Eli Cook will drive from Virginia to spread his vision of the modern blues

/ February 10, 2015
(Photo by Kaya Lee Berne, from elicook.com)

(Photo by Kaya Lee Berne, from elicook.com)

Eli Cook will point his vehicle north come two weekends from now and be excited about meeting new people.

The solo trip from Virginia to Syracuse won’t be so bad when there’s a guitar in the back, songs in your heart and the tradition of a style of music to modernize and keep alive.

And all those new people to meet when you park your car.

I wrote a piece about the 29-year-old singer, songwriter and guitarist for livespaceentertainment.com. Show promoter Tom Honan has visions of making the site a meeting spot for people who love all sorts of music, and this is my first freelance article there.

You can read the story by clicking the link below.

http://livespaceentertainment.com/markBialczak.html

The deep-voiced and hard-thinking Cook was an interesting conversationalist.

“I love to reach out to new people,” Cook said over the phone last week, while he was taking a break between two separate rehearsals. “I think I’ll stop in Scranton to meet some people, fans and faces that I already know.

“But we’re all really buddies with the blues,” he said. “We bought the same records, so to speak. We love the same Stratacasters. The same E Majors. We have that in common right away.”

No, he’s never been to Syracuse before, and he knows the event is called the Snow Plow Music Festival. But life is a journey, isn’t it?

“You never know what to expect,” Cook says.

Snow Plow Music Festival Details

Eli Cook plays in Syracuse Feb. 20 as part of the first Snow Plow Blues Festival at The Palace Theatre on James Street. Doors open at 6 p.m. and music starts at 7 p.m.

Also on the bill are Syracue bands Los Blancos, the Carolyn Kelly Blues Band and Phil Petroff and Natural Fact, as well as the Woodstock area performers Professor Louie and the singer from his band Crowmatix, Miss Marie.

Tickets are $20.

They’re available at Sound Garden in Armory Square and online at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/1258137.

Here’s a link to my story here about the Snow Plow Blues Fest and Winterfest.

Here’s a link to my waer.org story about the Snow Plow Blues Fest.

Here’s a YouTube video of Eli Cook performing in concert.

Are you a fan of the blues music tradition? Who are your favorite blues performers? What are your favorite classic blues songs? Please explain.

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42 thoughts on “Eli Cook will drive from Virginia to spread his vision of the modern blues”

  2. I loved the comments of Eli Cook and your friends here, too. I love the blues, live especially. There was a local celebrity named, Willie Pooch and the Upsetters. They were really great and I got a chance to see them twice. I like Jeff Beck, Muddy Waters and also, though it may not be the blues, I like it when Huey Lewis and the News play some of their more serious songs. The saxophonist and the guitar work is good. Santana is a different kind of music, but he is so soulful I had to add him to my mixed up list here, Mark! smiles!

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    • Huey Lewis can play the blues when he wants to play the blues, Robin. Great list! I love the name of your local band. Willie Pooch and the Upsetters. Put that out on the sign and watch the parking lot fill up!

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  4. like the blues, but will need you to educate me. Went to a blue’s fest once, but not remembering who played. Read recently of a young performer who is trying to bring the blues back as he feels it is a dying art. Sounds like there are others who feel the same.

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    • The blues is part of America’s fabric and lore, Liz. Google Robert Johnson and get ready for some devilish reading. Young people need to keep the torch burning, and it’s great that some indeed are with talent and passion.

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  7. I love the packages gifts come in:). When I first saw him in the video still shot, I did not expect such a deep, big voice to come out of him. But it does! Thanks for the introduction, Mark:).

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  12. I know nothing of the blues (music-wise), but I do like this line: “I did my midnight revivals in a tent up in the back woods for all black crowds of Baptists getting rid of the devil,” Cook says.

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  13. Love, love, love the sound of Eli’s voice. Is he downloadable, I wonder? I’ll go check. My favorite blues singer is probably John Lee Hooker but that changes with my mood. As most things do….. Thanks for this post, Mark!!

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  14. Oh, this Eli Cook is a very talented young man isn’t he? I had never heard of him before, though I am out of touch with contemporary developments in music – very much so! You asked about readers favourites in the blues idiom Mark, so I offer one of mine here if I may. I am somewhat biased in this choice though, as my friend Jason is playing the keyboards:

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  15. Big fan of the Blues. I like most of the old timers. Howling Wolf, and Muddy Waters and others. My most favorite are Willie Dixon and B.B.King. This kid is pretty good. Even though he enunciates too well.

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