E-mail a friendCook, Dixon & Young
original airdate June 16, 2006
Bridging a wide range of genres, Cook, Dixon & Young have been described as three of the most versatile tenors in the world. Formerly known as Three Mo' Tenors, Victor Trent Cook, Rodrick Dixon and Thomas Young have over 40 years combined experience, and each is an established performer on his own. Cook earned a Tony nod; Dixon performed with the Lyric Opera of Chicago and on Broadway; and Young is a Grammy-nominated performer. As a group, they've made major appearances around the world.
Tenors Cook, Dixon & Young on growing up surrounded by music.
Cook, Dixon & Young
Tavis: All right. Victor Trent Cook, Rodrick Dixon and Thomas Young make up the terrific tenor trio of Cook, Dixon & Young. Wonder how they got that name (laughter)? Anyway, go figure. Many of you know them - certainly PBS viewers know them from their former name, the artists formerly known as Three Mo' Tenors. Their most recent CD, though, is called Volume One. In just a moment, they'll perform one of the songs from the disc, but first here now, some of the video for "Libiamo.'
[Film Clip]
Tavis: Mr. Cook, Mr. Dixon, Mr. Young, nice to see you again.
Thomas Young: Nice to see you again, as always.
Victor Trent Cook: Thanks for having us.
Tavis: And you're back on PBS.
Cook: Our home (laughter).
Tavis: You know, there are so many people, I think, who came to know of you. I mean, you tell me. I think, and in my journeys and travels, so many people came to know you all, Victor, through those appearances on PBS.
Cook: Yes, the programming of PBS that we got a chance and was able to continue on doing our shows on PBS was great programming.
Tavis: Let me start with the obvious. I mentioned the artists formerly known as Three Mo' Tenors. There's been a name change, so we'll do the short version on this. It's like Prince, you know (laughter).
Rodrick Dixon: People want to know.
Tavis: People want to know. So you changed from Three Mo' Tenors to Cook, Dixon & Young. The short answer is why?
Young: I think it was time for us to just have our own names and undo the original production contract that we had. We weren't really happy, so we decided to just say our own names and be known by who we are.
Dixon: You know something else? I mean, as classical tenors, you want to be able to have your fans follow you whether we sing together or individually. It's important that the fans see Cook, Dixon - oh, Cook, he's singing at such and such opera house. So the fans say, "Oh, I want to go see them. I also saw the tenors when they were here last." So that's important too.
Tavis: I've often wondered - far be it for me to make these decisions - but I've often wondered why at least two or three people in a group would not want to go by their names. I expect some might want to keep that anonymity for as long as they can. But let me just say one thing. If I ever start singing, I'm going to be Tavis Smiley right now (laughter). I want you to know who it is. I want you to buy the record.
Young: As you should be.
Tavis: If I ever start singing, I'm not going to be no Mo' Tenors, no Mo' nothing. It's going to be some Mo' of Tavis (laughter). That's what it's going to be.
Young: As it should be (laughter).
Tavis: I see your point, though. I suspect, though, that it does help you in your other work for people to know who you are, Mr. Young.
Young: Yes, I think so. Actually, we were originally approached for the project. We had already established well-connected careers and that is still the case. I mean, obviously, we're delighted to get a chance to work together as often as we can, but we have active performing careers in various venues even as we speak.
Tavis: So how often do the three of you actually get together to tour or to do a project if you are all doing individual projects?
Cook: I'd say three-quarters of the year.
Tavis: Three-quarters of the year you are together?
Cook: Yes.
Tavis: That means you all must really like each other.
Dixon: Never fight; never argue.
Tavis: Are you being serious or are you being -
Young: - oh, no, no. We may have a disagreement about who's going to pay for the dinner (laughter).
Dixon: That's about it.
Tavis: And who usually loses that fight?
Dixon: Well, we just fight to do that. We pay before the other person pays, you know.
Tavis: I need some friends like you all (laughter).
Dixon: Well, come out to dinner with us sometime.
Tavis: When I go to dinner, it's the exact opposite. Everybody is sitting like - hum (laughter). Tell me, Victor, about the new CD, "Cook, Dixon & Young, Volume One.' I laughed at Volume One because you all have done so much stuff together. I'm like how are you going to get Volume One out of this? It should be like Volume Twenty or something, given all the work you all have done together.
Cook: Well, on the CD, you're going to have some good jazz, some good blues. The same sort of format that we did on the first album, but I think it's more songs that we are closer to and that we like.
Tavis: Rodrick, it never ceases to amaze me every time I hear you all, the variety of stuff that you all do and do well. How is that possible to do so many things well?
Dixon: America. I mean, born and raised in Queens, New York, Victor and I, and Thomas in Cleveland. In those major cities, you hear Broadway, you're in church and you hear blues, jazz, gospel. If you're not listening, you're not focused. If you're an artist, you're going to listen to anything and everything even if you're not paying attention because you have great ears. So American trained singers really have fantastic ears, really, and that's what we are. All of us are college-educated. We're classically trained and we come out of major centers where you have great art all the time.
Cook: I might add that the only thing that is different about this album and that I think is a plus is that we did some spoken words on there. That was touching for us, you know.
Tavis: What kind of criticism, Mr. Young, do you get from those purists who say that, when you are classically trained, this is a bastardization of all that somebody put inside of you? (Laughter)
Young: Very good question. We haven't gotten any criticism by some of the so-called purists because the interesting thing is that we have never taken any other approach but that, whatever genre we happen to be singing in, you have to honor that. You've got to learn the vocabulary specific to that genre. You have to commit to it. You've got to develop some sort of vocal technology to realize that genre. So far, we haven't received, or I haven't heard of any, criticism specific to whatever genre we select.
Tavis: To that point, does being classically-trained ever get in the way of doing the other stuff? Because when you're classically trained, you know, the whole point is that there's a way to do this. There's a way that this is supposed to sound. There is a mark that you're trying to hit here. does that ever get in the way of letting - how might I put this - the soul come through when you're doing something that's not one of the classics?
Young: The only thing classical training or any system of training does is make it possible for you to summon your talent at will. That's it. All it is is a discipline. All it is is a way of determining a process through which and by which you can summon whatever you're gifted with at will.
Tavis: All right, I got about thirty seconds here. I want to shut up and let you guys perform. That's what I really want to hear. So, Victor, give me one track off the CD that you really like. I know you like them all, but just give me one.
Cook: I can't say. I just like them all (laughter).
Tavis: You're going to pick one. I'll come back to you in a second. Rodrick, I'm trying to sell CDs here, man. Work with me here, Victor.
Dixon: Well, for the youngsters out there, you hear classic music and classically trained spoken word. I mean, it's real, it's true, it's where we're coming from. All the other genres are wonderful, but for those of you who like hip-hop and rap, we have something to say about that. It's just honesty and truth.
Tavis: Thomas, what you like on here?
Young: I like them all, but I really have probably a sentimental leaning toward "When Did You Leave Heaven?" Sentimental leaning toward that, but I like them all.
Tavis: I'm sure you do. I hope you like them all, since you put them on here. All right, Victor, give me one.
Cook: Take me to "Fly Me To The Moon.'
Tavis: Oh, I like that (laughter). You can't go wrong with that, can you? As long as you don't mess it up, and they didn't. Cook, Dixon & Young, you know them from PBS some years ago. They are still on the scene doing their thing under a new name, again, Cook, Dixon & Young. Their CD is called Volume One. They will perform one of my favorite songs, "Birdland,' in a moment. Stay with us.
From their most recent CD, Volume One, here are Cook, Dixon & Young singing "Birdland.' Enjoy. Good night from Los Angeles and keep the faith.
[Film Clip]
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