Forbes: Eubanks embarked upon an unexpected career in television, joining saxophonist Branford Marsalis in The Tonight Show Band in 1992 before leading that group himself from 1995 to 2010. Read the full article Kevin Eubanks On Embracing An Entrepreneurial Attitude and Importance of Music In The Classrooom by Jim Ryan, Forbes Hollywood & Entertainment here >>
Star Tribune: “Best known as Jay Leno’s bandleader on ‘The Tonight Show’ for 18 years, the veteran jazz guitarist took a bicoastal approach on his 2017 album, “East West Time Line,” his 15th studio project as a leader. He swings hard in the East and finds a nice Latin groove in the West. Three players from the album — drummer Smitty Smith, bassist Rene Camacho and saxophonist Bill Pearce — join him on tour. – Jon Bream & Chris Riemenschneider (Read the full article here>>)
City Pages: Before putting up with 18 years of Jay Leno’s condescension as the leader of the Tonight Show Band, Eubanks was marketed as a smooth jazz sex symbol by the GRP label, with album covers of him in wet t-shirts, or no shirt at all. He’s made bank for all that grief and now gets to unfurl his percussive guitar grooves, dappled in funk, and soulful bebop, with longtime ace sidemen like drummer Marvin “Smitty” Smith, who makes sparks fly, bassist Rene Camacho, and saxophonist Bill Pierce. Any attendant smooth sensuality is on his own terms. – Britt Robson (Read the full article here >>)
Photo by Anna Webber