JACK COOK'S UPCOMING PERFORMANCES
- August 16, 2008 (Sat, 4:00pm-10:00pm): SIXTH ANNUAL VICTORY HEIGHTS JOKUM FESTIVAL
with performances by Phantoms Of Soul, Cory McDaniel,
Syncopated Monkeys, Eric Madis, Steve Bailey & Hughs Blues
@ Schudie's Chicken & Beer Grotto (2021 NE Northgate Way, Victory Heights,WA:
206 517-5294).
- August 21, 2008 (Thurs, 6:30pm-9:00pm): Jack Cook &
the Phantoms of Soul @ The
Maple Leaf Grill (8929 Roosevelt Way NE, Seattle,
WA; 206-523-8449).
- September 4, 2008 (Thurs, 8:00pm-10:30pm): Jack Cook w/
Annieville Blues @ Bad Alberts (5100 Ballard Ave
NW, Seattle, WA; 206-782-9623).
- September 5, 2008 (Sat, 7:30pm-10:00pm): Heather Banker & the Nearly Homeless Blues Band @ Third
Place Books (17171
Bothell Way NE, Lake Forest Park, WA; 206-366-3333).
- September 20, 2008 (Sat, 8:00pm-12:00am): Jack Cook
& the Phantoms of Soul @ Marco Polo Bar & Grill
(5613 4th Ave S, Seattle, WA; 206-762-3964).
- September 25, 2008 (Thurs, 6:30pm-9:00pm): Jack Cook &
the Phantoms of Soul @ The
Maple Leaf Grill (8929 Roosevelt Way NE, Seattle,
WA; 206-523-8449).
- September 27, 2008 (Sat, 7:30pm-10:00pm): Jack Cook & the Phantoms of Soul @ Third
Place Books (17171
Bothell Way NE, Lake Forest Park, WA; 206-366-3333).
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The Phantoms
of Soul is a group specializing in forgotten Blues Songs from
the 1920's thru the 1950's. Sources of material range from
singers of the Deep South to the Great Northwest Corner. The
leader is Guitarist/Singer/Jazzhornist/Songwriter Jack Cook
who has been performing traditional Blues in the Seattle area
for over 35 years. Jack was inducted into the Washington Blues
Society Hall of Fame in 2006 and won Best Acoustic for 2007.
In 2007 the Phantoms of Soul won Best Traditional Act as well.
Other Phantoms include Hugh Sutton on Piano & Accordion, Al
Farlow on Clarinet & Saxophones, Steve Branca on Acoustic
Bass & Dave Hudson on Drums.
“The
origins of Jokermania are as difficult to pinpoint as the
beginnings of Jazz or the Blues. We do know that the union
of two great but completely different minds formed an institution
to be remembered by dozens. “Joe & Okes” may have not created
a genre out of thin air but they were early tinkerers of
an art form back in a time when there were no boundaries
& no books to play by. They made their own rules.” (From
the chronicles of “Joe & Okes”)
“I THOUGHT I HEARD ELLIOTT BAY” by RAYMOND BARROW
Northwest blues scholar Raymond Barrow has spent most of the waking hours of his adult life researching the details behind pre-rock & roll northwest blues legends, “Joe & Okes”. These visionaries, along with their contemporaries, cultivated a unique music style, climaxing in a frenzy known as “Jokermania".
Candid “Joe” McKroy from Astoria, Oregon and Freddy “Okes” Callicott from Bethel, Alaska both arrived in Seattle separately in 1949, around the time of one of the city's major earthquakes. Joe McKroy & his Minstrels of Mischief became fixtures around the Pike Place Market, recording “Baby Let Me Vamp On Your Viaduct” and “Columbia River Blues” for Lenora Records. Freddy “Okes” Callicott first united with Seattle hipster, Denny Palatine and his uptown group, the Regraders. Together they recorded Palatine’s tribute to the Denny regrade, “It’s A Dirty Job (but somebody’s got to do it)” and Callicott’s own Jelly Roll Morton influenced “I Thought I Heard Elliott Bay” for Summit Sounds. Eventually Joe & Okes teamed up, becoming celebrities of the day and recording their collaboration “Meet Me Up In Playland” and Okes’ own lament “Blues For Salmon Bay”, for Mop Street Records. Other related artists and songs include Roebuck “Country” Holmes with “Magnolia In The Pines”, Otis McClellan with “Otis' Mood” and Denny Palatine’s tribute to Joe McKroy, “Bug Out”.
“I Thought I Heard Elliott Bay” is the presentation of Raymond
Barrow’s story and the musical works mentioned. Brad Harrington
will read excerpts from the story. Legendary NW sound engineer
Kearney Barton will be announcing the song selections as radio
personality Barney K. The music will be performed by, Jack
Cook on guitar, jazzhorn & vocals, Hugh Sutton on piano, Al
Farlow on clarinet & baritone saxophone, Steve Branca on bass
and Dave Hudson on drums.
Photos from the show.
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