Studio recordings:
"North York Skyline" (1997) updated 18/7/3
"Orangeville and The Crowded Night" (1999)
"Glass Half Full" (2001)
"Money, Cars, and Affairs of the Heart" (Compilation 2003)
Other recordings:
"Blue Horizon - Live at Holy Joe's" (2002)
"Songs from a Dusty Room" (2004)
Bio | CD sales | Contact | Discography
Gigs | Interview | Lyrics | More info
Photographs | Playlists | Press kit | Reviews
[Home] [Trial]
What some folks have said about Michael Cook:
"Endearingly homemade acoustic folk music, distinguished by a wired intensity and basement-bred confidence. A slightly off-kilter outsider artist whose forceful playing and singing recall Lead Belly or Beck's acid-washed folk experiments. This guy's raw sound is very refreshing in our age of over-produced VH-1 folk stars."
-- AudioGalaxy 10/2000, reviewing 1997 CD "North York Skyline"
"I'm a tad late this week because, as they say, the brain goes first. I forgot to bring my copy of features and hosts home with me. Luckily, I have friends in low places. Michael Cook is a high-profile musician in this town. His music is fascinating and fresh, his personality engaging. A natural host for the Cafe."
-- Ken Bilton, host of Cafe at the Centre, Toronto, writing to announce the show June 2nd, 2002.
"I've had the pleasure of seeing Michael play numerous times and have always looked forward to his performances. His songs cover diverse "slices of life" and are supported by dexterous and interesting guitar playing. Michael also brings a dry humor to the proceedings, so that his presentation and his performance are always something to look forward to."
-- Bernie Schmidt, longstanding member of the Songwriters Association of Canada, former member of Advisory Council to the SAC Directors, Host of the Monthly SAC Song Stage, and performer at the SAC BlueBird North Songwriter Showcase in Toronto. (Bernie has two CDs out, and -- with co-writer with Jody Gibson -- recently had the Number One Song for four weeks on Reed's Independent Country Top 40). 12/2002.
"This guy's a gunslinger"
-- Dan Frechette, 18/2/2003.
"I've played a few shows with this cat and he's a very polished, structured, and yet still soulful act."
-- Jay Ewert, 2003/05/09
"Very talented and professional ... wicked guitar playing!" -- RTAO, 8/15/2003
"This guy's a real troubadour -- in the old sense of the word." -- Long Bear, 8/15/2003
"He should be shot!" -- Elspeth Cook, aged 93, 2001
"Always entertaining." -- Dan Stupich, 9/10/2004.
[Back to the top]
- Monday October 4th 2004, 15:00-17:00, "Folk Us" with host John Prentiss, UM-FM 101.5 Winnipeg.
- Tuesday September 21 2004, 7:00-09:00, The Big Breakfast, A-Channel TV, Winnipeg MB
- TV news segment, Saturday 14th February 2004, A-Channel Winnipeg ("My Funny Valentine", Rodgers and Hart).
- "Roots and Writers" UMFM 101.5, Winnipeg MB, with host Len Osland and other members of MB Independent Songwriters Circle, Wednesday November 26th, (recorded November 13th, part 2 of 2)
- "Sunday Dinner", CKUW 95.9 FM, Winnipeg, MB, November 23rd, 6 p.m.
- "Free Range Radio", UMFM 101.5, Winnipeg,MB, Friday 13 June 2003
- "Sunday Dinner", CKUW 95.9 FM, Winnipeg, MB, Sunday 18 May 2003
- "Prairie Ceilidh", CKJS 810 AM, Winnipeg, MB, Sunday 30 March 2003
- "The All-Nighter", WWUH, Hartford, Connecticut, 5/2001.
Gigs and other appearances
Planned/Upcoming
Send e-mail for bookings or information.
Past (follow links to playlists)
- Friday June 8th 2007, Roca Jack's, Portage Avenue, Winnipeg MB (jam).
- Tuesday October 18th 2005, ABE, Winnipeg MB (jam).
- Friday October 14th 2005, ABE, Winnipeg MB (set).
- Sunday September 18th 2005, ABE, Winnipeg MB (jam).
- Wednesday September 14th 2005, FinnMcCue's (open mic. set), Winnipeg MB
- Sunday March 13th 2005, Academy Bar and Eatery, Winnipeg MB (jam).
- Friday March 11th 2005, Academy Bar and Eatery, Winnipeg MB (set with Jim Elders)
- Saturday January 22nd 2005, Regal Beagle, Winnipeg MB (guest appearance accompanying
Derrick McCandless with Roger Fournier on washtub bass).
- Wednesday November 3 2004, Regal Beagle, Winnipeg MB, (open mic., host)
- Saturday October 9 2004, Regal Beagle, Winnipeg MB, 10 p.m. (opening for Savatsky, Sylvestro and Funk)
- Monday October 4th 2004, 15:00-17:00, "Folk Us" with host John Prentiss, UM-FM 101.5 Winnipeg.
- Saturday September 25 2004, Regal Beagle. Impromptu jam.
- Saturday September 25 2004, Carnegie's Deli, 286 Donald Street, Winnipeg MB, Derrick McCandless CD release
- Friday September 24 2004, West End Cultural Centre, Winnipeg MB, MISC Fall Concert (with Wayne Ashley and Pam Riley, Stewart Fay, Marcel Desilets, Harvey Levy, and David Lum).
- Wednesday September 22 2004, Regal Beagle, Winnipeg MB, (open mic.)
- Tuesday September 21 2004, 7:00-09:00, The Big Breakfast, A-Channel TV, Winnipeg MB
- Wednesday September 15 2004, Regal Beagle, Winnipeg MB, (open mic.)
- Friday September 10 2004, MISC event. Academy Bar and Eatery, Winnipeg MB (set)
- Wednesday September 8 2004, Regal Beagle, Winnipeg MB, (open mic.)
- Wednesday August 25 2004, Regal Beagle, Winnipeg (open mic.)
- Wednesday August 18 2004, Regal Beagle, Winnipeg (open mic.)
- Wednesday May 12 2004, Regal Beagle, Winnipeg (open mic.)
- Saturday March 27 2004, Saxton Theatre Coffee House, basement of the Bahai Centre, 521 McMillan, Winnipeg, 7:30 pm (set).
- Sunday February 8th 2004, Academy Coffee Co., Academy Road, Winnipeg, 7:30 p.m. (set), with Derrick McCandless and Scott McPherson.
- Friday January 9th 2004, Academy Coffee Co., Academy Road, Winnipeg, 8 p.m. (set)
- Sunday November 30th 2003, 7p.m. benefit for Open Arms Independent Living Inc., Glenwood Community Club, 27 Overton, St.Vital, Winnipeg (set)
- Friday November 28 2003, Manitoba Independent Songwriter's Circle Fall Concert, West End Cultural Center, 586 Ellice Avenue at Sherbrooke, Winnipeg.
- Wednesday November 26th, "Roots and Writers" UMFM 101.5, Winnipeg MB, with host Len Osland and other members of MB Independent Songwriters Circle (recorded November 13th). Part 2 of 2.
- Sunday November 23rd, 6 p.m., "Sunday Dinner" CKUW 95.9 FM, Winnipeg, MB,
- Friday November 14th 2003, Academy Coffee Co., Academy Road, Winnipeg (set)
- Thursday November 6, 2003, Manitoba Country Music Association song contest
- Sunday November 2nd, The Coffee Grounds, Hamline Avenue, St.Paul, Minnesota (set)
- Saturday September 27 2003, Royal Albert, Winnipeg (set, blues jam)
- Monday September 12 2003, Finn Macue's, Johnson Terminal, Winnipeg (set)
- Monday September 8 2003, Finn Macue's, Johnson Terminal, Winnipeg (feature)
- Saturday September 7 2003, Academy Coffee Co., private party (set)
- Saturday August 16 2003, Saxton Theatre Coffee House, basement of the Bahai Centre, 521 McMillan, Winnipeg, opening for Marcel Desilets (set)
- Friday August 1 2003, Academy Coffee Co., Winnipeg (set)
- Friday 13 June 2003, Free Range Radio, UMFM 101.5, Winnipeg (guest)
- Sunday June 8 2003, Transcona Hi Neighbour Festival, Winnipeg (set)
- Friday June 6 2003, "Operation Help Iraq" benefit, Regal Beagle, Winnipeg (set)
- Sunday May 18 2003, "Sunday Dinner", CKUW 95.9 FM, Winnipeg (guest)
- Tuesday May 13 2003, Osborne Collective, Winnipeg (booking)
- Friday May 2 2003, Academy Coffee Co., Winnipeg (set)
- Saturday April 19 2003, Saxton Theatre Coffee House, Winnipeg (feature)
- Sunday April 6 2003, Club 58, Winnipeg (substitution)
- Wednesday April 2nd 2003, Latin Garden, Winnipeg (booking)
- Tuesday 18 March 2003, Osborne Collective, Winnipeg (guest)
- Tuesday 11 March 2003, Osborne Collective, Winnipeg (guest)
- Saturday March 8 2003, Manitou Opera House, Manitou, MB (set)
- Friday 7 March 2003, Academy Coffee Co., Winnipeg (set)
- Wednesday March 5 2003, Latin Garden, 500 Portage Ave., Winnipeg (guest)
- Sunday 2 March 2003, Club 58, 177 McDermot St., Winnipeg (booking)
- Wednesday 12 February 2003, University of Winnipeg, Poetry for Peace
- Wednesday 19 June 2002 Holy Joe's, Bathurst and Queen, Toronto (feature)
- Sunday 16 Sept 2001, Cafe at the Center, Cabbagetown Community Center, 495 Parliament St., Toronto (feature)
- Sunday 6 May 2001, Cafe at the Center, Cabbagetown Community Center, 495 Parliament St., Toronto (feature).
Description
Singer/songwriter mostly performing own compositions solo with guitar. Some unaccompanied voice, some keyboard and vocals. See also Bio and Press kit.
Genre
Acoustic Folk/Blues/Country/Rock/Scottish/Jazz/U-name-it.
Sounds like
"Nobody I ever heard of?"
Influences
Too numerous to mention.
History
- Various public solo performances in St.Albans (UK) area 1968-1969. Also worked with Steve Forrest (later in Silver Bullet) as a two-piece.
- Shared billing in St.Albans "Harri-Leng" and other public folk club events, including "The Goat Inn", 1967 through 1969.
- Song "Spudwagon" recorded approx. 1969 by Adrian Grigg for BBC Radio in UK.
- Song "Angler of Cat's Eyes" performed by Steve Forrest with Pete Sutton around the same time.
- Various public solo and guest vocalist performances in London and Israel 1969 thru 1974.
- First CD "North York Skyline" recorded Claremont and Toronto 1997. Independent.
- Various public solo performances in Toronto North York area 1997-1999.
- CD "Orangeville and The Crowded Night" recorded Toronto 10-12/1999, with producer Karen Kane. Independent.
- Various public solo performances in Toronto core 2/2000-10/2002.
- CD "Glass Half Full" recorded Toronto 12/2000-2/2001, with producer Karen Kane. Independent.
- Based in Winnipeg as of 11/2002, performing as much as possible, and working on material for a fourth CD.
Touring where?
"Any place I have a gig".
[Back to the top]
"North York Skyline" (1997)
"Orangeville and The Crowded Night" (2000)
"Glass Half Full" (2001)
"Money, Cars, and Affairs of the Heart" (Compilation 2003)
Song descriptions can be found in the Press kit.
Song lyrics are here.
info@michaelcook.ca
[Back to the top]
Playlists
Friday 8th June, 2007, Roca Jack's, Portage Avenue, Winnipeg MB, with Mike Garbutt.
Poor Boy Blues (Kennerley)
Same old blues again (Cale)
Chain lightning (Fagen)
Riding kangaroos
Fairweather Blues (words J.Boyd)
Fast train to Georgia (Shaver)
Tomorrow is a long time (Dylan)
Slow train to Georgia (Blake)
You shook me (Trad.)
Live in the Now
I love my darling
You tell me
Joshua, Joshua
Prodigal son (Rev.Wilkins)
It ain't nobody's fault but mine (Trad.)
She's a woman (Lennon, McCartney)
Tuesday October 18th 2005, ABE, Winnipeg MB (jam with Tim Butler and Chris Palmer).
Jesus on the mainline (McDowell)
Same old blues again (Cale)
You got to move (McDowell)
Done left here (McDowell)
Fred's worried life blues (McDowell)
Friday October 14th 2005, ABE, Winnipeg MB (set).
Live in the now
Jonesing for a cigarette
Ain't too proud to beg
Sunday September 18th 2005, ABE (open jam, with Darryl Torche, Duncan MacGregor, Chris Palmer, et al)
Dissatisfied blues #1278
Your green hat
Summer time (Gershwin)
Wednesday September 14th 2005, Finn McCue's (open mic.set).
Dissatisfied blues
One for the birds
Write me a few short lines (F.MacDowell)
Prodigal son (Rev.Wilkins)
Sunday March 13th, Academy Bar and Eatery, Winnipeg MB. Open jam with Tim Butler et al.
Bitter end
Your green Hht
Same old blues (J.J.Cale)
404 trainwreck
No more bread and butter (Larry Parks & Jay Turnbow)
Little red rooster (W.Dixon)
Not fade away (N.Petty, C.Hardin)
Friday March 11th 2005, Academy Bar and Eatery, Winnipeg MB, accompanied by Jim Elders
The Red River waltz
Surfin' Manitoba
Cheating school
Saturday January 22nd 2005, Regal Beagle, Winnipeg MB (guest appearance accompanying Derrick McCandless with Roger Fournier on washtub bass).
"Unwholesome prison train wreck" (J.Cash, with additional words by M.Cook).
Wednesday November 3 2004, Regal Beagle, Winnipeg MB, (open mic., host)
Live in the now
Your green hat
404
Saturday October 9 2004, Regal Beagle, Winnipeg MB (opening for Savatsky, Sylvestro and Funk)
The plague
Nothing to be done about it
She might be in Jerusalem / I Love my Darling (short version)
I heard a rumour
I saw a deer last night
All right now (short version)
Jack of speed (Becker, Fagen)
You know and I know (short version)
Learning to let you go
Wrong place baby
Monday October 4th 2004, 15:00-17:00, "Folk Us" with host John Prentiss, UM-FM 101.5 Winnipeg.
Ain't too proud to beg (short version)
Clawhammer medley: Freight train/Don't think twice it's all right/House of the Rising Sun (LIVE)
Take us to your leader (short version, (LIVE)
Done left here (F.McDowell) (LIVE)
You tell me (Afterglow)
There's something going on around here (short version, LIVE)
Don't send my heart back to jail.
Saturday September 25 2004, Regal Beagle (impromptu jam with Brad Fenwick and Peter, et al.)
- Fantasia in E
- So glad you came back home (Song for The Muse)
- Fantasia in D#7
- You tell me that
Saturday September 25 2004, Carnegie's Deli, 286 Donald Street, Winnipeg MB, Derrick McCandless CD release
- Ol' McCandless had a farm
- Riding on the bus
- Folsom Prison train wreck (accompanying Derrick with Doug and Tim)
- I got you fooled (accompanying Derrick with Doug and Tim)
Friday September 24 2004, West End Cultural Centre, MISC Fall concert (set)
- Your green hat
- All right now
- Take us to your leader
Wednesday September 22 2004, Regal Beagle (open mic.)
- Your green hat
- Jack of speed (Becker, Fagen)
- Nothing to be done about it
- Meriel's away
- Blue horizon (with "The Beaglettes" -- Karen Taylor and Paulette La Fortune)
- Cheating school
- Riding on the bus
- Done left here (F.McDowell)
Thanks to "Danzig" for setting me straight.
Tuesday September 21 2004, 6:30-09:00, The Big Breakfast, A-Channel TV, Winnipeg MB
- I saw a deer last night
- I can see you
- Riding on the bus
Wednesday September 15 2004, Regal Beagle (open mic.)
- Blue Horizon (with Karen Taylor)
- I saw a deer last night
- Riding on the bus
- I can see you
- Jack of speed (Becker, Fagen)
- Sketches of water
- Riding kangaroos
- Midwinter song
- Blue horizon (with Karen Taylor and Paulette La Fortune)
- Fairweather blues (words J.Boyd).
Friday September 10 2004, Academy Bar and Eatery (set at monthly MISC event)
- Riding on the bus
- Joshua, Joshua
- Cupid and the geek
Wednesday September 8 2004, Regal Beagle (open mic.)
- Jack of speed (Becker, Fagen)
- Cupid and the geek
- I saw a deer last night
- Joshua, Joshua
- Sometimes at night
- 404
- All right now
- I just don't know why dear
- Prodigal son (Rev.Wilkins)
- There's something going on around here
Wednesday August 25 2004, Regal Beagle (open mic.)
- Fast train to Georgia (E.Shaver)
- Money, money, money
- Nothing to be done about it (electric)
Wednesday August 18 2004, Regal Beagle (open mic,)
- Sketches of water
- Ballad of Alison Jane / If I were a bird
- Live in the now
- I heard a rumour
- John Henry (with Brad.)
- There's something going on around here (with Brad.)
- Wrong place baby (with Brad.)
- Done left here (afterwards, with Tim Butler).
Wednesday May 12 2004, Regal Beagle (open mic.)
- Fast train to Georgia (E.Shaver)
- Same old blues (J.J.Cale)
- I saw a deer last night
- Done left here (F.McDowell)
- There's something going on around here
- Take us to your leader
Saturday March 27 2004, Saxton Theatre Coffee House
- Your green hat
- Well you know I love you baby
- Sometimes at night
- Corrine, Corrine (Trad.)
- Done left here (F.McDowell)
- Ain't too proud to beg
- There's something going on around here
- Take us to your leader
Friday November 28 2003, Manitoba Independent Songwriter's Circle Fall Concert, West End Cultural Centre, Ellice Avenue, Winnipeg
- You tell me (Afterglow)
- Midwinter song
- Don't send my heart back to jail.
[Back to the top]
