James Brandon Lewis

James Brandon Lewis is a tenor saxophonist, composer, and bandleader, originally from Buffalo, NY, who plays a mixture of post-bop and avant-garde jazz in ways that suggest John Coltrane influences, with hints of Sonny Rollins and Don Cherry also in the mix. A good portion of his work is anchored in contemplative and wistful balladry for sure, but he also has plenty of pieces that take on a more robust sound and deliver a potent punch, not to mention, a propensity to use dissonance as an element, pushing his sound further into the free jazz territory. Gospel is as much as part of his musical background as is jazz, which comes close to the surface now and then. His embrace of that tradition perhaps found its peak on his 2024 album To Mahalia, With Love, recorded with his Red Lily Quintet.