A celebration of the release of the recording by David James’s GPS of “Mission Rebel No. 1: Looking for Rev. Jesse James”, composed by David James.
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 musically 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.
www.heydavidjames.com
Tickets: $5–$50 donation. Purchase Tickets Here