Across 34 years and 29 full-length album releases, Eric Essix has maintained a steady flow of music that flexes the boundaries of contemporary jazz with a distinct “Southern feel,” reflecting his Alabama upbringing. “Some things will always be buried in every note I play, and those down-home elements that are inherent in my playing are never going away.”

Church choir, Wes Montgomery, Stevie Wonder, and Jimi Hendrix played a role in molding Eric’s musical sensibilities. He grew up playing in quartet gospel groups at the Ephesus Seventh Day Adventist church. As a teen in 1977, a live performance of Jaco Pastorius and Weather Report was a life changing experience. “After seeing these artists in concert, I knew that instrumental music was what I wanted to play,” Eric said.

During his first decade as an artist, Eric recorded four well-received albums, and earned a degree from Berklee College of Music. In 1998, legendary Warner Brothers Vice President Ricky Shultz, who helped develop the careers of greats like Pat Metheny, Al Jarreau, Larry Carlton, and The Yellowjackets, took a liking to Essix’s latest self-produced album, and gave the guitarist his first taste of national exposure. Eric’s single “For Real” was on the airplay charts for 25 weeks, reaching the Top 5 on several. From there, he has continued to score chart-topping radio hits and garnered millions of listeners.

Essix celebrated hits are not standalone achievements but are part of a discography populated with thematic concept albums. Collectively, these works reveal his life’s many passions and purpose as an artist. Among Eric’s most renowned works is his “Southern Roots” trilogy: Southbound (2001), Somewhere in Alabama (2004) and Birmingham (2009). When his mother passed away, Eric created a moving tribute of spirituals and hymns called Abide With Me (2005).

Beyond recording, Essix has performed worldwide with his MOVE>Trio and longtime bandmates. In the late 2000s, Eric expanded his reach in the contemporary urban jazz realm, touring and performing with some of the top names in the genre, including Jeff Lorber, Gerald Albright, Ronnie Laws, Boney James, Peabo Bryson, Marcus Miller, Eric Darius, Mindi Abair, and others.

His love for the genre inspired him to launch the Preserve Jazz Festival and later Eric Essix’s Jazz Escape, two important annual events in Birmingham devoted to jazz performers.

Eric’s latest May 2025 album “My Heartbeat” is a continuation of his tradition of creating infectious melodies and funky, guided by the theme of unity and hope.

Eric Essix joins Middle C Jazz to share his latest release plus hits of his three decade career on November 29th.