Biography
On his debut release James Cafe, smooth jazz saxophonist Jimmy Sommers earned a Top 20 NAC chart placement with the album’s title cut. Born in Mt. Prospect, Illinois, he first touched an alto saxophone during fourth-grade instrument selection day, selecting the horn without any prior knowledge of its sound. His initial studio experience came as featured soloist on a recording by the MacArthur Junior High School jazz ensemble. While still in his teens he slipped into Chicago venues like Kingston Mines with counterfeit identification to sit in with local blues players. On a music-performance scholarship at Southern Illinois University he began fronting his own group and was later asked to perform the “Star Spangled Banner” at center court during a Chicago Bulls contest. Throughout Atlanta’s 1996 Olympic Games he entertained athletes inside the Olympic Village. Completing his industrial-engineering degree a semester ahead of schedule, Sommers relocated to Los Angeles to accelerate his musical ambitions.
Once settled in L.A. he contributed to remix sessions alongside Chaka Khan, George Clinton, Boyz II Men, 2Pac, DJ Quik, Wyclef Jean, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. To cover expenses he took up modeling, gracing the cover of a Harlequin romance novel and securing a recurring role as Marcus on the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless. A brief return to Chicago placed him at the Leo Burnett Advertising Agency, where he produced spots for Disney and Miller Lite; the need to coordinate visuals, music, budgets, and deadlines later shaped his own disciplined approach to recording. Music remained central, prompting him to assemble a touring ensemble in the South of France and Asia that featured drummer Mel Gaynor of Simple Minds, bassist Deon Estus from George Michael’s band, and pianist Kenny Moore of Tina Turner’s group. The unit performed across Europe, including a private concert for Princess Stephanie.
Dissatisfied with major-label A&R, Sommers financed his own imprint, Gemini Records, aiming for a blend of 1970s soul textures and contemporary 1990s production values. Impressed by Eric Benét’s solo debut True to Myself, he traveled from Chicago to Milwaukee after a show to discuss collaboration with Benét and his cousin-producer George Nash Jr. Persuading the pair to work on speculation, Sommers began tracking his first album. Following the release of James Cafe he attended a holiday gathering at the Malibu estate of hair-care entrepreneur John Paul DeJoria, where he found himself beside Rod Stewart at the bar and joined the rocker for several impromptu numbers. Weeks afterward DeJoria requested a meeting and purchased 150,000 copies of a promotional sampler drawn from the album, packaging the discs with Paul Mitchell shampoo, conditioner, and moisturizer sets under the “Sommers Treat” promotion that reached 81,000 salons worldwide. Shortly thereafter Sommers obtained distribution through Universal Music; in 2001 he issued the follow-up 360 Urban Groove on Higher Octave.
Once settled in L.A. he contributed to remix sessions alongside Chaka Khan, George Clinton, Boyz II Men, 2Pac, DJ Quik, Wyclef Jean, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. To cover expenses he took up modeling, gracing the cover of a Harlequin romance novel and securing a recurring role as Marcus on the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless. A brief return to Chicago placed him at the Leo Burnett Advertising Agency, where he produced spots for Disney and Miller Lite; the need to coordinate visuals, music, budgets, and deadlines later shaped his own disciplined approach to recording. Music remained central, prompting him to assemble a touring ensemble in the South of France and Asia that featured drummer Mel Gaynor of Simple Minds, bassist Deon Estus from George Michael’s band, and pianist Kenny Moore of Tina Turner’s group. The unit performed across Europe, including a private concert for Princess Stephanie.
Dissatisfied with major-label A&R, Sommers financed his own imprint, Gemini Records, aiming for a blend of 1970s soul textures and contemporary 1990s production values. Impressed by Eric Benét’s solo debut True to Myself, he traveled from Chicago to Milwaukee after a show to discuss collaboration with Benét and his cousin-producer George Nash Jr. Persuading the pair to work on speculation, Sommers began tracking his first album. Following the release of James Cafe he attended a holiday gathering at the Malibu estate of hair-care entrepreneur John Paul DeJoria, where he found himself beside Rod Stewart at the bar and joined the rocker for several impromptu numbers. Weeks afterward DeJoria requested a meeting and purchased 150,000 copies of a promotional sampler drawn from the album, packaging the discs with Paul Mitchell shampoo, conditioner, and moisturizer sets under the “Sommers Treat” promotion that reached 81,000 salons worldwide. Shortly thereafter Sommers obtained distribution through Universal Music; in 2001 he issued the follow-up 360 Urban Groove on Higher Octave.
Albums
