James Mitchell

Mitchell started out on the trombone at age nine, move to tuba at ten, and discovered the piano at eleven. He continued his study of the lower brass instruments but focused primarily on piano. His progress was astounding. By age fifteen he began gigging up to three times a week with The Nick Webster Quartet. At sixteen he had weeky gigs at Brix, Piati, Lakeside Grill and Embassy Suites. After high school Mitchell started a new group, The West Side Trio, and began recording under his own name. He has performed at several jazz festivals including the Napa, Reno and San Jose Jazz Festivals, in London at Wimbly Hall and The Boar's Head, and dozens of wineries. From 1998 to 2003 he played a pivotal role in Bumble, a San Francisco based punk/ska band in which he played trombone and keyboard. The group's eclectic sound featured many of his own compositions. In 2005, he Joined the John Kalleen Group and has been playing extensively throughout the Bay Area with them. in 2006, he received a B.A. in music from Sonoma State University. His rhythmic ideas and complex lyricism suggest a very deep understanding of music. His style of writing is incomparable and utilizes all the possibilities of harmony, dynamics and form. His agility and technique display a strong foundation of classical music, yet his vocabulary encompasses many genres. The sheer joy he exudes while playing is contagious. He is always searching for new sounds and exploring grooves in odd meters. He has a unique voice that greatly appeals to those seeking a richer, more sophisticated sound.

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