“The Whale, — the San Antonio free jazz trio of Kory Cook on drums, Eddie Vasquez on saxophone and Justin Carney on bass — are known for their outstanding performances rooted in experimental jazz with a punk rock aesthetic. The outstanding trio play with a great deal of range and somehow make their free jazz appealing to all attendances. Cook, the percussionist, first started at KRTU FM as the jazz station’s music director before he became embedded in San Antonio’s music scene as the drummer for both jazz and rock. He has a pliability in his style that suits and by observing him truly unwind in this trio is a different experience all together.

After meeting Eddie, a local jam saxophonist, and Carey, Cook and the Whale have now created a new brand for themselves; performing with artists ranging from Eugene Chadbourne, Todd Snider, Roky Erickson, and Okkervil River to New Orleans’ own Dirty Dozen Brass Band. The original idea behind the music was to remove set lists or prepared tunes and play completely improvised music. Since then, their music has taken on a more composed approach, as heard on the 2018 debut Sweetheart and upcoming 2022 release Sweetheart 2. Be prepared to hear a jazz and rock fusion unlike any other, delivered by Kory Cook and the Whale!