Cyrus Campbell

James Emery: Inside Outlier

by Glenn Astarita
March 25, 2024

Emerging in the 1970s, renowned guitarist James Emery quickly became a name to drop in the jazz scene, synonymous with that 'new jazz smell' of innovation. A founding member of the String Trio of New York, his career has been an outstanding potluck of collaborations, bringing to the table dishes seasoned with the genius of Anthony Braxton, Leroy Jenkins, and Roscoe Mitchell. His style? Imagine if Bach had an affair with bebop and raised their lovechild on a strict diet ...