This week, jazz and R&B artist Braxton Cook is coming to MTU for a series of workshops and performances.
Named a jazz prodigy by Fader in 2017 and listed as one of the top five jazz artists to watch by Ebony in 2018, Cook has played with artists such as Nate Smith, Tom Misch, Chief Xian aTunde Adjuah (formerly Christian Scott), Mac Miller, and Rihanna.
Students will have three chances to see Cook. Starting this Thursday, Mar. 26, at 11 a.m. in Rozsa 120, Cook will be hosting a masterclass and talking about his career in music. Then, on Friday, Mar. 27, at 7:30 p.m. the 26th annual Don Keranen Jazz Festival begins, where Cook will be performing with the R&D Jazz Band. On the second day of the Don Keranen Jazz Festival, Saturday, Mar. 28, starting at 7:30 p.m., Cook will be performing with the Jazz Lab Band. Both days of the Don Keranen Jazz Festival are hosted in the Rozsa.
Adam Meckler, Associate Professor of Music and Director of Jazz Studies at MTU, said, “[Cook] is on the cutting edge of what’s happening in black music. He’s taking R&B and hip hop and kind of meshing it together with jazz.”
In 2009, Cook was selected as one of 30 high school students in the United States for the Grammy jazz ensemble. He started his undergrad career at Georgetown University before transferring to Juilliard in 2011, where he studied jazz saxophone and toured with award-winning musician Chief Xian aTunde Adjuah.
He has appeared as an artist for National Public Radio twice, in 2020 and more recently in 2025, during the ‘Tiny Desk (Home) Concerts’ minor rebrand.
Students with questions about the following events should contact Adam Meckler at abmeckle@mtu.edu. Students wishing to attend the Don Keranen Jazz Festival need to reserve tickets at mtu.universitytickets.com/w/event.aspx?SeriesID=236.
