A lifelong resident of northern California, Dave Ellis has been a visible part of the 1990s Bay Area jazz scene of the 1990s, but is also interested in R&B, funk and rock. The gritty tenor saxophonist played in a high school jazz band in Berkeley and studied at the Berklee School of Music in Boston before graduating in 1992 with a B.A. in music production and engineering. That year, he returned to California and formed the Charlie Hunter Trio with guitarist Hunter and drummer Jay Lane. The group played around the Bay Area quite a bit and recorded two albums for Blue Note befor...