James Brandon Lewis (b. 1983 Buffalo, NY) is a critically acclaimed saxophonist, composer, recording artist and educator. Lewis has received accolades from New York Times, Q Magazine and cultural tastemakers such as Ebony Magazine, who hailed him as one of the “7 Young Players to Watch” in today’s scene. Lewis has shared the stage with Ken Filano, Darius Jones and Jason Hwang, William Parker, Hamiet Bluiett, Hamid Drake, Ravi Coltrane, Jimmy Heath, Jamaaladeen Tacuma, Joe Lovano, Dave Douglas, Mark Ribot, Anthony Coleman and many others. Jazz legend Sonny Rollins endorsed Lewis as a “promising young player with the potential to do great things having listened to the Elders.” New York Times had this to say, “James Brandon Lewis is a jazz saxophonist in his ‘30s, raw toned but measured, doesn’t sound steeped in the current jazz academy values; there’s an independence about him.” Lewis leads numerous ensembles and is the co-founder of Poetry Music Ensemble Heroes Are Gang Leaders. Lewis attended Howard University, with an MFA from California Institute of the Arts.

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