Erick Essix is an Alabama-based contemporary jazz guitarist who launched his career back in 1988. Since then, he has grown into a genre icon for both his infectious melodies and versatility. Essix has been in the game for over 30 years. Yet, somehow, he continues to provide us with a steady flow of music. Essix first appeared on the scene with two documented albums launched during the late 1980s under the contemporary jazz label, Nova Records. Unfortunately, the label closed, leaving him to find a new home for his music. A decade later, Essix revitalized his music career. He landed a deal with Zebra Records. But this time he adopted a more mature, bluesier style with a distinctly Southern feel.
In 2002, Eric left Zebra to restart his own indie label under the name Essential Records. Once again, he departed from his style, further showcasing his stylistic versatility. In 2013, Essix was inducted into the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame. Most recently, he released his 28th album entitled STRiDE, which was distributed by Lightyear Entertainment/Virgin Music/UMG. It generally received positive reviews. It has a diverse mix of songs, ranging from sultry ballads, traditional Jazz, hints of blues, and much more. Erick Essix has truly redefined the sound of Contemporary Jazz and we can be sure he has no plans of stopping.
