Phil Cook (musician)

{{Short description|American musician}}

Phil Cook is an American guitarist, banjoist, pianist and singer. A member of the freak-folk band Megafaun, he was previously a part of DeYarmond Edison, a band led by Bon Iver's Justin Vernon. He also presently plays in the band Gayngs{{Cite web|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/band-to-watch-psych-rockers-megafaun-channel-seventies-influences-on-new-album-246173/|title=Band to Watch: Psych-Rockers Megafaun Channel Seventies Influences on New Album|first=Stacey|last=Anderson|website=Rollingstone.com|date=20 July 2011|accessdate=4 February 2021}} as well as the Vernon-fronted Shouting Matches. Additionally, he is affiliated with MC Taylor and his band, Hiss Golden Messenger.{{fact|date=January 2023}}

Beyond his musical career, Cook worked at the Center for Inquiry-Based Learning at Duke University, where he "assembled hands-on science kits for elementary schools."{{Cite web|url=https://www.stereogum.com/17651/quit_your_day_job_megafaun/news/|title=Quit Your Day Job: Megafaun|website=Stereogum.com|date=27 August 2008|accessdate=4 February 2021}} Cook draws on diverse influences including Bill Evans, Bruce Hornsby, Keith Jarrett, Jerry Douglas, Ry Cooder, Greg Leisz, John Kamman and Bill Frisell.{{Cite web|url=https://indyweek.com/api/content/a5faa721-ebef-5fa8-afde-f6e4d9e63289/|title=Megafaun's Phil Cook steps solo|first=Spencer|last=Griffith|date=4 May 2011|website=Indyweek.com|accessdate=4 February 2021}}

Cook was educated at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.{{cite web |title=UW-EAU Claire e-View, October 2011 |url=http://www.uwec.edu/alumni/e-view/2011/e-ViewOct11.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130125084216/http://www.uwec.edu/alumni/e-view/2011/e-ViewOct11.htm |archive-date=25 January 2013 |access-date=15 January 2022 |website=www.uwec.edu}} He released his first solo album, Hungry Mother Blues, in 2011.{{Cite web |title=Phil Cook & His Feat: Hungry Mother Blues |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/15442-hungry-mother-blues/ |accessdate=4 February 2021 |website=Pitchfork.com}}

His second solo album, Southland Mission, was released on September 11, 2015, and has been referred to as the greatest known example of "the John Kamman sound."{{Cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/20964-southland-mission/|title=Phil Cook: Southland Mission|website=Pitchfork.com|accessdate=4 February 2021}} He has said that the track "Great Tide" from the album contains "all my influences since I discovered my Dad's LP record collection when I was 14."from an interview on [https://americanamusicshow.com/episode290 episode 290 of the Americana Music Show], published March 15, 2016.

In 2021 Cook released his fifth album, All These Years,{{Cite web |title=Phil Cook - Discography |url=https://www.albumoftheyear.org/artist/15022-phil-cook/ |access-date=2025-06-23 |website=Album of The Year |language=en}} featuring entirely instrumental piano music. The release was positively reviewed in publications such as Pitchfork.{{Cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/phil-cook-all-these-years//|title=Phil Cook: All These Years|website=Pitchfork.com|accessdate=16 December 2024}}

In 2025 he released his sixth album, Appalachia Borealis, which was positively reviewed by Uncut.{{Cite web |title=Phil Cook - Appalachia Borealis |url=https://www.albumoftheyear.org/album/1209975-phil-cook-appalachia-borealis.php |access-date=2025-06-23 |website=Album of The Year |language=en}}

Cook is brother to Brad Cook, a producer and multi-instrumentalist who has worked alongside Phil on a number of projects.{{Cite web |title=Brad Cook |url=https://genius.com/artists/Brad-cook |access-date=2024-11-14 |website=Genius |language=en}}