
Musical upbringing:
The musical roots of Jamie Gomez began while growing up in
the towns of Hicksville and Levittown, New York. The towns where Billy Joel and Howie Blauvelt also grew up.
Guitar
and Harmonica:
At the age of 14, Jamie began
playing with a beat up old acoustic guitar that he borrowed from
a friend. After a few years with this guitar, he was able to self-teach
himself to play the instrument as well as sing and play harmonica.
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Percussion instruments:
As a high school freshman at Division Avenue
High School in Levittown NY, Jamie also had an interest in percussion
instruments. He had a gift for rhythm and pursued this by taking drum
lessons. At the age of 19 after graduating from High School, he started playing solo
with the congas and tambourine at night clubs in downtown Manhattan.
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Bass:
Playing percussion instruments solo was very hard
work but fun for Jamie due to his gift for playing rhythm. As
well as performing with acoustic guitar and harmonica, Jamie took an
interest to study and learn to play the upright double bass and electric
bass guitar.
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Becoming friends with Anton
Mure:
While hanging out at the local West Village Green in
Levittown NY, Jamie frequented a local club in the village green named
the Fantastic Inn. That’s where he met and became friends with a
musician, Anton Mure. Anton introduced Jamie to Howie Blauvelt and many of his
friends. (Anton is currently playing with the band named Midlife Crisis
throughout Long Island New York area).
Jamie also met diversified groups of musicians on
Long Island where Jamie’s musical roots were formed.
In those days you'd never know
who you would bump into at Levittown's Fantastic Inn. Jamie would be
seen playing pool against such musician's as Lou Reed and
Moe Tucker.
Moe also grew up in Levittown, NY. At that time they were a touring band
named the Velvet Underground.
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Bass Lessons
When Jamie
and Howie became good friends,
Howie
Blauvelt jumped in to give Jamie lessons on
his Dan Armstrong acrylic electric bass guitar. Because
of the Bass lessons and tutoring from Howie, Jamie was able to master
both the upright double bass and fretless electric bass.
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Who’s Howie Blauvelt?
Howie Blauvelt was a great bass player
and played with several groups with Billy Joel at the time including
The
Hassles
and El Primo.
Howie was also the bass player
for
Ram Jam. In 1977, Ram Jam released a top 20 hit “Black Betty”.
Jamie thanks Howie for his friendship and taking the time to give bass lessons. Howie
always invited Jamie to many of his gigs. That gave Jamie the drive to
perform his music professionally up to and including the Jamie Unplugged act. Jamie to
this day uses all the bass licks and techniques Howie taught him to give
his Solo act a unique style. He does
bass licks at the same time
he plays guitar chords on the acoustic guitar while
also singing and playing harmonica.
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Then and now:
Jamie lived on Long Island for
over 20 years until moving to Connecticut to play bass for a jazz
quartet called Cotton Lane that featured vibraphonist and drummer Bob
Dehne. Jamie
played with many other bands including a big time band
Hot Glass with singer
Sal Lenares. Sal played with the band the
Wild Weeds
featuring Al Andersen of
NRBQ fame.
During all this past history of
mastering percussion, bass and guitar, Jamie continues to master his
unique solo performance playing bass licks and chords at the same time
on his acoustic guitar while singing and playing harmonica to over 200
pop tunes he rewrote to fit his RAW style of playing and performing them
live. Jamie is also a song writer but does not play any of
his original material while playing gigs. He enjoys playing popular
tunes that everyone knows and can sing along to. Jamie foregone his bass
playing in bands to concentrate primarily on his unique
style solo guitar act. He collectively sings, play bass
licks, guitar chords and rhythm all at the same time.
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Studio
Time:
When Jamie’s not on the road, he spends a lot of time
in his private recording
studio.
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Musical
Influences:
Jazz:
Thelonious Monk, Miles Davis, Ron Carter, Gary
Burton, Larry Corel, Pat Metheny, Jeff Beck, Hubert Laws, Herbie
Hancock, Chick Corea, Billy Cobham, Jaco Pastorius.
Pop/Rock: Beatles,
Billy Joel, Howie Blauvelt, Eagles, Elton John, Rolling Stones, Cat
Stevens, Jackson Brown, Earth Wind and Fire, Grand Funk Railroad, Poco,
Crosby Stills and Nash, Neil Young
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