Man killed in Rt. 481 crash remembered as humble, standout Central NY guitarist

Syracuse, N.Y. — David S. Cook, who often went by Dave, was quiet in conversation and electric on stage, friends said.

He was the kind of rock guitarist who could light up a bar with a single riff.

Cook, a longtime Central New York musician known for his fiery playing and warm personality, died Thursday evening in a rollover crash on Route 481 in Cicero. He was 67.

News of his death spread quickly through Syracuse’s music community Friday morning. He had played for years with Mad Jack before forming his own band Cousin Jake in 1996.

Lou Kaplan, Cook’s former bandmate in the ’80s rock group Mad Jack, said he woke to a text from his sister at 5:30 a.m. telling him Cook had died.

“It’s terrible,” Kaplan said. “Dave was very well liked and highly respected.”

Kaplan remembered Cook as soft-spoken off stage. He said he was laid back and easy-going but became a different force when he plugged in his guitar.

“Everything he played was energetic and electric,” Kaplan said. “Quiet person, but a boisterous, energetic musician on stage.”

Cook joined Kaplan’s band Mad Jack in 1987. The two spent years rehearsing, writing songs and playing all over. Kaplan said they had great memories together, playing venues across Central New York and really living the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle in the 1980s.

After Kaplan left to tour with a national act, the two later reunited to play in another band, Viper. They opened for well-known rock groups at the Lost Horizon.

“There’s an intimacy among bandmates,” Kaplan said. “You’re creating together, sharing a vision every day. And Dave was the easiest person in the world to get along with. I can’t imagine an easier person.”

Kaplan said his favorite memories with Cook weren’t just on stage, but in the quiet moments between shows. They would often share beers, talk music and trade ideas.

One night, Cook told him that his biggest inspiration was Jimi Hendrix and that his favorite album of all time was Band of Gypsys. That conversation offered a window into Cook’s musical identity, Kaplan said.

“When someone tells you their hero and their favorite album, it gives you insight into how they got to where they are,” he said. Cook played a Strat through a Marshall, just like Hendrix, chasing the same raw, incendiary sound. “Jimi had those fiery solos,” Kaplan said. “And that was Dave.”

Cook own band, Cousin Jake, made its debut at Legend’s Restaurant & Lounge in 1996 and quickly became a staple at bars and biker events across Central New York and beyond. He and his bandmates played regularly at Shifty’s Bar & Grill, The Loop Grill and other local bars, building a loyal following with their high-energy shows.

Tributes from fellow musicians poured in on Friday.

Colin Aberdeen, guitarist and singer for Los Blancos, wrote on Facebook, “I’m so sad to learn of the death of Dave Cook who played with Cousin Jake and Mad Jack, a great guy and one of the finest guitar players in CNY for decades. Dave was a great big, fun, friendly, talented and wise man.”

Joe Altier, a Central New York pianist and singer who has been named the region’s Best Male Vocalist seven times, also shared his condolences.

“Rest in peace Dave,” he wrote. “One of the nicest dudes you would ever meet, down to earth, humble and one of my favorite guitarists in Syracuse. You will be missed.”

Mike Farrar, who started the local classic rock band Mike Farrar and the Houserockers, posted photos of Cook on Facebook and wrote, “He was one of the nicest guys you could meet. This past summer Mike Farrar and the Houserockers had the pleasure of playing on the same gig with Cousin Jake and yes, that Strat was rocking. We will miss his big smile. Rest in peace my friend.”

Cook is survived by his wife Amy and son Mason. He has been with Amy since the late 1980s. Kaplan said Cook often told him she was “the only woman he ever loved.”

“They had a good life together,” Kaplan said. “It breaks my heart that it came to a close this way.”

For Kaplan and many others who shared stages with Cook over the decades, the memories come back in flashes. The long rehearsals, the Hendrix-inspired solos and the laughter between sets.

“Up and down Facebook, it’s tribute after tribute,” Kaplan said. “I mellowed out over time. But Dave didn’t. He was rock ‘n’ roll right to the end.”

To his friends, Cook will be remembered as a kind soul and a guitarist whose passion for music never dimmed.

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This is a video of a show Cook and his band did at the Westcott Theater in April 2012 when they opened for the Marshall Tucker Band: