David James's GPS Album Release – "Mission Rebel No. 1"

The culmination of a years-long project of research and composition, the release of "Mission Rebel No. 1" is an occasion worth celebrating. And what better way than by performing the music – a suite that examines the life of a Mission District activist, Rev. Jesse James – in the Concert Hall of the Mission's own Community Music Center.

Mission Rebel No. 1: Looking for Rev. Jesse James is the newest album from San Francisco composer, guitarist and singer David James and his ensemble GPS. Part song-cycle, part personal history, the suite of compositions is a kaleidoscopic tour through a half-century of Black musical forms. This highly-anticipated recording is James’ musical examination of the life of his father, a preacher and activist in San Francisco in the 1960s and 70s. Augmenting his long-running sextet with vocalists, James draws inspiration from music contemporaneous with the life of Rev. Jesse James, combining elements of early jazz, 1960’s and ‘70s soul, Afrobeat and more.

Mission Rebel No. 1: Looking for Rev. Jesse James is the tenth release in a series of 12 recordings featuring SF Bay Area creative composers and musicians, released from February 2025 through February 2026 by bassist Lisa Mezzacappa’s micro label Queen Bee Records.

David James's GPS is a rhythm-horns-and-strings sextet led by composer-guitarist David James (Afrofunk Experience, the Coup, Spearhead), and includes Beth Custer (Club Foot Orchestra) on clarinets, Alan Williams (Afrolicious, Big Star Third) on trombone, Keith Lawrence (Cosa Nostra Strings) on viola, Lisa Mezzacappa (Fred Frith, Jordan Glenn, The Electronic Lover) on bass, and John Hanes (Chrome, Actual Trio, Henry Kaiser) on drums. Here, the sextet is joined by mezzo-soprano Allegra Bandy and tenor Sòlás Burke-Lalgee.

The varied musical backgrounds of the ensemble members – from singing string quartet to New Orleans brass band; from art song to hip-hop to experimental “noise” – give the group a wide vantage point from which to approach James’ compositions, and a diverse set of skills to draw from improvisationally.

David James is a San Francisco-born composer, guitarist, vocalist and bandleader who draws from his years of experience in hip-hop, film and theater scores, afrobeat, and more, bringing these influences to bear in his “ … thoughtfully composed, boundary-blurring new music.” (All About Jazz). James has been a recording and touring member of Spearhead, The Coup, and the Beth Custer Ensemble. He has performed chamber jazz; live scores to silent films in the screening rooms of MoMA and SFMOMA; and hip-hop at the Glastonbury Festival (UK). From 2010 to 2020, James co-led Afrofunk Experience, and along with GPS, he currently co-leads Russian Telegraph and performs in clarinet-cello-guitar ensemble Khachapuri Trio, and with Club Foot Quintet.

Alan Williams - trombone, voice

Beth Custer - clarinet, voice

Keith Lawrence - viola, voice

David James - guitar, voice

Lisa Mezzacappa - bass

John Hanes - drums

Allegra Bandy - voice

Sòlás Burke-Lalgee - voice

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