James Emery (musician)

James Emery
Born (1951-12-21)December 21, 1951
Youngstown, Ohio, U.S.
Genres Jazz, avant-garde, classical
Occupation(s) Musician, composer
Instruments Guitar
Years active 1975–present
Labels Enja, Black Saint, Between the Lines
Associated acts String Trio of New York
Website www.james-emery.com

James Emery (born December 21, 1951) is an American jazz guitarist.

Career

Emery's parents were musicians. His father played trumpet, and his mother played piano. Emery started on organ when he was six. A few years later, he began classical guitar lessons.[1]

He had a job at a music store run by guitarist Bill DeArango, and during free time they practiced together.[1][2] At the end of the 1960s, he went to college at Cleveland State University, where he concentrated on composition and music theory. He also studied composition at City University of New York during the 1980s.[1]

In the early 1970s, Emery moved to New York City and was a teacher at the Creative Music Studio.[1] He toured with the Human Arts Ensemble and worked with Karl Berger, Anthony Braxton, and Leroy Jenkins.[1][2]

In 1977, he started the String Trio of New York with Billy Bang and John Lindberg[3] and has been a member for over thirty years, recording more than fifteen albums, and touring throughout the U.S. and the world. Emery has written over hundred compositions for the avant-garde Trio and for symphony orchestras, chamber groups, and solo guitar. During his career, he has worked with Ed Blackwell, Dave Holland, Joe Lovano, Steve Reich, Sam Rivers, and John Zorn.[2] He has led groups with Thurman Barker, Robert Dick, Marty Ehrlich, Michael Formanek, Gerry Hemingway, J. D. Parran, and Ed Schuller.[1]

Emery plays acoustic guitar, semi-acoustic guitar, and tenor guitar.[1]

Discography

As leader

  • Artlife (Lumina, 1983)
  • Exo Eso (FMP, 1987)
  • Turbulence (Knitting Factory, 1991)
  • Standing on a Whale Fishing for Minnows (Enja, 1997)
  • Spectral Domains (Enja, 1999)
  • Luminous Cycles (Between the Lines, 2001)
  • Fourth World (Between the Lines, 2001)
  • Transformations (Between the Lines, 2003)

With the String Trio of New York

As sideman

With Anthony Braxton

With Wadada Leo Smith

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Kennedy, Gary (2002). Kernfeld, Barry, ed. The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz. 1 (2nd ed.). New York: Grove's Dictionaries. p. 710. ISBN 1-56159-284-6.
  2. 1 2 3 Yanow, Scott (2013). The great jazz guitarists : the ultimate guide. San Francisco: Backbeat. p. 65. ISBN 978-1-61713-023-6.
  3. ↑ Wynn, Ron. "James Emery". AllMusic. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
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