MATTHEW COOK: Summertime

Matthew Cook

Summertime

© 2003 Matthew Cook (783707789927)

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Beautiful, heartwarming, new age solo piano renditions of some familiar and obscure songs.

notes

I am an artist from Northern California. I create environments for people to enjoy. Surrounded by the beauty of our Ancient Redwood Forests, steeped in the stillness and awe-inspiring power of nature, my art speaks of a sense of peace and well-being amid the struggles of being human.

For the last 20 years pianist Matthew Cook has been a treasure known only to those who venture beyond the Redwood Curtain in Northern California. During that time he has logged over 200 live performances each year, delighting visitors and locals alike in the area's finest hotels, resorts and concert halls, and created six wonderful collections of solo piano music on CD.

Whether in concert or in your CD changer, concert and recording artist Matthew Cook delivers a warm, relaxing piano performance that lifts one above the hectic cares of the day. With a heady mix of unique arrangements and emotional playing Cook takes his audience on an eclectic journey through some of the great songwriting of 20th Century America. Drawing on a Classical background and his experiences with Rock and Roll, Country and Reggae bands, Cook has developed a refreshing, melodic approach that showcases his love of this wonderful instrument.

With a repertoire ranging from Scott Joplin to Eric Clapton, George Gershwin to John Lennon, Duke Ellington to David Crosby, Cook treats every song with care, drawing the most out of the melody before taking it to new heights.

In his extensive CD collection Matthew Cook gives a nod to many great songwriters and songs of the last Century. Of the seven albums available on CD Baby, five of them cover 53 renditions of songs that range from the familiar to the obscure. The titles, Stormy Weather, The Rose, Summertime, By Request and Moondance, give some idea of the range of material represented but don't tell the whole story. Also included are Eric Clapton's Wonderful Tonight, Ellington's Satin Doll, Denny Sarokin's Sanibel, No Frontiers from Jimmy McCarthy and the Beatles' Dear Prudence.

In addition to songs we all know and love, Cook's performances and recordings also include things not commonly found in the piano repertoire. Storm Warning is one such song written by Terry Britten and Lea Maalfrid and previously performed by Bonnie Raitt. Other examples would be The Dance from Garth Brooks and Wooden Ships from Crosby, Stills & Nash.

One album, Redwood Reflections brings us 12 original piano compositions by the artist. Fostered in the redwoods of Northern California, warm and rich sounds evoke images of nature in this remarkable piano work. A little new age, a little jazz, latin, rock and ragtime sparkle from the pastiche as this hour of delightful music plays through. The ballad If I Could Fill Your Cup and the upbeat El Cuervo are highlights of Cook's live concerts.

The Sounding Joy is a collection of Christmas music. From popular carols to more contemporary songs this album rings in the spirit of the season beautifully.

My life is my art and my art is my life. It has always been thus for me and I have had interesting and rich experiences for it. I have been fortunate to be able to share pieces of that through my music.

Over the years I have developed my own piano style, 'Folk-Jazz' , combining the simplicity, accessibility and personableness of folk music with some of the heady elements of modern jazz.

All of my CDs are high-quality recordings of Yamaha Grand Pianos. 'Summertime' 'The Rose' and 'By Request' were recorded live on a Yamaha C-3. 'Redwood Reflections', 'Stormy Weather', and 'Moondance' were recorded in the studio on a Yamaha C-7.

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  • Great stuff!
    author: Kathy Parsons

    “Summertime” is a remastered collection of solo piano arrangements of pop, classical, and jazz tunes originally recorded live in 1994 and 1997, and previously released on three different cassettes. A performing musician in Northern California for more than twenty years, Matthew Cook effortlessly blends jazz, classical, new age, and pop styles, creating his own unique voice. All of his recordings have a very eclectic selection of music, and “Summertime” continues the trend with pieces as diverse as “Canon in D,” Gershwin’s “Summertime,” Elton John’s “Your Song,” and “Storm Warning” which was originally recorded by Bonnie Raitt. With some artists, a combination like this would be dizzying, but Cook handles it with style and aplomb. I love his pitch-black version of “Summertime” that segues into a spirited “Satin Doll” (Duke Ellington); it’s worth the price of the CD for these two songs alone! But wait, there’s more! Also included is a nine-minute version of David Crosby and Stephen Stills’ “Wooden Ships,” a passionate improvisation that really sings. “Storm Warning” is much more subdued, with lots of open space between the notes, and a melancholy mood. The other titles included are “No Frontiers, “ “The Dance,” and “Wonderful Tonight,” all played with passion and style. Most of the pieces include improvised sections, making the music even more personal and deeply felt. Great stuff!

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