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Carla Cook

Carla Cook is daring. She is a jazz singer/songwriter who sings standards beautifully -- but she doesn't stop there. Cook is willing to put a jazz spin on songs not written by traditional jazz composers. Songs that, until you hear her sing them, you'd never imagine could be interpreted as jazz. This native Detroiter, who grew up in a musically rich and diverse environment, brings all her influences to bear within her repertoire. In her songbook you'll find elements of R&B, European classical, Motown, Blues and Gospel. Cook has always eschewed labels, and refuses to become a jazz purist or snob. That willingness to simply sing what she loves, bringing an earthy sophistication to every song, is what gives Cook her signature style. While some jazz vocalists limit their repertoire of popular music to the swing of the 20's and 30's, Tin Pan Alley composers and the bebop of the 40's, Cook goes beyond the American Jazz Standard Repertoire. She reinterprets songs from the rock and R&B worlds - giving a jazz flavor to such pop classics as Simon & Garfunkel's "Scarborough Fair", Marvin Gaye's "Inner City Blues", Bobbie Gentry's "Ode to Billie Joe" and Neil Young's "Heart of Gold". She sings great songs, period, be they the standards that are the foundation of her recordings and live performances, her refreshing original compositions, or a smattering of popular songs that were childhood favorites. In her native Detroit, Cook started singing when she was a young child. Growing up, the Midwesterner sang in the Methodist Church. The secular music that she enjoyed ranged from R&B, rock, country and European classical. Though jazz has always been Cook's primary focus, she has been quoted as saying that her favorite artists range from Miles Davis to Chaka Khan to Johann Sebastian Bach. During her formative years, Cook studied privately voice, piano and string bass, the latter of which she played in her high school orchestra. After leaving the Motor City, Cook moved to Boston to attend Northeastern University and earned a degree in Speech Communication. While in Boston, she formed the first of several jazz ensembles and set about the business of her trade. Then in 1990, she moved to New York, where she became active on the Manhattan club scene but paid her bills with various "day gigs" that concluded with her teaching social studies in a junior high school. By the mid 90's, however, she was singing on a full-time basis and had given up her day gigs.

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147
Album Review

Carla Cook: Simply Natural

Read "Simply Natural" reviewed by C. Michael Bailey


A Third by Ms. Cook...

Carla Cook is the first singer on the MAXJAZZ roster to release three discs. Her previous two, It’s All About Love and Dem Bones both received considerable attention upon release. Here, Ms. Cook continues in fine form and under the direction of producer/pianist Bruce Barth. Cyrus Chestnut is again on hand to provide his well-developed support and ditto for the rhythm section of bassist Kenny David and Drummer Billy Kilson. Ms. Cook’s originals, the title ...

220
Album Review

Carla Cook: Simply Natural

Read "Simply Natural" reviewed by Jim Santella


"Simply Natural." The song's title describes what Carla Cook is all about and what makes her such a thrilling vocalist. She's genuine. Both her scat singing and her lyric interpretations result in a relaxed atmosphere where everyone can sit back and enjoy being a part of it. Accompanists Bruce Barth and Cyrus Chestnut are in fine form. The program's song selection offers a wide variety that allows Cook's natural beauty to shine through. She's crossed generations by combining classics such ...

156
Album Review

Carla Cook: Dem Bones

Read "Dem Bones" reviewed by Jim Santella


The title of Carla Cook's latest album refers to the trombone choir she's enlisted to blend with her silky smooth voice. Her natural ability makes this one work. Whether she's scat singing, crooning soft ballads, or spinning acrobatic vocalese, Cook is always on pitch and quite in control. Her expressiveness is what makes her performances special. Cook, who grew up in Detroit, has made the connection between jazz and similar art forms. She made her decision to become a jazz ...

154
Interview

Carla Cook: Just a Swingin' and a Groovin'

Read "Carla Cook: Just a Swingin' and a Groovin'" reviewed by Mathew Bahl


On the question of categories, Carla Cook will say this much: “I'm definitely a jazz singer in that I like to improvise and I like to swing." Beyond that, the subject doesn't interest her. “I don't spend a lot of time haggling with the word “jazz,?" she explains. “I let the “Jazz Police" handle that. I do music."Carla Cook has been doing music and doing it spectacularly well for a number of years. However, it was with the ...

171
Album Review

Carla Cook: Dem Bones

Read "Dem Bones" reviewed by C. Michael Bailey


Carla Cook follows up her Grammy-nominated It's all About Love with a slightly funkier fair...but only after some mainstream flirtations.

Carla Cook's 1999 It's All About Love was one of the inaugural releases of the then fledgling MAXJAZZ label. It was honored with a Grammy® nomination for Best Jazz Vocal Performance. It was an eclectic and ingenious collection of tunes from all corners of the genre spectrum. This year's Dem Bones is no exception to the precedent she set with ...

158
Album Review

Carla Cook: Dem Bones

Read "Dem Bones" reviewed by C. Michael Bailey


Carla Cook follows up her Grammy-nominated It's all About Love with a slightly funkier fair...but only after some mainstream flirtations.

Carla Cook's 1999 It's All About Love was one of the inaugural releases of the then fledgling MAXJAZZ label. It was honored with a Grammy® nomination for Best Jazz Vocal Performance. It was an eclectic and ingenious collection of tunes from all corners of the genre spectrum. This year's Dem Bones is no exception to the precedent she set with ...

166
Album Review

Carla Cook: It

Read "It" reviewed by C. Michael Bailey


Ditto...LaVerne Butler...And More. In the beginning, Richard McDonnell had a vision that became incarnate with LaVerne Butler’s Blues in the City 1. He saw that this was good and decided that Ms. Butler must have company 2. McDonnell, in his infinite and far-seeing wisdom, provided the Butler creation with mates, the first being Carla Cook’s It’s About Time 3.

In early 1999, MAXJAZZ kicked its new presence off with the very fine release of LaVerne Butler’s Blues in the City ...

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6

Performance / Tour

World-renowned Smoke Jazz Club Ends The Year With The 11th Annual Coltrane Festival Countdown 2024, New Year’s Eve Celebration With Carla Cook, And More

World-renowned Smoke Jazz Club Ends The Year With The 11th Annual Coltrane Festival Countdown 2024, New Year’s Eve Celebration With Carla Cook, And More

Source: AMT Public Relations

Rated the #1 Jazz Club in New York City (Secret NYC), SMOKE Jazz Club ends 2023 with an exciting line-up in December. The month begins with a rare solo piano doubleheader by Brad Mehldau (Dec 1-2) preceded by his Trio (Nov 29-30). For 11 nights, SMOKE presents its 11th annual Coltrane Festival: “Countdown 2024.” Some of today’s top musicians join forces to celebrate the life and musical legacy of the great saxophonist and composer John Coltrane. Tenor giant George Coleman ...

196

Performance / Tour

Carla Cook at the Unionville High School Auditorium on November 2, 2007

Carla Cook at the Unionville High School Auditorium on November 2, 2007

Source: All About Jazz

Grammy-Nominated jazz vocalist Carla Cook will be performing at Unionville High School on Friday night, November 2nd at 8:00 PM.

Cook is daring. She is a jazz singer who sings standards beautifully and puts a jazz spin on songs not written by traditional jazz composers. Songs that, until you hear her sing them, you'd never imagine could be interpreted as jazz.

Presented by the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District and DVARTS. Advance Tickets: www.dvarts.org or 610-469-5180, Reserved $16, General $10, Student/Senior ...

134

Performance / Tour

Carla Cook and Regina Carter Perform Together For The First Time

Carla Cook and Regina Carter Perform Together For The First Time

Source: All About Jazz

Detroit Divas Whip Up Recipes for Scintillating Jazz Special One-Night Only Concert April 30, 2004, 8:00 PM

Back in Detroit, after they met in 9th grade Spanish class, Carla Cook introduced Regina Carter to jazz and a best friendship was born. Today, each of these talented women has made tremendous waves in the jazz world, one for her soulful singing and the other for her dexterity on the violin. They have journeyed through their professional careers ...

92

Music Industry

The Blue Note Welcomes Ron Carter Quartet and Carla Cook

The Blue Note Welcomes Ron Carter Quartet and Carla Cook

Source: All About Jazz

The Blue Note welcomes a very special week of music with the great Ron Carter Quartet with special added double bill on Saturday and Sunday 11/01 - 11/02) featuring vocalist Carla Cook & Her Band.

The epitome of elegance, RON CARTER has been a world-class bassist and cellist since the '60s. He's among the greatest accompanists of all time, as well as a stalwart band leader, who has done many albums exhibiting his prodigious technique.

Carter began playing cello at ...

137

Performance / Tour

GRAMMY-Nominated MAXJAZZ Vocalist Carla Cook To Appear at Blue Note in New York City on April 1st

GRAMMY-Nominated MAXJAZZ Vocalist Carla Cook To Appear at Blue Note in New York City on April 1st

Source: All About Jazz

“One of the Major Jazz Voices of the Millennium"

Carla Cook’s newest CD DEM BONES (2001) – follows her critically acclaimed and commercially successful MAXJAZZ debut, IT’S ALL ABOUT LOVE, which brought her not only a GRAMMY nomination but also an Indie Award for Best Jazz Vocalist. Carla will feature both albums in New York City at the Blue Note on April 1st. Her band will feature: Andy Milne, piano; Vashon Johnson, bass; and Montez Coleman, drums.

USA Today gave ...

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Simply Natural

MA Recordings
2002

buy

Dem Bones

MA Recordings
2001

buy

It

MAXJAZZ
1999

buy

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