Originally from Seattle, WA, Jack Cook has been performing Blues around the Pacific NW for over 25 years. His performances include sets ranging from solo acoustic to jug bands and electric trios to full out rhythm & blues ensembles. In 1971 Cook saw Albert Collins performing at a high school dance. The same year he saw the Muddy Waters band as part of the Heidelberg Blues Festival. These two events influenced his musical direction and a lifetime commitment to the blues. In 1973 he played the second annual Folklife Festival with longtime musical associate Daddy Treetops as the New Two Poor Boys. Same year formed Juke with Steve Bailey & Twist Turner. The band specialized in driving Chicago blues & West Coast jump blues. In 1974 he made his first trip to Memphis to visit Blues legends Bukka White, Furry Lewis, Gus Cannon, Robert Wilkins and in Brownsville, Tennessee, Sleepy John Estes. Cook made more trips to the south, in following years meeting Blues veterans Big Joe Williams in Mississippi, Yank Rachell in Indianapolis & Henry Townsend in St. Louis. In 1975 brief stay in Chicago led to sitting in with the Aces (Louis & Dave Myers & Fred Below) at Southpark Lounge & gigging with Little Willie Anderson, Jimmy Lee Robinson & George Beasley at Michigan Street Cafe. Throughout the 70's he performed around Seattle as a solo act for Folklore Society & Victory music. In 1974 Cook teamed up with Daniel Jacoubovitch as the Duck City Sheiks(duo) and Little Rain(quartet). In 1976 he formed the Hokum Blues Band with Mike Dumovich & Doug Royce and The Rhythm Rockers with Tom Berghan around the same time. In 1978 Cook hit the road once again with Jeff Poskin. After a cross country tour of busking and canvassing for 78 records and a short stay in Columbus, GA, he ended up staying in New Orleans. He had a weekly gig at Tyler's Beer Garden on Magazine Street, and played Tipitina's and other uptown clubs with a group featuring Spencer Bohren, Ed Volker & Reggie Scanlin. Cook performed solo at Jazz & Heritage Festival in 1979. In 1980 Cook joined the Isaac Scott Band playing air rhythm guitar for a year before hooking up with Mike Lynches Nitelife. This led to a summer stint in Ketchikan, Alaska(1981) at the fabulous Shamrock by the Sea. He then returned to Seattle to play with Isaac Scott & other local blues groups. In 1982 he played in a house band for Blue Monday at the Owl Cafe. He made a return engagement to Ketchikan that summer, then moved to Los Angeles in 1983 to work with Ralph Victoria in The Midnight Movers, later playing in a house band, Bobby Williams & the Balls of Fire featuring Curtis Tillman at Ricky & Laura's on Central Avenue. During that time he played with George Smith & Smokey Wilson also. In 1984 he returned to Seattle to form own band and work as solo act. In 1985 Cook joined the R & B lounge band Fresh to work in Cordova, Alaska, and tour Saskatchewan, then returned to Seattle to work with Kim Field, Mark Dalton & Leslie Milton (formerly Slamhound Hunters). He backed up Sunnyland Slim and Valerie Wellington at the Jolly Roger roadhouse. Cook formed Hugh's Blues Rhythm & Blues extravaganza with blues scorcher G. W. Levell in 1986. He worked steady around Seattle for next five years, and played solo acoustic alongside band dates. In 1988 started performing as the Phantoms of Soul (acoustic trio). Cook's festival performances include Folklife, Winthrop, Portland Riverfront & Bumbershoot. Club dates extend from Seattle to Portland & all through western Montana. Current Phantoms are Guy Quintino & Johnnie Ward. Since 1995 he has worked around Seattle with Jim & Beth Wulff, Reggie Miles & Ham Gravy, and John Marshall's Wild Rhododendrons. Has also played in Portland, Oregon with Jim Wallace & the Lucky Devils and the Dover Weinberg quartet. Cook played club dates in Amsterdam with Charlene Grant in December of 1997, and toured northern Germany in the summer of 1998 with Professor Washboard. His U.S. CD release "Still In Search Of A Groove" is currently available along with "Feed My Body To The Fishes", his collaboration with Marc Breitfelder.

From WASHINGTON BLUES SOCIETY Bluesletter
interview with Ray Varner April, 2001