Draft:Matthew Cook

• Comment: I have cleaned the AI formatting up for you. It is wise to check whether things look right. This did not. Now I can see clearly that it fails on referencing:
  For a living person we have a high standard of referencing. Every substantive fact you assert, especially one that is susceptible to potential challenge, requires a citation with a reference that is about them, and is independent of them, in multiple secondary sources which are WP:RS, and is significant coverage. Please also see WP:PRIMARY which details the limited permitted usage of primary sources and WP:SELFPUB which has clear limitations on self published sources. Providing sufficient references, ideally one per fact cited, that meet these tough criteria is likely to make this draft a clear acceptance (0.9 probability). Lack of them or an inability to find them is likely to mean that the person is not suitable for inclusion, certainly today. 🇵🇸‍🇺🇦 Fiddle^Timtrent Faddle^Talk to me 🇺🇦‍🇵🇸 21:44, 7 August 2026 (UTC)
• Comment: Retrieve date must be a specific day, not just a month, and should be used only when a URL is supplied, because it references the date you verified that the web page supports the claim that's referenced. No URL means no retrieve date. —Anomalocaris (talk) 22:49, 7 August 2026 (UTC)

Matthew Cook is an American solo pianist, composer, and recording artist based in Northern California. He is best known for his original instrumental piano compositions, which blend elements of blues, new age, jazz, and classical music, as well as his interpretations of contemporary, cinematic, and popular music standards.

Early life and education

Cook began his musical training as a classically trained pianist at the age of six, studying at the Cornish School of Fine Arts in Seattle, Washington. As a teenager, he expanded his musical scope beyond classical repertoire, performing in various country, rock, and reggae bands, alongside solo performances throughout Washington and Hawaii. In 1984, Cook relocated to Northern California to attend Humboldt State University (now California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt) as a piano major. During his time at the university, he began concentrating his musical focus primarily on solo piano performances.

Career

Cook has performed live music for over 50 years, establishing his musical career primarily within Humboldt County, California. For several years, he served as the regular house pianist for the historic Benbow Inn. He later transitioned to performing regular weekly solo piano sets at the Sunset Restaurant within the Cher-Ae Heights Casino complex. Additionally, he has performed live at regional community events, including the annual North Country Fair in Arcata, California.

Cook was interviewed regarding his musical career on the regional arts broadcast program Artwaves, hosted by journalist Wendy Butler, which aired on January 21, 2003.

Cook began his recording career in 1992 with the cassette release of his debut instrumental holiday album, The Sounding Joy, which was later remastered and reissued on CD in 2004. Following his debut, he released three subsequent cassette albums throughout the 1990s: Redwood Box (1994), Storm Warning (1995), and 1997 (1997). Material from these three independent cassette releases was later compiled, remastered, and officially consolidated into two CD releases through Arianna Recording: Summertime and The Rose and Other Love Songs.

In 1997, Cook also released the cover collection By Request, featuring piano arrangements of prominent film and stage music, which was remastered and reissued by Arianna Recording in 2002. He transitioned to original compositions with his 2001 release, Redwood Reflections, an album of twelve original piano solos inspired by the environment of Northern California. Music critic Kathy Parsons noted that the album demonstrated a wide range of playing styles, describing it as "full of energy" and blending genres from new age to rock.

In 2005, Cook expanded his catalog of interpretations by releasing Moondance through Arianna Recording. The twelve-track album highlighted his roots in rock and pop music, featuring solo piano interpretations of classic standards, including a jazzy arrangement of "She Came In Through the Bathroom Window" and three additional songs by The Beatles.

Cook releases his music through the label Arianna Recording. In 2020, he began writing theme music for an online video series called 2 Cooks in the Kitchen, which he hosts with his wife Kelly.

Discography

Studio Albums and Compilations

• The Sounding Joy (1992 cassette, 2004 remastered CD)
• Redwood Box (1994 cassette)
• Storm Warning (1995 cassette)
• 1997 (1997 cassette)
• By Request (1997 cassette, 2002 remastered CD)
• Redwood Reflections (2001 CD)
• Stormy Weather (2002 CD)
• Summertime (2003 CD; compiling material from 1990s cassette sessions)
• The Rose & Other Love Songs (2003 CD; compiling material from 1990s cassette sessions)
• Moondance (2005 CD)
• Over the Rainbow (2007 CD)
• Relaxing Piano Music (2019 CD/Digital)
• Portraits and Landscapes: Relaxing Piano Music, Vol. II (2020 CD/Digital)

Singles and EPs

• "Echoes" (2014)
• "Laurey's Song (Passage 1972)" (2018)
• "Lift Each Other Up" (2018)
• "2 Cooks in the Kitchen Theme Song" (2022)
• Stranger Places (EP, 2023)
• "Circle Dance" (Live) (2026)

External links

• Official website
• Matthew Cook at Apple Music
• Matthew Cook on Spotify
• Category:Living people Category:American male pianists Category:American classical pianists Category:21st-century American pianists Category:20th-century American pianists Category:Living people Category:American male pianists Category:American classical pianists Category:21st-century American pianists Category:20th-century American pianists

Category:Living people Category:American male pianists Category:American classical pianists Category:21st-century American pianists Category:20th-century American pianists