James Lownes

James is a bassist, musician, arranger, producer, and educator with a career spanning performance, recording, and music leadership across a wide range of genres. For over 20 years, he balanced an active professional playing life with teaching band and orchestra, bringing real-world musical experience into the classroom while remaining deeply engaged in live and studio work.

Based in Southern California for much of his career, James performed extensively and served as a rotating bassist at Christian Assembly Church in Eagle Rock, CA, working under the leadership of Tommy Walker, Jacob Park, and Alex Espinosa. His versatility and musicianship have made him at home in settings ranging from jazz combos and big bands to worship ensembles, gospel groups, rock and country projects, classical performances, and world music collaborations.

James is an accomplished reader and writer of music, with a strong foundation in arranging and production. He studied with renowned musicians Putter Smith, Alphonso Johnson, Jim Lacefield, Gary Foster, and John Schiavo, and holds a B.A. in Music from CSULA, along with a Teaching Credential in Music.

Now retired from teaching, James is fully focused on performing, composing, and producing. He is currently based in Equinunk, Pennsylvania, near Callicoon, NY, and Honesdale, PA, and continues to bring depth, professionalism, and stylistic range to every musical setting he joins.