When Phil Cook isn't touring the world with his genre-blending folk band Megafaun, he's on the porch. Specifically, the sunny porch of his North Carolina home, playing acoustic guitar while Willie, his loyal dog, lays by. Cook was raised on piano, taking lessons for over 20 years, but nonetheless found himself inescapably drawn to the iconic instruments of folk music: dobro, banjo, acoustic guitar. He began exploring the finger-picking and slide styles of the blues and country records of the early 20th century; learned by ritual rather than formal education. Relocating from his birthstate of Wisconsin to the South further immersed Cook in the rich traditions of American folk, as he absorbed the vernacular music that created and reflected the culture of the region around him.
Hungry Mother Blues was recorded in a single day in the back room of Cook's house, during a rare North Carolina ice storm. The immediacy, intimacy and intensity of the performances have little to hide behind, as every song incorporates a single instrument in all of its vulnerable glory (with the occasional addition of Cook's tapping feet). Cook manages to draw out the emotional resonance of each instrument, with finger-picked compositions that sound like lost classics of the southern musical canon. Each song on Hungry Mother Blues is dedicated to someone in Cook's life, whether it be a friend, a bandmate or even Cook's unborn child. Devoid of lyrics, the compositions function as instrumental love letters to people around him.
Cook joins an exciting class of modern musicians who are carrying the torch of authentic folk music. Playing from the heart while keeping reverence for this country's history is indelibly present in Cook's tender and patient compositions.
Hungry Mother Blues will be released on May 10, 2011 in Trekky Records' signature 3-part package, including a vinyl record, a CD and an MP3 download.
Phil Cook and His Feat - Hungry Mother Blues Order LP/CD/MP3.
