Band Bio

Gypsy Jazz is a music both joyous and sad, timeless and modern. It was born from a marriage of Louis Armstrong’s trumpet with the anguished sound of Romany violin and the fire of Flamenco guitar. This Music was created by legendary French gypsy guitar virtuoso, Django Reinhardt and his Quintette Du Hot Club De France, amidst the glamour of Jazz Age Paris. Reaching a peak during the horrors of World War II, Gypsy Jazz gave a voice to a dispossessed people. Today, Gypsy Jazz is more popular than ever. It has a legacy as strong as the Cuban sounds of the Buena Vista Social Club, the Blues of B.B. King and the R&B of Ray Charles. Building on this legacy, The Cook Trio brings the past and the future together with their unique music.

Formed in April of 2005, Central Florida’s The Cook Trio, consists of Ian Cook, Jason Cook and Kyle Jones. Brothers, Ian and Jason grew up in a musical family. From a very young age, their professional entertainer parents exposed them to a wide variety of music and the performing arts. Their shared love of Gypsy Jazz has afforded them the perfect fit for collaborating musically. This acoustic group performs traditional Gypsy and classic American Jazz standards, as well as original compositions, all in the Gypsy Jazz style. Paying homage to American Jazz legends such as John Coltrane, Miles Davis and Thelonius Monk, The Cook Trio’s unique approach to this music is characterized by both song selection and their use of tempo and dynamic variations to achieve greater emotional effect.

Jason Cook is a native of central Florida who grew up in the performing arts community. He has concentrated his musical studies on guitar for the last 23 years. While he has explored several musical styles and is an accomplished electric bass player, his greatest love is Jazz guitar. Jason has been fortunate enough to have studied and performed with some of the finest Jazz musicians, along with several masters of the Gypsy Jazz style. Jason plays Dell Arte Homage #1202, a long scale Petite-Bouche built by John Kinnard in 2007 and Favino #878, a long scale Petite-Bouche built by Jean-Pierre in 1983. In addition to performing with the Trio, Jason teaches private students and is an audio engineer.

Kyle Jones is originally from Baltimore, MD, but has lived in the Orlando area since 1986. He first studied music at age twelve under Latin Jazz guitarist, Rich Zellon. Playing both bass and guitar, Kyle has performed throughout the U.S. and Canada with bands of many musical styles. The music of Django Reinhardt has been his favorite since first hearing him when in middle school. He plays a Poplar Deluxe from Upton Bass.

Ian Cook, also a native of central Florida, is formally trained as a percussionist. He began his study of music at age twelve. He has toured extensively from coast to coast performing as a professional drummer. He was introduced to Gypsy Jazz by Jason, who also trained him in Jazz guitar. His background in percussion has provided a solid foundation for Gypsy Jazz rhythm. Ian Plays Dell Arte Homage #1060, a long scale Grande-Bouche built by John Kinnard in 2005 and Favino #1006, a long scale Grande-Bouche built by Jean-Pierre in 1988. As well as performing with the Trio, Ian is a Production Designer. His work is visible locally in Brevard, at the Cocoa Village Playhouse and the King Center.