Brax Stax: Braxton Cook

Braxton Cook's musical influence and influences on music are almost as interchangeable as his gifts. He can summon John Coltrane and Frank Ocean within the same 4-bar phrase, his saxophone, voice, and keys sliding effortlessly between soul and jazz and cosmic R&B. A graduate of Juilliard, Cook's skills on the saxophone and polymath perspective give him an inimitable sound. That sound has garnered him respect from his contemporaries, as well as a spot on a Grammy-nominated record with trumpeter Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah, tours with Tom Misch, collaborations with Mac Ayres, and a feature on NPR's Tiny Desk series. He has his own thing to say the least, and we recorded that thing faithfully. He put his saxophone through the paces, then pulled out a Prophet-8 and a Wulitzer and went wild. The resulting loops and one-shots of sax, synth, voice, and flute have a focus that goes well with in hip hop, neo-soul, R&B, jazz, or cinematic productions.