Gene Ess is a Japanese-American jazz guitarist. He was a member of the Rashied Ali Quintet, working with Ravi Coltrane,

Archie Shepp Archie Shepp (born May 24, 1937) is an American jazz saxophonist, educator and playwright who since the 1960s has played a central part in the development of avant-garde jazz. Biography Early life Shepp was born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, but ...

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, and

Reggie Workman Reginald "Reggie" Workman (born June 26, 1937) is an American avant-garde jazz and hard bop double bassist, recognized for his work with both John Coltrane and Art Blakey, in addition to Alice Coltrane, Mal Waldron, Max Roach, Archie Shepp, Tri ...

Career

Ess was born Gene Shimosato in

Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...

, Japan, and raised in

Okinawa most commonly refers to: * Okinawa Prefecture, Japan's southernmost prefecture * Okinawa Island, the largest island of Okinawa Prefecture * Okinawa Islands, an island group including Okinawa itself * Okinawa (city), the second largest city in th ...

on an American military base. In his early teens, he was a performing musician in Okinawa. He studied classical music at

George Mason University George Mason University (GMU) is a Public university, public research university in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. Located in Northern Virginia near Washington, D.C., the university is named in honor of George Mason, a Founding Father ...

, then attended

Berklee College of Music Berklee College of Music () is a Private university, private music college in Boston, Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern Music of the United ...

, where he became interested in jazz, particularly the music of

John Coltrane John William Coltrane (September 23, 1926 – July 17, 1967) was an American jazz saxophonist, bandleader and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the Jazz#Post-war jazz, history of jazz and 20th-century musi ...

. Ess moved to

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

and became a member of a band led by Rashied Ali. He toured with Ali and recorded on his album '' No One in Particular''. While in this group, he played with Ravi Coltrane, Eddie Henderson,

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, Archie Shepp, and Reggie Workman Ess's album ''Modes of Limited Transcendence'' (2009) received the 2010

SESAC SESAC is a for-profit performance-rights organization in the United States. Founded in 1930 as the Society of European Stage Authors and Composers, it is the second-oldest performance-rights organization in the United States.

Outstanding Jazz Performance Award. The album includes compositions by Ess and pianist Tigran Hamasyan. In 2012, he released ''A Thousand Summers'', which contains vocals by Nicki Parrott. Following this, Ess released ''Fractal Attraction'' (2013), which continues his exploration of voice in a chamber group setting. The album was recorded with Thana Alexa on vocals, David Berkman on piano, Thomas Kneeland on drums, and Gene Jackson on drums. Ess has also worked with

Al Foster Aloysius Tyrone Foster (January 18, 1943 – May 28, 2025) was an American jazz drummer. Foster's professional career began in the mid-1960s, when he played and recorded with hard bop and Swing music, swing musicians including Blue Mitchell and ...

Slide Hampton Locksley Wellington Hampton (April 21, 1932 – November 18, 2021) was an American jazz trombone, jazz trombonist, composer and arranger. As his nickname implies, Hampton's main instrument was slide trombone, but he also occasionally played tub ...

Dave Liebman David Liebman (born September 4, 1946) is an American saxophonist, flautist and jazz educator. He is known for his innovative lines and use of atonality. He was a frequent collaborator with pianist Richie Beirach. In June 2010, he received a ...

, and

Clark Terry Clark Virgil Terry Jr. (December 14, 1920 – February 21, 2015) was an American Swing music, swing and bebop trumpeter, a pioneer of the flugelhorn in jazz, and a composer and educator. He played with Charlie Barnet (1947), Count Basie (1948� ...

Discography

As leader

* ''Sunrise Falling'' (Amp, 2003) * ''Sandbox and Sanctum'' (Simp, 2005) * ''Modes of Limited Transcendence'' (Simp, 2008) * ''A Thousand Summers'' (Simp, 2012) * ''Fractal Attraction'' (Simp, 2013) * ''Eternal Monomyth'' (Simp, 2015) * ''Absurdist Theater'' (Simp, 2016) * ''Apotheosis'' (Simp, 2018) * ''Ah-Bop'' (Simp, 2022)

As sideman

* One World Tribe, ''Prayer for September'' (Paddle Wheel, 1995) * Rashied Ali, ''No One in Particular'' (Survival, 2001)

References

External links

Official site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ess, Gene Year of birth missing (living people) Living people American musicians of Japanese descent American jazz guitarists