Ian Cooke is a Denver treasure, a musician whose lengthy career here has proven him as talented as he is creative. The cellist and band leader has always been an ambitious writer, but he took his story telling to new levels with "Cassowary & Fruit Bat," a song with an accompanying short film and book.

His next album, which comes out in the spring, will focus on dinosaurs -- a project sure to be particularly thoughtful and elaborate in his hands. For a recent appearance on TEDxMileHigh, however, Cooke focused on older songs: "Monster," "Music" and "Fortitude." Watch the performance below.

See also: Ian Cooke Plays the Science Lounge, Where There's Booze, Bear Suits and Plenty of Gluesticks

Cooke joins a short list of musicians to appear on the local version of the venerable TED Talk program. Others include Esme Patterson, Gregory Alan Isakov and the Water Girls (a bluegrass super-group of sorts from Lyons).

The next time you can catch him live will be January 15 at Syntax Physic Opera. Buy tickets here.

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