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Gene Oates
Member Since: 2022 | Location: New York City | Page Views: 179 
About Me
All that Jazz
The second I was old enough to make a sound, music was already flowing in my veins. Raised by two parents active in the Chicago professional music scene—my mother and father singing in choral groups while my dad laid down the bass in countless combos—my destiny was sealed early. As a teenager, I answered the siren call of the late sixties rock frenzy, happily trading in the piano and clarinet to plug in and turn up. ________________________________________ From Chicago Garage Rock to Idaho Country Flare I cut my teeth in the garage band era with The First Impressions, bringing my kick-ass, “corn- stomping” bass to stages from Ottawa all the way back to Chicago. That bass line was the backbone of our sound. Stepping up to lead guitar with The Khaotics was my chance to stretch out and start composing original rock and funk. We became a fixture on Midwestern campuses and party scenes, often fronting for national touring bands that hit the Chicago circuit. Even while attending DeVry Institute, the bass called me back, this time pulling me into the world of improvisational blues with Windowface. We brought an original, gritty sound to clubs across Oak Park, Aurora, and downtown Chicago. But I don't let grass grow under my feet; the next stop was Idaho, where I co-founded Mother Oats and Wylee. We forged a unique sound, blending my Chicago rock and blues aggression with a local country flare, and toured a four-state area for several years. ________________________________________ The Seattle Scene: Jazz, Swing, and Big Band After a brief break, I dove headfirst into the Seattle music scene in 2000. My project, Quarter2Blue, became the melting pot for my style: a unique, aggressive blend of rock, Jazz, blues, and country guitar. I then spent time seriously studying Jazz, which led me to jam with some incredible Seattle musicians and eventually to the Mavi Jazz Funk combo and the precise harmonies of the Lexington Avenue acapella jazz quartet. For nineteen years, I've been a driving force in two of Seattle's hottest 17-piece groups: the Mach One Jazz Orchestra and the Eastside Modern Jazz Orchestra. That's where I live in a world of versatility, playing everything from straight-up '30s–'50s swing to high-performance contemporary Jazz and lounge music. I've even had the chance to perform in stage bands and contribute my guitar to a full orchestra. Today, you can find me performing with Hilltop Jazz, the Newton's Law Fusion Project, and the Skagit Valley Swing Band, all while keeping busy as a session musician for several other groups in the Skagit County area. My musical journey is still writing itself.
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Favorite Musicians / Bands
My Jazz Story
My House Concert Story
Favorite Places to See Jazz
Theme Song
Playlist
This page was last updated on 2025-12-18.
