Star Guitarist Gene Ess Presents Latest Date Ah-Bop, due out October 7 via Simp Records SIMP Records is pleased to announce the release of Ah-Bop, the latest album from star guitarist Gene Ess, and his first for four years, due out on October 7, 2022. Ess is joined by two of New York’s finest instrumentalists … Read More
Alexander Schmitz, Jazz Podium English translation: That Gene Ess is Japanese, you can see especially on song titles such as “Sands of Time (Okinawa)”, “Tokyo Red”, and “Fireflies of Hiroshima” three out of eight of his compositions on the fourth album of his quintet Fractal Attraction. Otherwise, the New Yorker of choice since 1991, a … Read More
By: Travis Rogers, Jr. The Jazz Owl With Gene Ess’ album Absurdist Theater, I said that “Gene Ess is a philosopher.” He is indeed that but he is an anthropological philosopher. In Eternal Monomyth, he took Joseph Campbell and C. G. Jung and explored the quest of the hero. In Absurdist Theater, he delved … Read More
By: Asher Wolf, JAZZIZ Apotheosis, a vibrant batch of original tunes, is guitarist Gene Ess’ fourth album with his quintet Fractal Attraction. Sampling a variety of groove-based styles ranging from post-bop and straightahead to rock and classical fusion, the pieces display an unwavering balance between restraint and catharsis. The ensemble functions like a typical bop … Read More
Dan Bilawsky, JazzTimes While several of these songs’ arcs have a triumphant spirit, in keeping with the nature of apotheosis, guitarist Gene Ess isn’t obsessed with peaks and conquest. Reconvening Fractal Attraction, a style-fluid electric quintet with the signature frontline pairing of guitar and (mostly) wordless vocals, Ess continues to build momentum while also digging … Read More
George Harris, Jazz Weekly Leader Gene Ess plays guitar and synth as he brings together the pastoral team of Thana Alexa/voc, Sebastien Ammann/p, Yosushi Nakamura/b and Clarence Penn/dr to interpret his own rich compositions. Alexa sounds wonderful as she uses her wordless voice away from hubby Antonio Sanchez to give lovely textures to the soft … Read More
Kazune Hayata, Jazz Life Magazine Gene Ess grew up on Okinawa. After graduating Berklee College of Music in Boston, he moved to NYC in the 90’s and plays an active part on the frontline of jazz. Gene’s band “Fractal Attraction” just released their fourth album “Apotheosis”. The powerful rhythm section comprise of Clarence Penn, Yasushi … Read More
Dee Dee McNeil, Musical Memoirs Blog GENE ESS – “APOTHEOSIS” Simp Label Gene Ess, guitar/synthesizer/composer; Thana Alexa, vocals; Sebastien Ammann, piano; Yasushi Nakamura, bass; Clarence Penn, drums. Jazz is an open door for new and refreshing musicality. I am always in search of new doors to enter and new spaces to explore; spaces that stretch creativity … Read More
Esteemed Japanese-American guitarist and composer Gene Ess is proud to release Apotheosis, the fourth album from his quintet Fractal Attraction TODAY (Nov. 6th)!Featuring Thana Alexa on vocals, Sebastien Ammann on piano, Yasushi Nakamura on bass, and Clarence Penn on drums, Apotheosis speaks to the astonishing quality of the spirit and of the ability of human beings … Read More
Chris Spector, Midwest Record GENE ESS/Apotheosis: The jazz guitarist that’s been making some compelling records for a while now veers off to a spiritual track saluting those who endure. The music is more inner directed than past releases but no less accessible and doesn’t trail into new age territories. A different kind of set that … Read More
