The Eric Essix Group: Songs From the Deep
Saturday, November 21, 2026, 7:30 PM
Nashville Jazz Workshop
Over more than 38 years and 29 albums, Birmingham, Alabama guitarist Eric Essix has built a sound all his own, blending contemporary jazz with Southern roots and gospel. On Saturday, November 21, he returns to the Workshop with Sean Michael Ray on bass, Kelly O'Neal on sax and flute, Cameron Sankey on keys, and James "PJ" Spraggins on drums for Songs From The Deep, an evening of Southern-inspired contemporary jazz music for the soul.
A graduate of Berklee College of Music, Eric reached a national audience after signing with Zebra Records in 1998. His albums Small Talk and Southbound produced the hit single "For Real," which stayed on the airplay charts for 25 weeks, and his take on "Rainy Night in Georgia" became a radio favorite. Since launching his own label in 2002, he has released a string of charting singles, including "Sweet Tea," "Shuttlesworth Drive," "New Focus," and "Foot Soldiers," which spent seven weeks at #1 on SmoothJazz.com. Recent recordings like Late Night Drive, The Deep, Ain't No Sunshine, and My Heartbeat have landed on the Mediabase and Billboard Smooth Jazz charts, and he currently has a single in the Top 40 on both.
Eric is also known for concept-driven projects, including his Southern Roots Trilogy (Southbound, Somewhere in Alabama, and Birmingham) and spiritually inspired records like Abide With Me and This Train: The Gospel Sessions. Off the bandstand, he founded the Preserve Jazz Festival and Eric Essix's Jazz Escape, and spent 12 years as Director of Programming at UAB's Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center. In 2026 he received the Alabama Distinguished Artist Award, the state's highest arts honor, and he is the youngest inductee in the history of the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame. His 30th album arrives April 16, 2027 on his new imprint, Essix PULSE Records.
Eric and the band were a high point in the Jazz Cave on their last visit, and we're thrilled to have them back. Join us at the Nashville Jazz Workshop for a night of soulful, Southern-flavored jazz in one of the best listening rooms in town.