"Your ears will not be bored with Emma Cook's sultry voice, witty lyrics, and artisan acoustics. .... 'Hit & Run' would play seamlessly in any coffeehouse anywhere in the world. It could easily take the edge off the strongest barista dealt buzz and sedate you with a false sense of coffeehouse coolness." METRO SPIRIT/Augusta, GA, 2009
Since the release of 2008 Ontario Independent Music Award nominee Emma Cook’s debut album "Manifesto," Emma has been rapidly garnering attention on the folk rock scene in Canada. Her second release “Hit & Run” (2009) has had her busy touring both across Canada and the USA, with dates at SXSW, NYC’s famed Bitter End and Cape May Singer Songwriter Conference. Emma has had official showcases during Canadian Music Week, Indie Week and had her NXNE debut in 2007. She has also played notable performances at the renowned Hugh’s Room in Toronto, The Black Sheep Inn in Wakefield, and as part of the Skylark Folk Series in NYC.
The combination of her classically trained songbirds voice and self taught percussive guitar accompaniment is a unique treat, being compared to artists such as Joni Mitchell, Ani Difranco and Martha Wainwright, although more commonly described as having a sound all her own. Witty, vibrant and outspoken, Emma gives audiences a live show to remember. Rarely do you find a young artist with so much charisma and raw talent.
In April 2007 Emma received an Ontario Arts Council grant for a popular music recording. Written and co-produced by Emma, both of her albums have garnered fantastic reviews and sought the attention of campus radio, CBC and the Verge on XM Satellite Radio. Most recently the Ontario Arts Council again backed the young artist again, awarding her an International touring grant which took her from Toronto down to Mississippi and back in Feb and March 2009. Due to continuous touring, Emma recently said goodbye to her “day job” and is heading across Canada and back with 30 dates in 32 days in April before she heads across the pond for her first U.K tour in May 2009.
“This fun album has personality written all over it…She has fun with lyrics, and plays around with her beautiful vocal abilities. Cook’s folky, country sound with a pop, is something fans will soon fall in love with.”
LUCID FORGE – Canadian Entertainment Magazine, July 2008
“Emma Cook can be a jazzy hipster a la Rickie Lee Jones, an eclectic avant-folkie like Joni Mitchell, or a soulful ingénue of the Dusty Springfield school. She takes the best of my heroines and gives us Hit & Run.”
MUSES MUSE, Washington, June 2008
“Emma Cook has a lovely voice, in places reminiscent of Ani Difranco’s girly growl, but mostly a soulful croon that slides effortlessly across genres she fuses on her sophomore release, Hit & Run—a little jazz and blues feeling with touch of cabaret…”
VUE WEEKLY, Edmonton, June 2008
“It’s been four years since folk-rock artist Emma Cook recorded a studio album but she hasn’t forgotten how to do it well. More than the music, which is very good, Hit & Run showcases the singer’s personality. That would be edgy with a capital E. It works for her.”
MY KAWARTHA, Peterborough, May 2008
“Cook has impressively managed to maintain a very raw and natural sound despite years of classical training. She has also managed to avoid a pre-packaged sound to come up with something all her own.”
CLINTON NEWS-RECORD, Ontario, May 2008
“Toronto-based folkie Emma Cook sings like an angel…It’s tough not to be won over by Cook’s luminous approach to crafting songs – a refreshing change of pace when so many artists try so hard to be, well, pretty much the same.”
RED DEER EXPRESS, Alberta, April 2008
You're welcome! Can't wait for the show. It's just *so* unfortunate that George W. won't be there to hear "This War"! (ha ha) Is it going to be on the set list?! Peace
Hey, I'm really digging the tunes. Especially "Coffee Shop Girl" The horn section is really tight, and you have an excellent voice! I'll definitely be checking out your album when it drops. Will it be on iTunes?
If I may waste your time with some promotion: I'd really appreciate it if you'd check out my musical project "Ben and Lauren" you can find us at http://www.myspace.com/soaresandstrange
Hey emma, hope you get treated well stateside, I'm counting on you to get famous, so you can tell everyone about your brother's awesome band cheers, Andrew
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