James Brandon Lewis: Wisdom and Wonder from Buffalo to Colorado

James Brandon Lewis gives the impression of being wise beyond his years, but he’s got just as many questions as anybody else. The son of a minister, he grew up in Buffalo, NY, and attended Howard University. After graduation in 2006, he moved to Colorado, where he spent several years as a gospel musician. In 2010, he began attending CalArts, studying with Wadada Leo Smith, Charlie Haden and others, and releasing an independent album, Moments . After receiving his MFA, he moved to New York and began working with Matthew Shipp, William Parker, and Gerald Cleaver, among others. He released Divine Travels in 2014, and hasn’t stopped moving since.

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_Originally reported by [Stereogum](https://stereogum.com/2503033/james-brandon-lewis-is-here-to-testify/columns/ugly-beauty/)._