‘There’s no escaping this Lewis who seemed to continually breathe fire’, Dutch newspaper de Volkskrant wrote in a 2016 concert review. Musically and spiritually, the 1983-born tenor saxophonist was shaped by the church and you can still hear Lewis’s roots in his playing. He blends the traditions of gospel and blues with the skills of free jazz and enjoys exploring his instrument’s bottom register. This puts him in the company of greats. Brandon Lewis, who was endorsed by Sonny Rollins, has a phenomenal sound with a fierce bite that still has a lyrical, dream-like undertone. These capacities are highlighted extremely well on albums like Divine Travels, Days Of FreeMan and No Filter. In their latest project, An UnRuly Manifesto, James Brandon Lewis UnRuly Quintet explore the meaning of freedom.
