Room For It All: Braxton Cook Previews ‘Newport at 70’

As the legendary Newport Jazz Festival turns seventy years old, it is all too easy to look back at the ages passed and the brilliant artists who made their way to the City by the Sea. However, sole nostalgia does little to push the music forward. That is not to say that lessons should not be taken from the ancestors. Nor is it to minimize the importance of the continued contributions of the art form’s elders. However, it is the voices of the young artists who provide a glimpse of the future. The Newport Jazz Festival has long understood the importance of presenting younger artists. This summer’s lineup is a testament to that perspective. However, in case someone did not get the memo, here comes the special group titled Newport at 70. Consisting of Braxton Cook, Giveton Gelin, Savannah Harris, Aneesa Strings, Caelan Cardello, Nicole Glover, Jazzmeia Horn, and Elena Pinderhughes, Newport at 70 is a veritable cadre of Millennial and Zoomer musical heavyweights. What makes the group particularly interesting, however, lies less in the years they have been on earth and more in the diversity of their paths of artistic development. Cook is an excellent example.

Growing up more on R&B and gospel, there is a smoothness and soulfulness to the Juilliard-trained multi-instrumentalist’s sound than is typically found in most “jazz.” His background in this other music inevitably shines through whatever his tool of choice, whether alto saxophone, guitar, or vocals. In addition to records under his own name, Cook’s credits include a self-released collaboration with his fellow MDCVAers Butcher Brown and several albums by Chief Adjuah [formerly known as Christian Scott], including Stretch Music (2015). He has also toured with Christian McBride, Jon Batiste, and Marquis Hill. In 2018, Ebony Magazine named him one of the Top Five Jazz Artists to Watch, alongside Robert Glasper, Kamasi Washington, Butcher Brown, and Kris Bowers. Cook is also deeply ingrained in the pop scene, having worked with artists like Rihanna and Solange Knowles. Recently, he has also been providing samples for pop artists. He recently won Grammy Awards for Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album for producer credits for a clip provided to Taylor Swift, which provided a beat on her song “Lavender Haze” [Midnights (Republic, 2022)]. We sat down with Cook to discuss his music and preview Newport at 70.

PostGenre: This summer at Newport, you will perform in a group called Newport at 70… 

Braxton Cook: I’m so honored to be part of this festival. It’s crazy. A  dream. 

PG: You have played at Newport before, though.

BC: Yeah, yeah. But as a sideman. So, I’m making my way up the ranks. I’ve never had my name on the bill separately before. So that’s kind of cool. In the past, I’ve played as a sideman at Newport with Christian Scott [ed. Note: now known as Chief Adjuah] in 2016, Marquis Hill’s Blacktet in 2018, and maybe someone else.

PG: Possibly Christian McBride’s Big Band in 2017?

BC: Dang, did I do that? Oh, snap. I did play a few shows with Christian McBride’s Big Band around that time. I know we played at [Jazz at Lincoln Center’s] Dizzy’s [Club], but I can’t remember if we did Newport too. Maybe we did. Forgive me if we did, and I just forgot that one. I definitely remember doing Dizzy’s with Christian. 

PG: Cool. So, even before you started as a sideman at Newport, do you remember the first time you ever learned about the Festival? 

BC: Oh my gosh. Probably through Cannonball Adderley’s live recordings. There is a video of him playing with a big band in 1960. I remember finding that on YouTube years ago and becoming curious about the Festival. 

I also vaguely remember my dad playing [John] Coltrane’s  [Newport ‘63 (Impulse!, 1993)] when I was in middle school. I wasn’t really into it at the time. But maybe seven years later, when I made it to Juilliard, I fell in love with that recording. I used to play it all the time. One of the cadenzas put me into a certain kind of headspace. But to answer your question, I guess I first became aware of Newport in middle school. Every once in a while since then, I would stumble upon incredible live recordings from there by some of my favorite musicians. Those recordings have helped shape my understanding of the gravity of this festival and what it means for jazz and this art form. 

PG: Do you have any memories from your times as a sideman there?

BC: Yeah. I remember my first time playing with Christian Scott. A few months before our performance, I found out we were playing at Newport. I wanted to understand what stage we would be playing on and remember checking out his live recording at Newport [Live at Newport (Concord, 2008)] and the live videos with Jamire [Williams] and Walter [Scott III]. My performance with him was the first time he had brought his band with me, Corey [Fonville], and the younger guys to Newport and not a band of his peers. I felt the gravity of that and wanted to sound good. I do remember playing that time. It wasn’t the main stage. 

PG: It was the Harbor Stage. 

BC: Exactly. And It was awesome. It was an honor to play there, and it was an epic, epic day. I remember it being very hot out, but the whole experience was incredible. And being able to check out all of the legends and other artists I loved at this festival was an incredible experience. 

PG: The group sounded fantastic, too. It was very different from what Christian Scott/Chief Adjuah presented at the now-defunct Waterside Stage in 2008, but excellent, regardless.

BC: Wait, what? Were you there in 2008?

PG: Yup. Been going to Newport for twenty years and loved the performance you took part in back in 2016. 

BC: That means a lot. It was so interesting being in that kind of transitional phase in that moment of [Chief Adjuah’s] career with his peers stepping off and doing their own thing. He was rebuilding, essentially. To be a part of helping to rebuild was very cool. Glad you dug it. 

PG: Yeah. So, as far as Newport at 70, how did the group come together? 

BC: Christian McBride hand-picked this band. I’m not 100% sure, but I think picking who would be in the group was a matter of him choosing some young musicians who he’s either worked with or otherwise been in contact with. Christian and I recently reconnected because we both played on the album of a singer out here in [Los Angeles] named Sage Bava. He sent me a message after our session saying that he liked my playing. He told me I sounded like a young Kenny Garrett. That was earlier this year, and it may have played a hand in my being in mind when he decided to put together this band of young musicians. And before I knew it, I got on this bill. It’s cool. 

PG: You have also played with some of the other members of Newport at 70 for a long time. Elena Pinderhughes played flute with you in Chief Adjuah’s band, for one.

BC: Yeah, I have known pretty much everyone in the group for a long time now. Jazzmeia [Horn] and I go back to high school when we did Grammy Band together.

As far as Elena, we go way, way back. Her brother, Samora [Pinderhughes], and I went to school together. Samora is even the reason I applied to Juilliard. I was at Georgetown [University], about to go down a whole other path, and Samora called me on my birthday and told me I should come and apply to transfer to Juilliard and to just see what happens. I got in, and then we became good friends. Then Elena sat in with us in Christian Scott’s band at the Jazz Standard, back in 2014 and blew everyone away. And that was the beginning of that relationship. 

As far as Aneesa [Strings], we crossed paths in the Bay [Area] a lot. Same with Savannah [Harris]. Savannah used to sit in with Christian [McBride’s Big Band], and then we used to do Jazz at Lincoln Center and Jazz for Young People gigs with her. She’s great. Also a hilarious person with a very vibrant personality. She’s grown into such a dynamic, and amazing artful drummer and musician. 

I got to know Giveton [Gelin] in New York. He is an incredible musician. He has a beautiful tone that kind of comes out of Roy [Hargrove]. He’s also a historian. I love that he’s so invested in interviews, meeting people, and discussing the history of the art because I think that’s all very important too. And I think Giveton and I blend well too because he’s got a tone that is somewhat similar to Marquis [Hill]’s darker tone. And, Marquis, man, he has one of the most buttery trumpet tones I’ve heard. So, I think on the front line, it’s going to sound very nice.  It feels like it’s going to be a very fun gig. 

PG: Will you be playing most originals or standards?

BC: I’m curious about that too. We need to figure that out. But I think the plan is to do a blend of the originals and standards. I know we have a rehearsal scheduled for a few days before the performance and need to figure out exactly what the repertoire will be. Hopefully, everybody will come together.

I’m going to have a conversation with Nicole Glover, who’s helping to lead this, and we’re going to figure out what direction we’re going to go in. But I think it’d be cool to do some covers or standards that were iconic to Newport. We want to create an atmosphere where everyone feels like they’re in their comfort zone, but also one that speaks to Newport’s legacy while featuring ourselves in the best light. 

PG: OK. And what do you feel Newport at 70 most adds to the Festival’s lineup?

BC: I think, to be 100% honest, the group is a sign of where the art form is headed. Everybody in it is a leader in their own right. We each go in somewhat different directions, but that shows the breadth of this music and the diversity of the people who have studied it, love it, and seek to honor it. I think we’re all pushing the art form in our own different ways. But you can still hear and see our influences. They’re very apparent, and you can hear them in what we will make.

PG: As far as your own influences, you started with R&B music and made your way into jazz from there. Do you feel your perspective is different from someone who started in jazz? 

BC: Sure, yeah. I went to school with a bunch of people who grew up with jazz. When they were ten years old, they were listening to jazz. That wasn’t necessarily my experience. We heard it growing up, but my parents put it on mostly around the holidays. It wasn’t as much of a constant presence as it was for some people. 

And because of that, my perspective is different. From growing up on soul, R&B, and gospel, there is a soulfulness and confidence in that music that my ear gravitates towards. Those types of music also all speak to a certain experience, and I think that perspective, along with those of my bandmates, will add something to the performance. That is the beautiful thing about this art form; there is room for it all. It’s beautiful when you can see and feel different cultures melding together through the music. We’ll come together, and our influences will coalesce into something unique. 

PG: You are a multi-instrumentalist and, also, a vocalist. Do you think you will be playing multiple roles in Newport at 70, or will you be solely playing the saxophone?

BC: Fair, Fair. I mean, I won’t be playing flute with Elena on stage, you know? I’m gonna leave that to her. With this group, I think I’m probably going to stick close to the saxophone. If I do sing, it may just be in the background or something where Jazzmeia is featured. I think all the bases are covered here, as far as everyone staying in their lane. I’ll talk to Nicole and see which direction she wants to go. If there are any more contemporary songs that she wants to try, then I may lend my voice in that direction and sing with Elena – she sings her ass off. She’s incredible. So we’ll see. 

PG: What got you into playing so many different ones instead of focusing solely on the saxophone?

BC: Well, I started on piano. My mom played some classical piano, and she’s really good. She got me and all my brothers – I have three of them – all studying some piano when we were young. So, the piano was my first instrument and still the one I use the most to write music. 

As far as woodwinds are concerned, I’m really just a doubler. However, I love the flute probably more than the clarinet. I have a flute on my desk right now that I kind of keep around.

And singing has always been something that my family does. My parents, especially my dad, are always singing. We grew up in church, so everybody in our family sings a little. Singing has always been a part of my writing process. Everything I do, I try to sing. 

PG: As far as growing up in the church,  your father was even a pastor.

BC: Yeah, my dad went to divinity school and all that. 

PG: How do you see your music as an expression of your faith? 

BC: Oh man, it’s everything. My faith is in my music, maybe not so overtly, but I feel like you can really hear it. If you listen to a song like “Hymn (for  Trayvon Martin,” you very much hear that gospel influence. I even have a tune called “The Gospel,” which is a little more on the nose. My upbringing in the church has played a huge part in my music, from my sound to the harmonic and melodic choices that I make. 

But I also think there are a lot of artists from the Maryland and Virginia area, where you can hear a lot of that influence in their sound. It’s something in the water. People forget we are technically from the South, so often, our music has a weight to it that sometimes isn’t as heady as you’ll hear from musicians from elsewhere. When I listen to someone like Brent Birkhead, Kris Funn, or other cats from Maryland or Virginia, they have a little bit of a soulful churchy thing in their sound.  I think that aspect is very integral to our area. 

PG: Where does the guitar enter into your music?

BC: Eventually, as I’ve started delving more into songwriting and production, I’ve naturally gravitated towards the guitar, bass, and other instruments that produce the sounds that I’m hearing in my head. Those other instruments come about solely by necessity and my genuine interest in learning a new instrument. That was especially true during the pandemic. I used most of that time to learn guitar, explore production, and compose. It’s always been exciting to delve into that space. 

PG: During the pandemic, you also made a fantastic Tiny Desk performance that was you solo on all instruments. Have you ever considered releasing a solo album? 

BC: Thanks, man. I would be into it. Actually, I just finished a month-long solo tour opening for R&B artist, Jeff Bernat. Before that, I had never done a solo show, so I was very nervous at first. But after a few shows, it was very gratifying knowing I could at least do thirty-something minutes, hold an audience’s attention, and perform in some fashion. I would be into recording a solo album, for sure. 

PG: A little while ago, you mentioned your production work. This is a bit of a random question, but how did you get producer credit on a Taylor Swift album?

BC: [laughing] Oh, that is random. That was random how that happened. A lot of my production credits are through my friends, like the stuff with Jon Batiste. Jon and I went to school together.

But the bigger production credits often come through my best friend Jahaan Sweet. Jahaan and I were roommates at Juilliard. He studied piano and was amazing. Like, for real. One of the best at our school. But very quickly, maybe our sophomore year, he was over playing piano and started spending every night doing production work at incredible placements. Even while we were in school, he worked with people like Ty Dolla Sign and Kehlani. His opportunities only got bigger as soon as we graduated in 2015. So he moved out to [Los Angeles] and immediately started working up the ranks, working with Drake and Kendrick [Lamar]. He is working with the top 1% of the music industry. Which gets to the Taylor thing.

Jahaan knows Sounwave and, through him, got into that circle with Jack Antonoff and Taylor. Taylor was looking for a more urban sound, something with hard-hitting drums. They enlisted Sounwave to find a beat. He asked Jahaan for some ideas, and Jahaan asked if I had anything that would work in the pop space. So, I sent him a demo called “Don’t Wanna See You.” I came up with it because I had a [Fender] Rhodes in my apartment, was messing around with it, and made a little beat. I recorded some vocals to it and sent it over to Jahaan. It makes it to Sounwave, who used it as the beat on Taylor’s “Lavender Haze.” 

PG: And you even won a Grammy [Award] for your contribution to the album

BC: Yeah, which is wild because I almost didn’t get credit at all. I recorded the demo in 2018, and, years later, in 2021 or 2022, Taylor’s record was coming out and they were pulling together the credits for who was on it. Sounwave said it was Jahaan on all the beats, but Jahaan corrected him and told him, “Oh, no, my boy, Braxton, sent me that vocal sample on ‘Lavender Haze.’” He fought for me to get credit. There was some pressure on Jahaan to get my name off the record, but he said, “No, either put Braxton’s name on it or take all of my stuff off.” It came down to the last minute whether my name would be on the record. At about 11:30 at night, right when they were about to press the album to vinyl, Jahaan got a call, and they said they were going to put my name on it. It was wild. It was very cool, though. Very cool. 

PG: That is awesome that Jahaan was so willing to stand up for you. There are so many instances, less so now than once was the case, where someone is sampled, and they do not receive full credit for their work.

BC: Bro, I’m saying that doesn’t happen. It’s incredibly rare to be given credit, man. It was a blessing to receive credit. But Jahaan has been incredible. And he continues to be. We’re still working together and have been doing a bunch of sessions. I like writing and producing for other people. I like to write things that don’t necessarily fit my artistic project but sound good for other people. It’s been a very cool muscle to flex and to be able to develop that side of my artistry, too. 

PG: So, you mentioned your solo tour, working with Jahaan, and writing for others. What else are you working on now? 

BC: Oh man, I’ve got a new EP coming out called “My Everything.” I’m excited about it. It drops on November 1st. Or, at least, that’s the plan. It will have four songs – two vocal and two acoustic live band songs.

The EP will be part of a larger LP that I’m dropping next year. I wanted to roll the LP out in a series of EPs that would also help promote live touring. The plan is to do an Asia tour this September, shortly thereafter, we go to Europe in November. We will drop the EP, go to Europe, and probably have another EP in Q1 next year. Then we will do some more US touring and release the full LP probably next summer. I’m excited. But before then, I can’t wait to see what we can do with Newport at 70.

Catch Braxton Cook with Newport at 70 at the Newport Jazz Festival on Sunday, August 4, 2024. More information on the Festival can be found here. We will be providing live coverage of the event. You can read more about Braxton Cook  on https://www.braxtoncook.com/his website.