JAZZ@theEDGE FESTIVAL

3 seating options: 7:00pm, 8:30pm, & 10:15. Doors open 30 minutes early.

TICKET AVAILABILITY:  IF SELECTED TICKETS ARE “SOLD OUT”, PLEASE CHECK AVAILABILITY FOR ANOTHER TIME AND ANOTHER SEATING TYPE

Braxton Cook (saxophone/vocals)
Andrew Renfroe (guitar)
Paul Cornish (piano)
Jonathan Pinson (drums)

Braxton Cook is an Emmy Award Winning Artist and one of this generation’s most exciting emerging voices in the Jazz world. Not only does he exhibit world-class virtuosity on the alto saxophone, but he is also a uniquely talented vocalist, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and composer whose sound blends Jazz, Soul, and Alternative R&B into a fresh new sound all his own.  Braxton has played with Christian Scott Atunde Adjuah, Christian McBride, Jon Batiste, and many others.

After releasing his debut EP and a highly acclaimed project “Braxton Cook Meets Butcher Brown”, Braxton released his debut album “Somewhere In Between”. It has amassed millions of streams and downloads on Spotify and Apple Music and has garnered praise by musicians, listeners and critics alike:  “the album demonstrates unmatched flexibility by merging multiple genres into an ardent, passionate and soul-filled project.”  Ebony Magazine listed Braxton as “Top 5 Jazz Artists to Watch” alongside Robert Glasper, Kamasi Washington Butcher Brown and Kris Bowers.  Other critics have called Braxton a “jazz marvel” and “jazz prodigy”.  Braxton released his second album “No Doubt” in late 2018, which debuted at #2 on iTunes Jazz Charts and has amassed more than 6M streams on Spotify.  During the pandemic he released “Fire Sign” which attracted more than 1M streams in the first weeks.

He’s performed with Rihanna, Solange Knowles, Phony Ppl, and with Tom Misch at Coachella.  He appeared with Quincy Jones at The Shed and has performed at the North Sea Jazz Festival, the Montreux Jazz Festival, at the venerable Ronnie Scotts in London, and at other festivals and venues all over the world.

Braxton Cook is a jazz artist on the move.

The Black Cat Is Curious…

(9 questions, of course, with a bonus 10th)

1.  What things are inspiring your creative energy in this moment?
The things that inspire my creativity in this current moment is my family. My wife and I recently had a son about 6 weeks ago. They are inspiration and motivation.
2.  What music have you been listening to recently?

I’ve been listening to mostly RnB, Hip Hop and Jazz lately. Yesterday for example, I listened to Tyler the Creator’s most recent album “Call Me If You Get Lost,” to a Mereba’s album “Gold,” and then to Kenny Garrett’s “Triology.”

3.  What set you on your life’s path in music?
I’ve always had a profound love for music since I was a kid. I believe I fell in love with the saxophone and jazz music in high school after discovering Charlie Parker and Cannonball Adderley. I became obsessed with Bebop and the pioneers of that style of music.

4.  What artist (living or dead) would you like to share a stage with for one night, and why?
I’d love to share the stage with Coltrane and his quartet with Mccoy, Jimmy Garrison, and Elvin Jones. I would have loved to witness the spiritual energy that I’ve felt through recordings in a live scenario. Coltrane’s music has inspired me so much during my formative years and during my career. Seeing and hearing his band live would be life changing.

5.  Your favorite vinyl is spinning.  What are you drinking?
An old fashioned or a Syrah.

6.  Likely there are many…but name one person/place/thing that has helped shape you as an artist?I think my 5 year stint touring with Christian Scott and his sextet helped to shape me a lot. I learned so much about the music business from Christian and I’ve learned about putting together an album and a show. Christian is truly a visionary and brilliant guy. My time in his band was priceless.

7.  You get one album to take to your desert island.  Name it.
Cannonball Adderley Sextet Live in San Francisco.

8.  What is a musical or creative moment you’ll always remember?
I’ll always remember the time when Wynton Marsalis came to my high school to conduct a Masterclass. He singled me out and gave me words of encouragement at a time in my development where I really needed a push. After that moment, I put in countless hours of practice which ultimately brought me to this point in my career.

9.  We’re stoked to have you on stage at Black Cat!  What are you envisioning for your time with us?
I’ve never done multiple nights at a club in a row, so I’m looking forward to really exploring the different possibilities in the music and sets.
During these 3 nights, I envision a packed room and very warm and receptive audience. I hope to connect with the audience and that people leave feeling lighter, energized and inspired despite the turbulent times we are living in.

10.  The Pandemic has affected all of us.  How has it affected both you personally and your music?
The pandemic has affected every aspect of my life. 2020 tour dates and masterclasses were canceled. (Black Cat SF residency in March 2020 was one of those tour dates). Many of my musical projects were postponed and this has created some financial stress. Despite all of the bad that has come out of this pandemic, I’m fortunate to have never gotten Covid-19 and none of my family members have either. For that, I’m very blessed to be alive and healthy. Things will never be exactly the same as they were in 2019 but we have an opportunity to make things even better.