Cook, Jordan

Websites:  https://www.reignwolf.com/
Origin: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, 🇨🇦
Biography:

Jordan Cook is a Canadian guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter whose career cuts across raw electric blues, gritty rock, and high-octane performance. Born and raised in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, he was raised in a household steeped in Howlin’ Wolf, Ray Charles, and the electric blues greats. He picked up his first guitar at the age of two and was performing on stage by six.

As a child, he became a fixture at Saskatoon’s legendary Saturday blues jams at Bud’s on Broadway, where by age five he was being invited on stage by artists like Suzie Vinnick and Curtis Scarrow. He went on to share stages with members of Muddy Waters’ band, Big Dave McLean, and other veteran touring acts who passed through the city. These early experiences shaped his fearless style and deep musical instincts.

By his teens, Cook was regularly performing club shows across the prairies, leaving a trail of dropped jaws and ringing ears. He shared bills with B.B. King, Van Morrison, The Tragically Hip, and George Thorogood, and by age 15 was invited to perform at the Montreux Jazz Festival, where he jammed with B.B. King, Edgar Winter, and Van Morrison. Maclean’s Magazine named him one of “100 Canadians to Watch,” and Jeff Healey once introduced him onstage as “the finest player in the world today.”

Early Discography and Canadian Roots
1995 – Jordan Cook and the Blues Boys (cassette)
Cook’s first official release, recorded with bassist S.J. Kardash and drummer Danny White, was a stripped-down session of blues standards including “Sweet Home Chicago” and “Talk to Your Daughter.” The cassette was recorded at 11th Hour Recording in Saskatoon and executive-produced by his father and manager, Bob Cook.

1997 – Time (CD, Blues Child Records JC008)
Released under his own name, Time featured original songs like “Suffer” and “Get a Little Closer” alongside covers of Robert Johnson, Willie Dixon, and Taj Mahal. Recorded live off the floor at Audio Art Recording and co-produced with Glenn Ens, the album showcased Cook’s maturity as a vocalist, guitarist, and bandleader. This release remains a highly collectible artifact of Canada’s independent blues-rock scene.

2001 – Transitions E.P. (CD)
Issued under the Jordan Cook Band, this five-track EP marked a stylistic shift, blending introspective songwriting with fuller arrangements and collaborations. Produced by S.J. Kardash and recorded at Narfy Studios, the EP featured guests including Vincent Spilchuck, Maygen Kardash, and Tim Bender.

2010 – Seven Deadly Sins (CD)
Cook’s most ambitious Canadian project, Seven Deadly Sins was a 13-track concept album built over several years. It ranged from the theatrical title track to stripped-down rockers like “The War,” reflecting a wide range of influences. Sessions began at Howard Bilerman’s Montreal studio (best known for his work with Arcade Fire), before shifting to Memphis, where Cook began working with Matt Chamberlain (Pearl Jam, Tori Amos) and Ben Shepherd (Soundgarden). The trio later toured Western Canada together during a brutal -40°C cold snap.

While proud of the final result, Cook later admitted the process was difficult: “I tried to do too much; it wasn’t coming out the way I wanted.” Much of the original material was scrapped, but he later came to appreciate its rawness. The album was supported by Canadian Heritage and distributed independently.

During this period, Cook also played impromptu sets with Aretha Franklin’s band (after a last-minute cancellation at the House of Blues in Orlando), was invited to tour China (becoming the first Canadian rocker to do so), and accepted a residency at the Viper Room in Los Angeles after turning a handful of small L.A. shows into a 26-date run.

Rebirth as Reignwolf
In 2011, Cook relocated to Seattle, Washington, and re-emerged under the name Reignwolf—a feral blues-rock persona known for chaotic, high-energy solo performances involving guitar, kick drum, and pure volume. What began as a one-man act soon grew into a trio with drummer Joseph Braley and bassist David "Stitch" Rapaport, forming a band that blurred the line between grunge, garage rock, and electric blues.

Reignwolf debuted at Sasquatch! Festival, followed by landmark appearances at Lollapalooza and a Rolling Stone feature in 2014 that called him a "one-man blues-rock army." That same year, Reignwolf supported Black Sabbath on their North American tour, earning a global following for performances that often involved climbing stage rigs or performing atop audience members’ shoulders.

In 2019, Reignwolf released their long-anticipated debut album, Hear Me Out, featuring tracks like “Black and Red” and “Over & Over.” In 2022, Reignwolf collaborated with Brad Wilk of Rage Against the Machine on the single “The Woods,” further expanding their reach.

Cook’s rise from backroom blues jams to festival stages is grounded in instinct, improvisation, and a refusal to play it safe. His shows are unpredictable and physical—he once fell headfirst off stage mid-solo in Edmonton, blacked out, and never stopped playing. “The more energy the audience gives, the more I give,” he says. “But I won’t give up until we’re both giving it our all.”

From his early days jamming at Bud’s on Broadway to tearing through arena stages with a fuzz pedal and a broken voice, Jordan Cook doesn’t just play the blues—he hurls it through a wall.
-Robert Williston