James Genus | |
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![]() Genus performing at the 51st Monterey Jazz Festival 19 September 2008 | |
Background information | |
Born | Hampton, Virginia, U.S. | 20 January 1966
Genres | Jazz |
Occupation | Musician |
Instrument(s) | Guitar, Bass guitar, upright bass |
Years active | 1987–present |
Member of | Saturday Night Live Band |
James Genus (born January 20, 1966) is an American jazz bassist. He plays both electric bass guitar and upright bass and currently plays in the Saturday Night Live Band. He also occasionally fills in for Mark Kelley of the hip hop band The Roots. Genus has performed as a session musician and sideman throughout his career, having worked with an extensive list of artists.
Genus was born in Hampton, Virginia. He began on guitar at age six and switched to bass at 13. He studied at Virginia Commonwealth University from 1983 to 1987 and played for a summer at Busch Gardens Williamsburg. Then he moved to New York City, where he quickly began working with many noted players on the city's jazz scene. He has played with Out of the Blue (1988–89), Horace Silver (1989), Roy Haynes and Don Pullen (1989–91), Nat Adderley (1990), Greg Osby and New York Voices (1990–91), Jon Faddis (1991), T.S. Monk (1991), Benny Golson (1991), Dave Kikoski (1991), Bob Berg (1991–96), Geoffrey Keezer (1992), Lee Konitz (1992), Michael Brecker (1992–96), Bob James (since 1994), Michel Camilo (since 1995), Elysian Fields (since 1995), Branford Marsalis (1996), Chick Corea (1996), Didier Lockwood (1996), Dave Douglas (1996), Uri Caine (1997), Global Theory (1997), Ravi Coltrane (2000), Bill Evans (2005), Herbie Hancock (2008), and Daft Punk (2013).
With Nat Adderley
With Greg Osby
With The Brecker Brothers
With Gary Burton
With Uri Caine
With James Carter
With Dave Douglas
With Benny Golson
With Alex Han
With Lee Konitz
With Geoff Keezer
With Pat Martino
With Steve Masakowski
With T. S. Monk
With Don Pullen
With Daft Punk
With James Williams
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