James Saxsmo Gates (Sax and Band Leader), Hannon Lane (Producer, Guitar, Trombone, Engineer, Keys, Arranger), Nate Smith (Drums), Robbie Cunningham (Vocals), Carl Lester-El (Bass), Dr. Weldon Hill (Piano), Brandon Lane (Bass, Trombone), Leonard Jones (Drums),Billy Williams (Drums), Michael Hawkins (Bass), Matthew Steele (Bass), Tom Reaves (Guitar), , Lance Dickerson (Piano), Alvin Spratley (Bass), Eliis Tucker (Keyboards), Charles Chico Wiley (Drums), Bill McGee (Flugelhorn, Trumpet, Engineer)
Influences
James Boo Gates Sr., Billy Kilson, Branford and Wynton Marsalis, Johnny Hodges, Charlie Parker, Cannonball Adderly, Stanley Turrentine, Grover Washington, Ronnie Laws, Eddie Harris, Walter Bishop Jr., Walter Davis Jr., Billy Strayhorn, Dizzy Gillispie, Lee Morgan, Kirk Whalum, Art Blakey, Dr. Joe Kennedy, Dr. Lonnie Liston Smith, Johnnie Peyton, Tuscan Jasper, Larry Carlton, Billy Kilson, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Kenny Dorham, Philly "Joe" Jones, Alan Dawson, Oscar Peterson, Jimmy Smith, Charles Earland, Jimmy McGriff, Bill Doggett, Wayne Shorter, Elvin Jones, Herbie Hanncock, Ron Carter, Ray Brown, Paul Chambers, Max Roach, Andy McGee, Billy Pierce, Art Farmer, Tony Willams, Freddie Hubbard, Hank Jones, Roy Haynes, McCoy Tyner, Kenny Drew, Clifford Brown, Mary Lou William, Errol Garner, Art Tatum, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Nat King Cole, Sarah Vaughan, Quincy Jones, Tommy Flanagan, Nancy Wilson, Mel Torme', Billie Holiday, Lena Horne, Billy Eckstine, Dianne Reeves, Stevie Wonder, Chaka Khan, Aretha Franklin, Micheal Jackson, Earth, Wind & Fire, Fred Wesley, James Brown, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Sounds Like
Kirk Whalum, Walter Beasley, Sonny Stitt, George Howard, Cannonball Adderly, Charlie Parker, Eddie Harris, Gerald Albright, Branford Marsalis, Lou Donaldson, Maceo Parker, Stanley Turrentine, Sonny Rollins, Grover Washington, Ronnie Laws, Kenny Garrett.
A graduate of Berklee College of Music Saxsmo is one of the young lions of Jazz. Having played with Dizzy Gillispie, Art Blakey, Larry Carlton, Fred Wesley, Robert Flack, and his own group of 804 JAZZ Allstars, Saxsmo is the real deal. James left the music department at Virginia State University to spread his wings in Boston at Berklee. While there he joined the young giants of Jazz. Just the mention of his name brings a smile to the faces of Terri Lynn Carrington, Lynne Fidmont, Walter Beasley, Alex Bugnon, Cyrus Chestnut, Billy Kilson, Brandon Marsalis, Delfeayo Marsalis, Jeff Watts, Shelia Ford, Marvin Smitty Smith, Wallace Roney, Mako Ozone, Ron Savage, Omar Hakim, Lala Hathaway, Carl Jenkins, Greg Osby, Kevin Eubanks, Robin Eubanks, Wil Calhoun, Donald Harrison, and many many others. Poised to make a move James has partnered with 804 JAZZ and Bill McGee to take his career to the next level. In his home town of Richmond, Virginia SAXSMO is known as one of the hottest jazz men to pick up a sax. Following in his father's footsteps SAXSMO has made a name for himself as an energetic saxophonist capable of playing all styles from bop to the smoothest progressive jazz. For more information check him out at WWW.SAXSMO.COM. Oh yeah... tell your friends to buy the CD or Downloads.
A person recently said that anybody who goes to DC Tuesday is crazy... Here is my Reply
When I was 3 I cried because I had to sit in the back of an empty bus with Grannie. In '63 I cried because Mom had to go to the back door of a Howard Johnson's to get a cup of coffee. When we moved to Atlanta in 1963 I cried because the Klu Klux Klan was openly walking around in sheets in front of Rich's Dept. Store and on the way to Atlanta a pickup truck followed us on a dark road (a black woman with two kids alone). In 1968, I cried when Martin Luther King was killed. I went to the same High School he attended and attended his church, Ebenezer Baptist, regulary when he preached. Yolanda and Martin 3rd attended the same Elementary school that I attended (Ogelthorpe Elem. which is pretty much on the Atlanta University campus). Now I'm going to openly cry when a black man takes the Oath of Office as PRESIDENT.. I ain't crazy for going to DC THIS I MUST DO for my dead grannie, grandad, mama and daddy. This trip is for my ancestors!
Support Live Music in Chicago! ***** If you have not experienced the Evolution Ensemble you are in for a grand experience!
WHO: Evolution Ensemble WHERE: The Morse Theater -1328 W. Morse Chicago, IL 60626 WHEN: Thursday December 11, 2008 TIME: 8:00 pm COST: $10 For tickets and more info - please call 773-654-5100
*THE EVOLUTION ENSEMBLE* Tomeka Reid - Cello Rashida Black - Harp James Sanders - Violin Ernie Adams - Percussion Dee Alexander - Vocals
