Review Summary: This collection is for those who are looking for a truly unique musical experience, for those who enjoy clever, energetic, seductive, sensual instrumental music and for those who just want to add some sexy exotic vibes around the house!
I have listened to many instrumental albums over the years but none as passionate and intense as any one of Jesse Cook’s studio albums. The Ultimate Jesse Cook is a two-disc, 26 song set, summarizing well the career of this Canadian guitar virtuoso. Each disc contains one vocal song amongst all the instrumentals. Disc one has “Early On Tuesday” which features Sammy Llamas from BoDeans. Disc two contains a cover of Crowded House’s “Fall At Your Feet” with Danny Wilde of the Rembrandt’s lending his vocal talents to the track.
Jesse Cook mixes rumba with flamenco to create musical magic. You’ll find him using acoustic guitars, bass, percussions, synthesizers and samplers to create his music. Jesse Cook is very much the adventurous type, mixing exotic Middle Eastern influences with violins and other percussion instruments such as djembes and guiro to create more seductive melodies. Check out “That’s Right,” “Red”, "Bagdad" and “Allegretto” for a taste of what I’m talking about here.
Some of the highlights are the more up-tempo tracks such as “Mario Takes a Walk”, “Tempest”, "Switchback", “Rattle and Burn”, “Breeze from Sainte Maries” and “Dance of Spring.” In fact, I prefer the up-tempo nature of his music rather than the softer, moodier and more romantic pieces such as “Paloma”, "Cascada" and “Azul.”
This compilation contains but one live track from his 2004 Montreal show: “Closer to Madness.” The remainder of this two-disc set is compiled from music that we find on all five of his studio albums. Everything is not laid out in chronological order either. It all plays out like an original piece of work. The interesting thing is, throughout his five studio albums, Cook added a touch of whatever world beat influences that crossed his path to help keep his music from becoming predictable. So, in part, that probably explains why this Ultimate Jesse Cook collection works.
