Since the mid '60s, Elmer Gibson has been writing, arranging, and performing music around the world with some of jazz’s finest musicians. When not playing with his own group, he’s been performing and recording with many local and nationally known jazz artists. Gibson has toured the U.S. performing at the Newport Jazz Festival, the Berkeley Jazz Festival, the Piccolo Spoleto Festival in Charleston SC, the San Jose Music Festival, the Pleasure Island Jazz, Blues and Seafood Festival in NC, Bel Cher Festival in Asheville NC, and The New Bern Jazz and Blues Festival in New Bern NC.
2000 – 2010
“All the Seasons,” Gibson’s latest release, will be available at the end of September. A compilation of familiar ballads and three originals, recorded live at the Tremont Grand in Baltimore.
Performed with 2009 Baker Award winner alto saxophonist, Carl Grubbs at the Baltimore Museum of Art.
Performed all original compositions at An die Musik in Baltimore with drummer Eric Allen and bassist Mike Forminek, at Colombia Station in DC, and Marsh Woodwinds Upstairs in Raleigh with drummer Eric Allen and bassist Steve Novosel. Same trio performed a concert at the New Bern Jazz Festival in New Bern NC and are working on music for a new CD.
Gibson wrote and performed special music for the First United Methodist Church of Cary, NC. Performed with Carl Grubbs at the Cambridge MD Jazz and Blues Festival, the Baltimore Museum of Art, and An Die Musik Live Performance Center in Baltimore.
Kumekucha Records released, “The Loner Hexilogy” a highly arranged group of original compositions and, “Comfort and Joy,” a potpourri of jazz arrangements of standard Christmas songs. It premieres Gibson on soprano saxophone.
Gibson released two solo piano CD on his Kumekucha label titled, “The Reach of Memory” (all original compositions) and “Jazz Ornaments for Solo Piano” (improvisational arrangements on traditional holiday songs) was released.
Lifeforcejazz Records released “The Elmer Gibson Trio Live,” with Ron Free on drums and Rick Jones on bass. Recorded his first album of all original music, “Generation Dance,” featuring Eddie Henderson, Charles Fambrough, Clifford Adams and Norman Connors, also released by Lifeforcejazz.
1990 - 1999
Recorded his first album of all original music, “Generation Dance,” which features several highly respected sidemen, such as Eddie Henderson, Gary Bartz, Charles Fambrough, Clifford Adams and Norman Connors. Re-released in 2002 by Lifeforcejazz Records, San Jose, CA.
Was a founding board member of the Community Music School of Raleigh. Numerous performances at the “Chef and Clef” restaurant in Charleston, South Carolina.
Performed with Carl Grubbs & Friends.at the 12th annual Bogata Jazz festival, Colombia South America. A second trip with Carl performing Concerts in Bogata and Medijin, Colombia.
1980 - 1989
Gibson won the Gold Award as music director, arranger and accompanist of the Nnenna Freelon Duo at the National Musicfest USA competitions held in Philadelphia.
Accompanied world renowned comedian Steve Allen in his appearance with the North Carolina Symphony.
The principle string trio of the North Carolina Symphony premiered two of Elmer's original works: "Talking Piece" and "Themes on an African Mask." In that same year, "Themes" won a statewide competition for composers and has been performed on numerous occasions by a number of string trios around the state.
“The Loner Hexilogy” was recorded at Sound Traxx Studio in 1983, but remained unpublished until 2008. Released on his own label, Kumekucha Records.
1970 - 1979
Toured Europe and Japan with the Norman Connors band, moved to Raleigh NC to study architecture, started a not-for-profit organization, whose purpose was to increase jazz awareness as a language and an art form, throughout the state, continued to compose and perform in groups and solo.
Co-founded Preservation Jazz Company Inc. to create and assist in the development of a fall Jazz festival, which has brought such notables as McCoy Tyner, Buddy Rich, Mongo Santamaria, Phil Woods Harold Vick, Sonny Fortune, Nat Adderly, Ahmad Jamal, Toots Thielemans, Shirley Scott, Bobby Durham, and Danny Richmond.
