Jesse Sharps Musician
Jesse Sharps
first came on the Los Angeles jazz scene in the late 60’s with Horace Tapscott's legendary Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra. Along with Adele Sebastian, Linda Hill and the many other Arkestra musicians, Jesse helped shape South Los Angeles jazz that would proliferate
in the decades to come.
After a long stay in Germany teaching and touring throughout Europe, Jesse has now returned to the US.
"Jesse Sharps
is one of the premiere musicians to come out of Los Angeles, a talented multi-instrumentalist, leader, conductor and arranger who is completely devoted to his art, who lives it every day of his life, carrying unselfishly the banner of community arts and pushing the boundaries of the music. This is recognized by his peers, who, when called, do not hesitate to become involved with and support Jesse."
Steven Isoardi Author
The Dark Tree: Jazz and the Community Arts in Los Angeles
Songs of the Unsung:
The Musical and Social Journey of Horace Tapscott
Desert Fairy Princess Original composition by Jesse Sharps
Adele Simpson Flute Jesse Sharps Saxophone
Jesse's composition Desert Fairy Princess is featured on Quincy Jones Soul of a Nation playlist
The new documentary featuring Jesse Sharps,
The Gathering: Roots and Branches of Los Angeles Jazz premiered at the 2020 Pan African Film Festival
https://www.paff.org/films/#!/film/the_gathering__roots_and_branches_of_los_angeles_jazz
https://open.spotify.com/album/6SyJTS7mQ6HdNKFXXyuszF?highlight=spotify:track:0nOd4P3qS7j5jaPs9bYILI
Jesse is currently working on bringing together all the musicians and other artists who have been part of UGGMA and the Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra for the biggest Gathering yet.
Featuring interviews with Jesse Sharps:
Soon Available #1!! (late March) 📘📘
★THE MUSIC FINDS A WAY★ A PAPA/UGMAA Oral History of Growing Up In Postwar South Central Los Angeles. by Steven Isoardi
With artists of the Horace Tapscott and the Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra and The Union of God’s Musicians and Artists Ascension.
👉 In the post World War II era, dozens of young African Americans in South Central Los Angeles found their way to careers in music.
In a community facing challenging social conditions and with little to no outside support, they would become artists, supported by the best that their community and culture had to offer, from neighborhood and family to schools and churches, private teachers, formal and informal spaces and institutions, and more than a few unsung heroes.
📘100 pages (in English) • Front cover illustration and design by Paul Rogers
JESSE SHARPS
AND THE
WU ENSEMBLE
RE-ISSUE
COMING SOON!
