GARY DANIEL COOK

Some say home is where you hang your hat, or in my case... guitar. Those of you that know me or have read my personal biography, know that I spent my teen years growing up in the rolling hills and winding streets of Santa Fe.

There has always been a magical muse in this small town. For years artists, writers, poets and musicians have migrated to the "city different" in search of inspiring the creative force within.

For me, relocating from Louisiana to New Mexico in my pre-teens was like being thrust into a whole new universe. Gumbo was replaced with green chile stew, bayous became running rivers, and murky canals were suddenly transformed into crystal clear streams. Although it was quite a life-change and culture shock, one thing remained constant: ART

Art was like oxygen, we needed it to survive. My father was an artist and educator. He would take me to various art openings at his university when I was young. I met some strange, interesting people that introduced me to "cutting-edge" art. But the truth is, my little brain couldn?t comprehend the "implications of color strokes" or the "political messages" hidden in the various art forms. Unfortunately, I found myself enjoying the complimentary food and drink much more!

Art finally took on new meaning for me when we moved to Santa Fe. The guitar became my instrument for creating sonic textures. It wasn't long before art exhibits were replaced with music concerts. Tension and resolution was no longer revealed through color combinations and brush strokes. It was created by guitar strings. Music was MY oxygen.

Although I moved away from Santa Fe to pursue a music career and was gone for almost 20 years, I recently returned home to visit my little mountain town. I soon discovered that the art of music is alive and well!

I was inspired by a local musician that I consider to be one of the world?s greatest guitarists - a quiet eclectic gun-slinger by the name of Bruce Dunlap. His guitar genius is truly amazing. But even more inspiring is his dedication to supporting the arts in this community through his non-profit performance center he calls "The Gig". There you can see Bruce perform in addition to other world-class artists playing great jazz, classical, world, folk and americana music in a beautiful environment. In addition to the great art and music, I always enjoy clearing my head with a hot bowl of green chile stew!

Each time I visit Santa Fe it?s like being home again. It's always good know I have a place to hang my guitar!