and sing a song?’ I’ll invite them to share
the stage. A lot of artists don’t like other
people to come up on their stage but
that’s how I got my start, so I don’t mind.”
For several years Rechell performed
with Elaté, along with Payton, Elbert
“Big Moses” Fulgham and Curtis “Blo”
Watson. With the encouragement of
Tris Lear she started her own band,
The Regeneration Band, consisting of
Tris Lear on guitar, Kashonda Bailey
on keyboard, Germain Steib on drums
and Ace Wimberly on bass, with Dane
Ruffins and keyboardist Bailey as backup
singers.
They have performed at the New
Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, the
French Quarter Festival, the Krewe of
Zulu Lundi Gras festivities, Soul Fest
and the Westbank Festival. Rechell and
the Regeneration Band also headline
countless special events in and around
the city and in a number of clubs around
town, most notably Seal’s Class Act on
Aubry Street.
She also sings with three other bands.
This past February she rode for the first
time in the Zulu parade on Mardi Gras
Day, performing on the Sheriff ’s Float
along with her band.
About two years ago, Mike “Soulman”
Batiste of the Real Soul Band brought
together the talents of Rechell, Naydja
Cojoe, and Sharon Martin, dubbing
them the “Ladies of Soul.” The three of
them have performed numerous gigs at
local music clubs to sold-out crowds.
“I just love them,” Rechell raves about
her singing partners. “Our personalities
clicked right from the very first meeting.
They’re wonderful to work with and we
always have a good time. We’re always
laughing and getting into trouble,” she
adds with a laugh herself. “And we
definitely learn a lot from each other too.
“To be considered a successful singer
in a city like New Orleans is a huge
honor,” Rechell proudly states. “We
have such a love of great music and
entertainment here. It’s the culture of
our city. And to be a part of that culture is
extremely rewarding. I’m inspired by and
have so much love and respect for other
local artists like Wanda Rouzan, Erica
Falls and Tonya Boyd- Cannon.
“I perform songs of all different artists,
male and female,” Rechell notes.
“The greatest compliment for me is
when folks come up to me and say, ‘You
just made me feel so good’ or ‘You have
an amazing voice’
or ‘You’re such
a nice person,’”
Rechell adds. “You
always have to be
nice and courteous
to people because
you never know
who you’re going
to meet. You never
know what you
bring out in people
or how you touch
them or how happy
you make them.”
C o n t i n u i n g ,
Rechell says, “I get
high off of people
getting up dancing
and participating.
Like if I’m singing
‘Proud Mary’ and I
can get the ladies
up there to move
their hips or do
things they wouldn’t do in a normal
setting. Or if I sing Gladys Knight’s
‘Neither One of Us’ and I can get the
men to come up and sing along. I love
entertaining folks. It makes me feel like
I’ve really done my job.”
In addition to making people feel good,
Rechell equally enjoys making people
look good. A 1991 graduate of John Jay
Beauty College, currently a part of the
team at Glam Squad Hair Studio in New
Orleans East, she says, “It’s just such
a thrill to be able to bring joy to other
people through doing their hair because
you’re there to please them with their
appearance. You just want people to have
a good feeling about themselves when
they’re looking in the mirror and walking
out of the shop into the street.”
As for passing the singing gift on to the
next generation, Rechell isn’t insisting
that her only child, daughter Re’Yan
Finister, 24, follow in her footsteps. “She
knows how to sing and she sings very
well, but she does not like to. I guess
she’s tired of hearing me sing,” Rechell
laughs.
“I definitely give her encouragement
and she definitely does not take it,” she
laughs again, proudly noting instead that
Re’Yan is “just starting in nursing school.”
Summing up, Rechell says, “I’m a firm
believer in being nice to people. You
should always be nice and respectful to
people because it carries a lot of weight
and goes a long way and it always comes
back to you. This is what I always try to
do and it’s helped me out a lot.”
Rechell Cook is available for public
performances or private events. She can be
contacted at (504) 261-9501 or by email
at rechellcookrc@gmail.com. You can also
watch her on YouTube or follow her on
Facebook or Instagram. ��
PHOTO COURTESY OF RECHELLE COOK
MARC H / A P R I L 2 0 1 8 breakthrumediamagazine.com | BREAKTHRU MEDIA | 13
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