 – Capitol Theatre – Moncton, NB

On Sale May 13 – http://bit.ly/2qzT5U0

Add a copy of Jesse Cook’s upcoming album ‘Beyond Borders” to your order today at a discounted rate of $10.00. All albums will be fulfilled after the release in late August 2017. When the album is ready for release, you will receive an email from our fulfilment partner with further instructions on redeeming a digital or physical album. If you have any questions about this offer, please write to info@jessecook.wpengine.com.

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US Concerts and PBS Fundraiser 2017

Hey There Jesse Cook Fans!

Shows are being announced daily for Jesse’s upcoming tours. Check out the shows that are already on sale below, with more being announced daily. PBS will also be broadcasting and have exclusive tickets for a handful of upcoming shows find out all the details below.

Exciting times ahead in the Jesse Cook Camp! Can’t wait to share it all with you!

Upcoming Tour Dates:

Sun Mar 19 – Capitol Music Theatre – Wroclaw, Poland – click for details

Tues Mar 21 – The Great Guil Hall – Riga, Latvia – click for details

Wed Mar 22 – Vaba Lava – Tallinn, Estonia – click for details

Sat Mar 25 – Northern Arts & Culture Centre – Yellowknife, NT – click for details

Wed Apr 26 – Sheldon Concert Hall – St. Louis, MO – click for details

Sat Apr 29 – Cullen Performance Hall – Houston, TX – click for details

Sun Apr 30 – One World Theatre – Austin, TX – click for details

Tues May 2 – Majestic Theatre – Dallas, TX – click for details

Thurs May 4 – Paramount Theatre – Denver, CO – click for details

Sat May 6 – Arvest Bank Theatre at The Midland – Kansas City, MO – click for details

Sun May 7 – Reynolds Performance Hall – Conway, AR – click for details

Tues May 9 – South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center – South Milwaukee, WI – click for details

Fri May 12 – State Theatre – Kalamazoo, MI – click for details

Sat May 13 – Royal Oak Music Theatre – Royal Oak, MI – http://bit.ly/2jjSr4P

Thurs Jul 6 – Algonquin Theatre – Huntsville, ON – ON SALE TBA

Fri Jul 7 – Orillia Theatre – Orilla, ON – click for details

Sat Jul 8 – Maison Symphonique – Montreal, QC – ON SALE TBA


STATION: KUHT, HOUSTON, TX – HOUSTON PUBLIC MEDIA
PREMIERE AIRING: Monday, March 6, 2017 at 9:00 pm
REPEAT AIRING(S): TBD

STATION: KCPT – KANSAS CITY, MO
PREMIERE AIRING: Monday, March 6, 2017 at 8:30pm on CH 19.1
REPEAT AIR (s): Thursday, March 9, 2017 at 10pm on CH 19.1
Sat, March 11, 2017 at 8:30pm on CH 19.1
Fri, Mar 17, 2017 at 10pm on CH 19.1
Wed, Mar 8 2017 at 8:30pm on CH 19.2
Sun, Mar 12, 2017 at 11pm on CH 19.2

STATION: DPTV – DETROIT MI
PREMIERE AIRING: Friday, March 3, 2017 at 11:00pm
REPEAT AIRING(S): TBD

ARKANSAS: AETN – Statewide Network
PREMIERE AIRING: Monday, March 6, 2017 @ 8:30 pm
REPEAT AIRING(S): Friday, March 10, 2017 @ 9:30 pm
Saturday, March 11, 2017 @ 10 am
Monday, March 13, 2017 @ 12:30 am
Thursday, March 16, 2017 @ 8:30 pm
Sunday, March 19, 2017 @ 11 am

STATION: WGVU/WGVK – GRAND RAPIDS-KALAMAZOO
PREMIERE AIRING: Tuesday, March 7, 2017 at 8:00pm
REPEAT AIRING(S): TBD


JESSE COOK LIVE IN STUDIO ON PREMIERE: March 7


STATION: KERA, DALLAS TX
PREMIERE AIRING: Thursday, March 9 at 9pm
REPEAT AIRING(S): TBD

STATION: KETC – ST. LOUIS MO – THE NINE NETWORK
PREMIERE AIRING: Thursday, March 9, 2017 at 9:30pm
REPEAT AIRING(S): Saturday, March 11, 2017 at 10:30pm

STATION: KBDI-CPT12, Denver CO
PREMIERE AIRING: Wednesday, March 15, 2017 at 8:30 pm
REPEAT AIRING(S): Thursday March 16, 2017 at 7:00 pm.

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Jesse Cook au Festival de Jazz: Une soirée mémorable

Les 2 et 3 juillet derniers, Jesse Cook se présentait pour une série de concerts au Festival de Jazz de Montréal. C’était la troisième fois que j’assistais à un de ses spectacles et, comme à chaque fois, j’en suis ressortie émerveillée par le talent et le charisme de ce guitariste de renommée internationale.

Jesse Cook ne rate jamais la cible : à chaque concert, le public est conquis, ravi, accroché à chacune des notes –parfois trop rapides pour les compterqu’il réussit à extraire de sa guitare flamenco. Il tient littéralement le public dans sa main, agrémentant le spectacle de quelques anecdotes racontées à moitié en français et à moitié en anglais –ce qui donne parfois lieu à des malentendus hilarants.

Le tour du monde en musique

Disons-le tout de suite, le guitariste ontarien sait comment faire lever un show, et il l’a encore prouvé le 2 juillet. Mélangeant adroitement anciennes nouvelles pièces, il trouve le moyen de nous faire taper des mains à chaque chanson ou presque, nous entraînant littéralement dans un tour du monde musical avec ses rythmes inspirés de Colombie, d’Espagne ou du Moyen-
Orient. Revenant seul après l’entracte, il fait entrer un par un ses musiciens, au fil des morceaux, dans un crescendo qui atteint son paroxysme avec l’arrivée du batteur Chendy Leon et l’envolée dramatique de Luna Llena, un classique de son deuxième album, Gravity.

C’est à partir de là que le spectacle prend vraiment son envol : lançant l’iconique Mario Takes A Walk (que vous pouvez entendre ci-dessus) par une longue introduction qui nous laisse sur le bout de nos sièges (ou plutôt, sur la pointe des pieds, puisque nous étions déjà debout), Cook ne ménage pas ses effets, et enchaîne les pièces à un rythme infernal, sans une seconde de pause. Quarante-cinq minutes qui ont passé comme l’éclair.

Bien sûr, il y a eu rappel. J’attendais ce moment avec impatience, parce qu’à chaque fois, Jesse Cook et ses acolytes débranchent leurs micros et jouent quelques chansons a cappella, dont la merveilleuse “Fall At Your Feet”, que Chris Church, violoniste et homme à tout faire du groupe (il joue de trois ou quatre instruments), chante à la perfection. Cette fois, nous avons eu droit en plus à la pétillante “Cecilia”, reprise de Simon & Garfunkel, sur laquelle nous avons chanté joyeusement. Et, grande nouveauté, surtout : Jesse Cook lui-même a chanté! En trois fois, je ne l’avais jamais vu fredonner la moindre mélodie. La surprise était totale –et agréable!

Vous l’aurez compris depuis longtemps, j’ai été une fois de plus conquise par Jesse Cook et par ses exceptionnels musiciens –notamment Nicholas Hernandez, dont vous pouvez admirer le talent dans la vidéo ci-dessous. Si jamais vous avez l’occasion, écoutez donc une ou deux pièces, vous serez surpris. Les pièces instrumentales, pour Jesse Cook, ne sont jamais ennuyeuses -tout comme les concerts. 😉


– Anne-Sophie, Lesrockalouves.com

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Jazz Fest concert review: Jesse Cook at Maison Symphonique

Canadian acoustic guitar viruoso Jesse Cook. ALLEN MCINNIS / MONTREAL GAZETTECanadian acoustic guitar viruoso Jesse Cook. ALLEN MCINNIS / MONTREAL GAZETTE

When Canadian guitarist Jesse Cook stepped on the Maison Symphonique stage on Thursday night, there was a brief moment of confusion among audience members: either an imposter had sauntered in or his characteristic wavy long locks had been trimmed.

Any and all doubts were quickly erased when Cook’s equally famed fingers began dancing on the strings of his acoustic guitar. It was clear there would be no Samson moment for the 50-year-old.

“If you’re not sure, it’s me. I cut my hair,” the affable Cook said after leaning back and letting his fingers do the talking for an introductory song. Before continuing, he took a few seconds to admire the four-year-old venue for the first time. “It has that new car smell,” he joked, before asking everyone to “not go formal” on him. They did not; this was the sort of energized Jazz Fest crowd that wanted to clap, and they did so with Cook’s full encouragement.

Cook is firmly entrenched as a jazz fest favourite, and his comfortable Spanish guitar-meets-world music formula was familiar to everyone present. He was almost apologetic about playing songs from his latest album, One World, even though they don’t represent a departure from his previous works. As far as surprises go, he performed one song solo with looping pedals, and presented it as a new technique he’s getting acquainted with.

“I spent two and a half years tinkering with loops,” he said in reference to One World. Otherwise, with a clean setup on a capacious stage — even the band’s monitors appeared to be replaced by laptops from my vantage point slightly behind them — Cook and his backing quartet filled the room with reverberating claps and stomps in addition to their drums, violin, two guitars and bass setup.

The drummer switched between regular western percussion, djembes and even a pair of frying pans in an effort to present each song with a different rhythmic identity. At times they contracted their setup even further, with the bandmates huddled around a single microphone or sitting at the front edge of the stage.

Cook was his typically laid-back self, impressing enough with his nimble non-puritanical flamenco guitar playing while never positioning himself as a overbearing virtuoso. It wasn’t a commanding performance emotionally or physically, so much as an unselfish one to allow for greater audience participation. The gambit paid off, based on how often the crowd rose from their seats and clapped along in unison.

Cook mostly went for humour when talking to the audience, although he saved his longest and most informative preamble, about Andalusian music pioneer Ziryab, for an older song of his: Baghdad from 1995’s Tempest.

The three covers Cook chose for his encore were as crowd-pleasing as they were uninspired. Simon & Garfunkel’s “Cecilia” was an easy way to get the audience to resume clapping, while their stripped down version of “Fall At Your” Feet by Crowded House was done without microphones to a respectfully quiet room. The mystifying set closer, neo-folk turkey “Hey Ho” by soon-to-be one-hit wonders The Lumineers, ended the night on a forgettable note.


– The Gazette

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Jesse Cook, globe-trotteur de la guitare

JesseCook

Mine de rien, Jesse Cook est dans le paysage musical depuis 20 ans et il en est à son neuvième album studio avec One World, son plus récent. Pourtant, il a souvent l’impression qu’il vient tout juste de commencer son odyssée musicale et n’aime pas trop être enfermé dans une catégorie. Il sera en concert ce soir et demain à la Maison symphonique.

«Comme musicien, je viens de trois traditions. J’ai étudié en classique pendant plusieurs années, puis j’ai étudié le flamenco et finalement le jazz au Berklee College of Music, à Boston, dit-il. Maintenant, je ne sais pas ce que je fais comme musique. Je fais ce que j’ai envie de faire et je ne veux pas trop y penser. On m’a classé dans diverses catégories avec le temps, mais je laisse ce soin aux autres. Il y a des artistes qui s’inscrivent dans une tradition et veulent être les meilleurs dans celle-ci. D’autres apprennent les règles, puis essaient de les briser pour créer quelque chose de nouveau. Je me considère comme du second camp, et j’essaie que chacun de mes disques soit différent des autres. Les gens peuvent bien appeler cela comme ils veulent.»

Mais si l’on tient absolument à décrire One World, le terme «musique
du monde» serait sans doute le plus approprié.

«Auparavant, j’ai déjà enregistré des albums en Égypte, en Colombie, en Louisiane. Chaque album avait une influence culturelle assez précise. Mais avec celui-ci, je voulais prendre du recul et voir le monde dans son entier. Je voulais aussi provoquer une rencontre de l’ancien et du moderne. Il y a beaucoup d’électronique et de sons industriels, mais aussi des instruments anciens comme le duduk d’Arménie. On peut l’entendre sur plusieurs pièces, notamment Bombay Slam.»

Découvertes à l’ordinateur

Bien qu’il ait fait le tour du monde avec sa guitare, Jesse Cook donne surtout des spectacles en Amérique du Nord depuis quelques années. Père d’un petit garçon, il vit à Toronto et compose dans son studio, à la maison.

«Pour cet album, j’ai commencé par travailler à l’ordinateur. Mon fils avait 7 ans à ce moment-là et il insistait pour que je le laisse manipuler l’ordinateur. Il s’est mis à ouvrir toutes sortes de programmes, et je me suis dit: “Mon Dieu, il va briser quelque chose”, alors je suis sorti de la pièce. Quand je suis revenu, il avait ouvert un programme que je n’avais jamais vu, une banque de sons que je n’avais jamais utilisée. Ce que j’ai découvert grâce à lui s’est retrouvé sur mon album.» Comme compositeur, c’était la première fois qu’il utilisait autant de séquences et de boucles musicales (loops), mais cela ne changera pas définitivement son approche pour autant.

«Quand j’ai fait mon avant-dernier disque, The Blue Guitar Sessions, il y avait une forte influence jazz, dit-il. J’ai aimé faire du jazz, mais j’espérais déjà que pour mon prochain album, je ferais complètement autre chose. Je ne veux pas rester au même endroit. Ce n’est pas pour moi. Chaque album est un nouveau voyage.» Que ceux qui n’auraient pas réussi à mettre la main sur un billet pour la Maison symphonique – ils se sont tous vendus en un temps record – se consolent: Jesse Cook reviendra jouer dans la région cet automne.

«Je vais faire le tour: Terrebonne, Beloeil et d’autres villes aux alentours de Montréal. C’est toujours un plaisir de venir ici.»


La Presse, Collaboration spéciale, par Caroline Rodgers

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