Jay Sanders

Jay Sanders is a guitarist, bassist, composer, producer, and bandleader based in Asheville, N.C. A stylistic virtuoso, Jay’s music is characterized by an effortless ability to fuse his jazz, rock, blues, metal, and African influences with years of improvisational study and training. His compositions trend toward the melodic and sublime; expertly traversing between peaceful melodicism, free jazz, and cacophonous noise music. Jay claims Sonny Sharrock, John McLaughlin, Bill Frisell, Dave Holland, Ornette Coleman, and John Hartford among his primary influences.

Jay has recorded more than two dozen records and performed in 47 U.S. states and six countries. He is also a composer who has worked with the ETHEL string quartet, Rational Discourse, and scored several independent films.

His solo recording debut, Evanescent, will be released on July 12, 2024. An exploration of influences as well as a meditation on impermanence, Evanescent consists of seven original compositions and a tone poem dedicated to the Voyager spacecraft. The music is brought to life through the help of Jay’s long-time collaborators Justin Ray, Jacob Rodriguez, Casey Driessen, Steve Alford, Zack Page, Evan Marin, and Tyler Housholder.

Jay is most commonly known as the bassist for Acoustic Syndicate. Widely considered one of the progenitors of the Americana music scene, Acoustic Syndicate spent 3 decades fusing southern roots music, bluegrass, rock and roll with a healthy dose of jazz and improvisation. They appeared at major festivals such as Bonnaroo and Farm Aid, and released eight records, including two for former roots-music stronghold Sugar Hill Records. Working within the Americana space, Jay has recorded with Jim Lauderdale and toured with the indefatigable Donna The Buffalo.

In 2013, Jay partnered with Steve Alford and Michael W Davis to form the E.Normus Trio. They released “Love & Barbiturates” to critical acclaim. “...this debut release that skirts the boundaries of jazz-rock, free-jazz and progressive metal-jazz. The jazz and improvisational elements accentuate most of these works, fueled by adrenaline rushes amid the trio's broad arsenal. […] It's all been done before in various ways, shapes and forms, but this band integrates numerous genre-based inferences into its repertoire. With asymmetrical doses of swing, rock, and Sanders' fuzzed-out psycho guitar licks, the music generates remembrances of New York City's vibrant downtown scene, at times drawing comparisons to John Zorn's Naked City ensemble.” wrote Glenn Astarita in All About Jazz.

Originally from Nashville, Tenn., Jay grew up surrounded by the immensity of Nashville's music scene. His early studies with Regi Wooten opened his mind to the concepts of fundamental vibration, sacred geometry, and the music of the spheres. Jay later moved to Knoxville, where he cultivated his curiosity through a series of extended conversations with former Sun-Ra drummer, Samurai Celestial. He formally studied music at Belmont University and the University of Tennessee.

Throughout his career Sanders has played with many of his heroes including Ornette Coleman, Hank Roberts, Bela Fleck, Ivan Neville, Big Chief Monk Boudreaux, Walter Wolfman Washington, Fred Wesley, Sam Bush, Raymond Weber, Paul Barrere and Fred Tackett of Little Feat, Bernie Worrel, Kirk Joseph, Vassar Clements, Casey Driessen, Jim Lauderdale, Tim O’Brien, Larry Keel and many more. He has studied with Reggie Wooten, E. Michael Harrington, Jerry Coker and countless other inspiring individual talents.

Beyond his work as a musician and producer, Jay is co-owner of the award-winning cocktail bar, Little Jumbo. Jay plays at Little Jumbo every Tuesday night with his quartet in addition to curating the weekly Monday night performances featuring some of the region’s most talented jazz musicians. He is currently producing a series of “Live at Little Jumbo” recordings to be released in 2024, 2025, and beyond.