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Gene Ess

Award-winning guitarist Gene Ess's unique style stems from a multicultural background. Originally from Tokyo, Japan, Gene Ess grew up on a US Air Force Base on Okinawa, where he studied piano while receiving a mix of influences. Gene's early years were filled up with the sounds of classical music, from Beethoven to Chopin, while growing up surrounded by indigenous melodies, and pop and jazz music coming out of American military clubs. All this amounted for an early obsession with music.

Fellow musicians and instructors considered young Gene a prodigy and, by the early age of 14, he was a busy musician, performing all around Okinawa. After graduating high school, Ess left for George Mason University. There, he pursued classical music studies with Andres Segovia's disciple Larry Snitzler, and orchestral composition under Dr. Glenn Smith.

In 1983, after earning an 'Outstanding Performance Award' from Downbeat magazine (for his rendition of Lennox Berkeley's 'Theme and Variations'), Gene received a scholarship to attend the prestigious Berklee College of Music. It is during these years in Boston that jazz influences took a deeper root in Gene's music. While he studied with Jerry Bergonzi and Charlie Banacos, Gene became an avid listener of the jazz masters, and the music of John Coltrane became a focal point of reference in his creative development.

Gene graduated with honors from Berklee in 1990, and moved to New York in 1991. All throughout the early 90's, Gene recorded and toured worldwide with the late drummer Rashied Ali. During the course of these collaborative years, Gene played with Carlos Santana, Ravi Coltrane, Matt Garrison, Lonnie Plaxico, Archie Shepp, and Reggie Workman among others. This joint project with Rashied Ali produced one singular album, 'No One in Particular.'

Soon thereafter, Gene kick-started his own career as band leader, which has produced eight outstanding records that combine Gene's keen ear for musical collaborations and a strong personal point of view. In his initial albums, Gene explored and expanded the possibilities of modern jazz, increasingly featuring original compositions developed for a traditional quintet format (piano, bass, drums, sax and guitar). This period culminated with his 2009 album, 'Modes of Limited Transcendence,' which received great reviews globally, and the prestigious 2010 SESAC Outstanding Jazz Performance Award.

During these years in the New York performing scene (Blue Note, 55Bar, Iridium, ShapeShifter Lab, Red Hook Jazz Festival), Gene shared the stage with jazz luminaries including Dave Liebman, Al Foster, Clark Terry, Slide Hampton, Harvie S, and many others.

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Take Five With...

Take Five with Gene Ess

Read "Take Five with Gene Ess" reviewed by AAJ Staff


Meet Gene Ess Award-winning guitarist, Gene Ess, draws upon a diverse background to form his unique style. Studying classical piano, Gene's early years were filled with the sounds of Beethoven and Chopin. Originally from Tokyo, Japan and growing up on a U.S. Air Force Base on Okinawa, Gene was simultaneously receiving a mix of influences: he was exposed to the indigenous music of Okinawa and--to the pop and jazz music coming out of the clubs for the American soldiers. 

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Album Review

Gene Ess: Apotheosis

Read "Apotheosis" reviewed by Chris Mosey


The inspiration for Apotheosis, Japanese-American guitarist Gene Ess's fourth album, is taken from mythologist James Campbell's book “The Hero with a Thousand Faces," first published in 1949. In this Campbell describes apotheosis as “the expansion of consciousness a hero experiences when defeating his foe." His theories concerning fictional heroes have been used as a template by many modern writers and artists, including George Lucas, creator of the Star Wars films. Now Ess is applying them to jazz. ...

7
Album Review

Gene Ess: Absurdist Theater

Read "Absurdist Theater" reviewed by Jerome Wilson


On this CD guitarist Gene Ess and his group Fractal Attraction have put together an intelligent fusion of jazz, folk and rock concepts led by the glassy clarity of Ess' guitar and the calm beauty of Thana Alexa's voice. Alexa's rising and falling wordless tones are the first thing heard on the disc and they lead into a pretty, slow theme built on a methodical blend of voice, guitar and Manuel Valera's piano. The quiet mood continues on “Circe's Compassion" ...

2
Album Review

Gene Ess: Eternal Monomyth

Read "Eternal Monomyth" reviewed by Geannine Reid


Award winning guitarist, Gene Ess, draws upon a diverse background to form his unique style of playing and writing. Eternal Monomyth is a companion piece to Ess' last album, Fractal Attraction. Ess explains, “the music should be heard in that regard. In a transparent sense, it is a continuation of my exploration with the combined timbre of the female voice and the electric guitar wrapped up in original compositions and supported by a piano trio. But acutely, it is about ...

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Catching Up With

Gene Ess: Blending Passionate and Pensive

Read "Gene Ess: Blending Passionate and Pensive" reviewed by Jud Branam


Fresh off the release of Fractal Attraction (Simp, 2013), which blends traditional combo jazz lineups and approaches with a unique take on vocal jazz, Gene Ess is a man with a lot on his mind as it pertains to career, place--and music in general. Ess is enthusiastic about his love of jazz, classical and rock music, but is also pensive about the tough state of the music economy and the prospects for working jazz. He's also excited about ...

2
Album Review

Gene Ess: Fractal Attraction

Read "Fractal Attraction" reviewed by C. Michael Bailey


Using the voice as a melodic and harmonic instrument above and beyond scat singing or vocalese is increasing in popularity, as evidenced in recordings like Beata Pater's Red (B&B Records, 2013) and Lola Danza's The Island (Evolver, 2012). Vocalist Thana Alexa joins guitarist Gene Ess for an expansion of Ess' genre-breaking jazz philosophy, using the human voice as instrument, thus broadening its palette of applications in jazz. On the whole, Ess' compositions are angular, with sharp corners ...

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Album Review

Gene Ess: A Thousand Summers

Read "A Thousand Summers" reviewed by Edward Blanco


In a rare departure for Gene Ess, who has always favored original music and instrumentals, the veteran jazz guitarist has partnered with acclaimed vocalist and bassist Nicki Parrott for A Thousand Summers, a refined album of familiar jazz standards and love songs. When Ess began developing the project, he naturally focused on new material. One day he performed with a singer at New York's renowned Blue Note jazz club. As he so aptly puts it, the experience “seemed to have ...

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Performance / Tour

Gene Ess with Nicki Parrott at Somethin' Jazz Club on November 22, 2011

Gene Ess with Nicki Parrott at Somethin' Jazz Club on November 22, 2011

Source: SIMProductions

Gene Ess featuring Nicki Parrott to perform a special Thanksgiving concert previewing the upcoming album at Somethin' Jazz Club, NYC on Nov. 22nd, 2011 7PM to 10PM. Gene Ess—gtr/arrange James Weidman—piano Thomson Kneeland—bass/arrange Gene Jackson—drums Featuring Nicki Parrott—vocals. Tuesday, Nov 22, 2011 1st set 7PM, 2nd set 8:30PM Cover $15 with $10 minimum Somethin' Jazz Club 212 East 52nd St, 3rd Floor NY, NY 10022 Tel: 212-371-7657 “Guitarist ...

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Performance / Tour

Jazz Pair Are Note Perfect

Jazz Pair Are Note Perfect

Source: Gene Ess

Award-winning musicians Gene Ess and Niki King are joining forces for two special shows at Blue Note this month. Guitarist Gene—who has played with such greats as Carlos Santana, Ravi Coltrane, Al Foster, Rashied Ali and Dave Liebman—asked former UK Jazz Vocalist of the Year King to collaborate with him after a friend sent him a copy of her single Wild Is The Wind. He said: “Her singing really spoke to me musically, as it was very mature and heartfelt, ...

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Performance / Tour

Gene Ess - Modes of Limited Transcendence - Concert - June 25

Gene Ess - Modes of Limited Transcendence - Concert - June 25

Source: Michael Ricci

Award winning guitarist Gene Ess will perform with his stellar quartet on June 25th. The group will feature Gene's original compositions from his Modes of Limited Transcendence album. This album received a prestigious award from SESAC on March, 2010 for “outstanding jazz performance".

Accompanying Gene Ess on guitar is Greg Tardy on saxophone, Thomson Kneeland on bass, and Gene Jackson on drums. Come and share in the creative process!

June 25, 2010 @ 8PM and 10PM - $20 cover

Miles ...

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Award / Grant

Gene Ess is Honored by SESAC

Gene Ess is Honored by SESAC

Source: Kari-On Productions

New York: SESAC honored its affiliated composers in the jazz genre with the Sixth Annual Jazz Awards Luncheon. The event, held at New York's popular Red Eye Grill, honored the Top 10 jazz albums of 2009.

SESAC executives Trevor Gale and Linda Lorence Critelli hosted the luncheon which drew an audience of some of the genre's top artists, songwriters and publishers for the festive event.

“We look forward to this event each year as our way of thanking and ...

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Performance / Tour

Gene Ess Trio @ The Bar Next Door, NYC

Gene Ess Trio @ The Bar Next Door, NYC

Source: Kari-On Productions

Award winning guitarist, Gene Ess, will bring his trio to the Bar Next Door on Nov 21, 2009. The sets are at 7PM and 9PM. This concert will feature Gene Ess with his long time members Harvie S and Gene Jackson.

Considered a child prodigy by fellow musicians and instructors, Ess performed in clubs and festivals all around Okinawa at the early age of 14. After graduating high school, not satisfied, Ess left for George Mason University. There, Ess pursued ...

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Performance / Tour

Gene Ess Double Guitar Quartet with Rodney Jones

Gene Ess Double Guitar Quartet with Rodney Jones

Source: Kari-On Productions

Award winning guitarist, Gene Ess, will bring his double guitar quartet to the Blue Note on Sept 13,2009. The sets are at 12:30PM and 2:30PM. This concert will feature Rodney Jones and Gene Ess in a double guitar musical exploration. The rhythm section of Harvie S and Joey Saylor will add to a great afternoon of music.

Considered a child prodigy by fellow musicians and instructors, Ess performed in clubs and festivals all around Okinawa at the early age of ...

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Event

Gene Ess CD Release Party for "Modes of Limited Transcendence" at Blue Note

Gene Ess CD Release Party for "Modes of Limited Transcendence" at Blue Note

Source: Kari-On Productions

Gene Ess CD Release Party Modes of Limited Transcendence

Day: Sunday Date: January 4th, 2009 Time: 1st Set 12:30PM 2nd set 2:30PM Location: Blue Note 131 W 3rd Street New York, NY 10012

Directions: Blue Note New York is located on West 3rd street, between 6th Avenue (Avenue of the Americas) and MacDougal street. The Subway lines that stop right next to our doors are the A, E, ...

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Music Industry

Gene Ess and Tigran Hamasyan - Recording and Dates

Gene Ess and Tigran Hamasyan - Recording and Dates

Source: All About Jazz

Guitarist Gene Ess and his quartet will be recording a new album in June, 2008. This new work will feature the 2006 Thelonious Monk Piano Competition 1st place winner Tigran Hamasyan on piano. Along with the recording dates, the quartet will perform the new material on June 12 at Cachaca and on June 17 at Drom NYC.

At twenty-one, pianist Tigran Hamasyan has already done much to launch his name into the world of emergent young lions. He has toured ...

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Performance / Tour

Gene Ess "Sandbox and Sanctum" Quartet at Big Apple Jazz

Gene Ess "Sandbox and Sanctum" Quartet at Big Apple Jazz

Source: All About Jazz

A rare combination of facility and emotion drives Sandbox and Sanctum with energy and unrelenting genius of composition. Ess has put together a fascinating Quartet featuring Grammy nominated, Donny McCaslin (sax), Gene Jackson (drums), and Harvie S (bass). Ess's out of the box, hard driving, modern guitar lines create a release filled with depth and angular colors. “Sandbox and Sanctum" is a release for the hard-core listener that expects superior musicianship and cerebral interaction. Ess has caught the eye of ...

"It would be a bit foolish to say that in the vast ... It would be a bit foolish to say that in the vast world of recorded jazz, you still have to look for music of substance. Considering how much jazz is released on a regular basis, there’s more than enough music to go around, but sometimes they end up bring nothing but sonic clutter. Gene Ess is not clutter, in fact for some it may be the jazz album you’ve been seeking for for most of your life. He was born Gene Shimosato, a cool enough name right there but that’s besides the point. For now he is known as Gene Ess, which in a way is cool in itself but that will leave potential listeners and fans to question “what’s Ess?” Now you know

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Primary Instrument

Guitar

Location

New York City

Willing to teach

Intermediate to advanced

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Ah-Bop

SIMP Records
2022

buy

Apotheosis

SIMP Records
2019

buy

Absurdist Theater

SIMP Records
2016

buy

Eternal Monomyth

SIMP Records
2015

buy

Fractal Attraction

SIMP Records
2013

buy

A Thousand Summers

SIMP Records
2012

buy

Ah-Bop

From: Ah-Bop
By Gene Ess

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