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 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. All this amounted for an early obsession with music.
Gene performed in clubs and festivals all around Okinawa at the early age of 14. After graduating high school Gene left for George Mason University. There, he pursued classical music studies with Larry Snitzler, a prominent concert guitarist who was Andrés Segovia's disciple and orchestral composition under Dr. Glenn Smith.
Downbeat magazine presented Gene's performance of Lennox Berkeley's 'Theme and Variations' with the 'Outstanding Performance Award' in 1983. Consequently, Gene received a scholarship to attend the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston. There he continued his musical quest and was heavily influenced by the music of John Coltrane. After studies with Jerry Bergonzi and Charlie Banacos, Gene graduated from Berklee with honors in 1990 and moved to New York in 1991.
During the 90's he worked with the great drummer Rashied Ali, touring globally and recording a well-received album No One in Particular. Through this group, Gene met and played with Carlos Santana, Ravi Coltrane, Matt Garrison, Lonnie Plaxico, Archie Shepp, and Reggie Workman among many others.
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Album Review
- Apotheosis by Chris Mosey
- Absurdist Theater by Jerome Wilson
- Eternal Monomyth by Geannine Reid
Catching Up With
Album Review
- Fractal Attraction by C. Michael Bailey
- A Thousand Summers by Edward Blanco
- Modes of Limited Transcendence by Edward Blanco
- Modes of Limited Transcendence by Dan McClenaghan
Interview
Album Review
- Sandbox and Sanctum by Tom Greenland
November 07, 2011
Gene Ess with Nicki Parrott at Somethin' Jazz Club on November 22, 2011
May 24, 2011
June 17, 2010
Gene Ess - Modes of Limited Transcendence - Concert - June 25
April 01, 2010
November 11, 2009
Gene Ess Trio @ The Bar Next Door, NYC
September 01, 2009
Gene Ess Double Guitar Quartet with Rodney Jones
April 01, 2009
Gene Ess - "Modes of Limited Transcendence" CD - Available Now!
December 11, 2008
Gene Ess CD Release Party for "Modes of Limited Transcendence" at Blue...
May 05, 2008
Gene Ess and Tigran Hamasyan - Recording and Dates
November 27, 2007
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
Primary Instrument
Guitar
Willing to teach
Intermediate to advanced

saxophone

piano
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