Saxophonist and singer Braxton Cook combines the spontaneous freedom of jazz improvisation with warm, soulful R&B melody lines infused with the energy of funk and the intensity of hip hop. This fresh and inventive sound has enabled the young American virtuoso to create his own genre: Future Jazz Soul, as he calls it. It’s a logical and organic blend of styles when you remember that both John Coltrane and Frank Ocean were great sources of inspiration for the Maryland-raised musician. At a young age, Cook learned the tricks of the trade from another jazz heavyweight: trumpeter Christian Scott. While Cook was still studying, Scott asked him to join him on tour. Cook’s breakthrough as a solo artist came in 2017 with Somewhere In Between and he then started to conquer the world in his own right. No Doubt (2018) was the next step in the career of this unique, progressive musician and that album earned him a well-deserved spot at the festival.
