For more than a half century, John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers has been the launching pad/finishing school for some of the world’s most formidable guitarists: Eric Clapton, Peter Green, Mick Taylor, Harvey Mandel, Jon Mark, Walter Trout and many others have sharpened their chops and honed their sonic identities under the tutelage of the veteran bluesman. So when Mayall calls guitarist/vocalist Eli Cook “mystifying” and tags him as having a “truly unique style,” that is praise from the highest conceivable Blues echelon.
Not yet 30 years old, Cook has already notched some impressive stats. The Virginia native took up guitar as a teenager, lending his estimable acoustic guitar skills and distinctive baritone to church and revival services while working out his electric demons in every dive bar and juke joint that would book him. Read more in this week’s Sound Advice.
Eli Cook performs Sunday at Southgate House Revival. More info/tickets: southgatehouse.com.
This article appears in Jul 1-7, 2015.