About Me
James Gibbs III was born in Newark, NJ and grew up in Irvington. He began his musical roots at 9 playing the alto saxophone and the clarinet and quickly became ahead of his peers and becoming the first and the youngest to ever to be inducted into Irvington High School marching band at the age of 10 and played every year until he graduated in 1996. His love for the trumpet came when he was 14 from watching Dizzy Gillespie play on television and Miles Davis and wanted to be like them. He began playing the trumpet in February of 1992 and 3 weeks later the principle 1st chair player in his junior high school, and continued throughout high school. James throughout his adolescence performed at church functions and political events until one day a family friend and percussionist introduced James to Newark legendary organist Radam Schwartz at the Top Brass club in Newark (March 1994). There, he saw his first ever jazz performance and realized that is what he wants to do with his musical career.James studied under Radam at the (then) Jazz institute of New Brunswick on Monday nights where he would meet his fellow colleagues whom he still performs with today.His first major gig came on December 12, 1994 at the Five Spot in New York City for the WBGO membership party where he would meet Wessell "Warm Daddy" Anderson, and the late great Betty Carter who would invite him to audition for and take part in her Jazz Ahead program in 1996.Among her resident performers were: Joel Fraham, Carlos Henderson, Brandon McCune, Gregory Tardy, The Reid sisters, Byron Landam, Nate Smith, Jason Moran, and many other superstars. He remained a resident until her sudden death in 1998 and her tribute alumni band until 2000.James obtained a English degree from Delaware State University in 2001 and also minoring in music under the leadership of the legendary Donald Byrd. Throughout his career James has met and/or performed with T.S. Monk, Herbie Hancock, Roberta Flack, Wynton Marsalis, Terrence Blanchard, Jon Faddis, George Benson, David 'Pic' Conley of Surface, Cecil Brooks III, John Lee, and many other great musicians and personalities.He currently finished his debut cd entitled 'Relaxin' and is soon to release three more cd's within the next year.James outside of playing the trumpet is and avid pool player, and bowler. He also enjoys playing baseball, basketball, football, weight lifting, karate, boxing, fishing, distance driving, and cooking.His alternate musical lifestyle includes: track producing, educating, engineering, playing multiple instruments, arranging, and composing.
