Instruments Piano Website www.davidcookmusic.com Role Pianist | Labels BJU Name David Cook Albums Pathway, Scenic Design | |
Born August 12, 1974 (age 49) ( 1974-08-12 ) Genres Jazz, blues, pop, country, folk, country-pop, country-rock Associated acts Taylor Swift, Shayna Steele Music group Travis Sullivan's Bjorkestra Similar People Shayna Steele, Ben Wendel, Kendrick Scott, Anne Mette Iversen | ||
David Cook (born August 12, 1974), originally from Columbus, Ohio and a University of Michigan, Ann Arbor graduate, is a Brooklyn-based jazz pianist and composer, mostly known for his musical works with Taylor Swift. As musical director for seven-time Grammy Award–winning singer-songwriter Swift, David Cook continues to play with her along with other guest artists including Ed Sheeran, Tim McGraw, and James Taylor. David Cook wrote and performed in his latest jazz record Pathway. In 2008, he was part of a group representing the United States in the American Music Abroad program. It was sponsored by Jazz at Lincoln Center and the U.S. Department of State.
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Early life
Born in Columbus, Ohio, in a musical family, David Cook attended the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where he studied with Ellen Rowe, Barton Polot, Gerald Cleaver and the late Donald Walden. Upon moving to New York, he continued his studies with Fred Hersch, Bruce Barth and Kenny Werner.
The New York jazz scene
David has played in small groups led by bassists Chris Tarry, Michael Blanco and Francois Moutin, guitarists Greg Howe, Al Street and Scott Sharrard, saxophonists Grace Kelly, Bob Reynolds and Adam Kolker as well as drummer Sunny Jain (Red Baraat). He has played in big bands led by trombonists Alan Ferber and JC Sanford, writer/arranger Asuka Kakatani and Travis Sullivan's Bjorkestra. (Ferber's "March Sublime" was nominated for a Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album Grammy in 2014.) He is currently a member of the Brooklyn Jazz Underground, an association of independent artists with a shared commitment to community and creativity.
Collaboration with Taylor Swift
Before becoming musical director and keyboardist for Taylor Swift, David was heavily involved in the New York City jazz scene, where he collaborated with talented musicians and recording artists such as Michael Blanco, Arun Luthra, Sean Nowell, Shayna Steele, Nathan Peck, and Sunny Jain.
He first performed with Swift's band when Taylor Swift performed on board Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas in Cozumel, on January 21, 2011. Since then, he has worked many times with Swift, and worked as the musical director for the Speak Now Tour and the Red Tour. Cook is currently on the road promoting Swift's 2014 album 1989. Lately, he has performed on Jimmy Kimmel Live, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, at the Hollywood Bowl, The Late Show with David Letterman, and the sold-out NYC iHeart Radio Jingle Ball 2014 just to name a few.
Other works
David has also performed and/or recorded with include Dennis Chambers, Quincy Davis, Shane Endsley, Jay Collins, John Ellis, Nir Felder, Tomas Fujiwara, Mark Guiliana, Janek Gwizdala, Paul Keller, Eric Harland, Gregoire Maret, Christian McBride, Pete McCann, Marcus Miller, Donny McCaslin, John O'Gallagher, Ulysses Owens, Rich Perry, Robert Randolph, Lew Soloff, Sachal Vasandani, Victor Wooten, many others.
Songs
Scenic Design
Flower & Hope
80s TV Theme Song
Midwestern
Fresh Remnants
Lullabye
Idly - Ideally
Long Ago & Far Away
I Know You Know
Napali
Still
The Thing
Robin's Song
Come Sunday
The Meanderer
Shift
Safe & Sound
Pathway