Brandon Ross is an American avant-jazz guitarist, composer, band leader, vocalist, and songwriter, son of trombonist
Candy Ross. Born and raised in New Brunswick, NJ, Ross started playing trombone and other horns at the age of four. He also sang as a boy soprano in Christ Episcopal Church Choir of New Brunswick. When he was 11, Brandon Ross purchased his first guitar and switched to strings ever since.
Some of his current projects include
Harriet Tubman power-trio with bassist
Melvin Gibbs and drummer
J.T. Lewis, in which Ross uses electronics and pan-tonality to create a multidimensional, interactive, sonic language in a classic R&B/rock configuration. Harriet Tubman released four albums, including a live CD on
John Zorn’s Avant label in Japan. Brandon Ross also leads
For Living Lovers, an all-acoustic duo with bass guitarist Stomu Takeishi, which released their debut
Revealing Essence album on Sunnyside Communications in 2014. He works with mezzo-soprano Alicia Hall Moran in
AiR, leads a few experimental ensembles, such as
Brandon Ross’Pendulum,
Phantom Station and
(Yet)Another Plane, and plays with guitarist Doug Wieselman and sound designer Hardedge as
DarkMatterHalo trio.
As a performing and recording artist, Brandon Ross has been collaborating with numerous outstanding jazz musicians, including
Cassandra Wilson,
Jewel, Lizz Wright,
Arto Lindsay,
John Lurie and the
Lounge Lizards,
Butch Morris,
Bill Frisell,
Bill Laswell,
Me’Shell NdegéOcello, Moreno Veloso,
Arrested Development,
Archie Shepp,
Muhal Richard Abrams,
Don Byron,
Gene Lake,
Marcus Rojas,
Geri Allen, and Charles Burnham. Ross was a member of various ensembles by
Henry Threadgill,
Oliver Lake, Leroy Jenkins, Myra Melford,
Marion Brown, Rob Reddy, Ron Miles, and
Wadada Leo Smith.