Mississippi State University’s Lyceum Series will kick off Thursday with Juno Award-winning performer Jesse Cook. The concert will be held in the Colvard Union ballroom at 7:30 p.m.
Cook, a Canadian guitarist, mixes the genres of rumba and flamenco with his music to create a type of world-music that will bring a little something different to Starkville.
“Jesse plays new age world music that is pretty much straight guitar music,” Lyceum Series graduate assistant Sarah Tipton said. “He blends all sorts of folk, Middle Eastern and Spanish music together to get a very unique sound.”
Cook’s emphasis of rumba and flamenco in his music has been described as a sensual and soulful music fusion. Cook has even been called The Flamenco Master by some Canadian critics.
This will be the first of six shows that the Lyceum Series will bring to the MSU campus. The program’s mission is to bring different cultural elements to the campus that students wouldn’t normally see. It also gives students the opportunity to delve into fine arts.
“It is geared toward the students, and other people in the community are more than welcome to come,” Tipton said. “We normally have international acts that come in, as well as other acts around the country. This season is going to be really great.”
Cook started playing guitar at the age of 3 and studied at prominent music schools including the Eli Kassner Academy, the Royal Conservatory of Canada, York University and the Berklee College of Music. He is well known around Canada, Asia and several spots around the United States. Cook has sold more than a million albums worldwide and was awarded one platinum and four gold records for his best-selling albums, which were recorded in places such as London, Cairo and Madrid. Cook takes old-age genres and mixes them with world influences from places such as these. He received a Juno Award in Canada at a ceremony similar to the American Music Awards.
This will be Cook’s first visit to Mississippi, but he is no stranger to college audiences.
“I have given concerts in many university halls, and not too long ago I performed at the University of Western Illinois,” Cook said. “I find that they can be sort of open to new sounds and new ideas. There is an excitement of covering new ground that university students seem to get right away,” he said.
Cook said he knows that many of today’s college students are only familiar with the radio station Top 40 playlist. He stressed the importance of students having a broader scope of music.
“I am somebody who doesn’t fit into that mainstream Top 40 category,” he said. “I think that is a very narrow window. Music can be so diverse and compelling, but all we often hear is whatever the latest pop star’s song is. In some cases, I think that does a disservice to the public.”
Cook added that he hopes students come with an interest and an open mind.
Tipton said the Lyceum Series coordinators are looking forward to creating an opportunity for students to witness world music that can be both enlightening and enthralling.
“I’m very pleased and excited to have such an enthralling and charismatic performer coming to campus, bringing a completely different experience that students are not use to seeing at local night spots,” she said. “I think it is going to be a great show, and I really encourage people to come.”
“People can feel free to get up and dance and do whatever,” Cook said. It’s a bit of a party, so bring your dance shoes, go crazy and make some noise.”
Tickets for the general admission program are available at www.ticketweb.com or at the door. Prices are $15 for adults, $10 for senior citizens (65 and over by request) and $8 for children 3-12.
MSU students may attend at no charge with student identification.
For information about the Lyceum Series, call 325-4201 or visit the program’s Web site at www.msstate.edu/dept/lyceum.