Tyler James Cook

My shows are full of humor, warmth, and laughs. My original songs mostly skew towards the comedic, framed within a "slice-of-life" perspective. I relate well with almost any audience of any age, and can tailor my performance, selections, and jokes to fit the room and crowd. I enjoy telling short stories between pieces about the songs, and generally draw listeners in with good-natured humor. The musical performances themselves are passionate and intense--I often put my whole body into banging on the keys--but I can draw back to the quietest pianissimo in an instant. This not only makes for great dynamic contrast, but plays big for laughs: I have very expressive eyebrows.

Tyler James Cook is a singing-pianist, saxophonist, composer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist based out of Bennettsville, South Carolina. He plays sax and piano for all events, from parties to weddings to proposals to surprises and more. His repertoire includes an extensive range of genres and styles, from classical to pop to rock to jazz and beyond. Perfect for small-to-mid-sized venues and events, Tyler is committed to making your event the best it can be.

Tyler has been playing and writing original music for years, but mostly since 2012.

I typically perform with my beloved Casio and a Line 6 stage two-channel stage monitor that doubles as a PA (for small rooms). In larger rooms I will run into the venue's sound system (when available). I often sing using a road-tested Sennheiser vocal mic on a boom. Generally, I prefer the venue provide its own PA and mics--presumably, they fit the room best--but can perform perfectly fine with my own equipment.

In smaller rooms, I can play acoustically if the venue has a piano; I've even played without any amplification at all, just singing over a small baby grand with the lid down--but that was for an intimate audience in a small space.

For saxophone, I usually use whatever mic the venue provides, but often play without one. In larger rooms or rooms with bigger audiences, I may use a Shure SM-57 or my trusty Sennheiser.

Overall, my sound setup is very easy - just a couple of cables, a power outlet, and we're set.

I've played in all lighting conditions; I do not provide my own stage lighting. I occasionally play with a music stand for reference, and like to have good lighting on that when possible. I keep a stand light ready for reading music in darker settings.