Let the music move you this weekend when Birmingham native Eric Essix performs at The Perfect Note in Hoover on August 12 and 13.

“For the past year, I have been touring with MOVE Trio,” said Essix who plays the guitar and is the leader and composer of the group, which is also comprised of drummer James “PJ” Spraggins and Grammy-nominated producer and multi-instumentalist Kelvin Wooten. “We will be doing music from our latest recording and more.”

During the double header weekend, the Eric Essix MOVE Trio will also feature vocalist Leonard Julien III from the group 5 Men on a Stool as a special guest.

Essix started his career as a popular jazz recording artist in 1988. Since that time, he has released more than 20 CDs, including an album covering a collection of ballads from one of his all-time favorite bands, The Isley Brothers.

His newest work, This Train: The Gospel Sessions is scheduled to be released next month, and it boasts an impressive line-up of talent, including Alabama singers Ruben Studdard, Kirk Whalum, Candi Staton, the Birmingham Sunlights and Belinda George Peoples.  It was recorded at the legendary FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, where greats such as Aretha Franklin, Etta James and Otis Redding recorded.

“I encourage people who may not be fans of gospel music to listen,” he said of This Train. “It’s soulful. It runs the gamut of musical styles.”

Like his performance at the Perfect Note, the album is a coming home of sorts since it marks a return to the gospel music Essix grew up with and that his mother, Imogene, who passed away in 2004, loved.

“Birmingham is home. I started playing here in 1984,” he said. “It’s always a treat to be able to perform here.”

Congratulations to the winner of our Eric Essix ticket giveaway, Angela Scott Moore. Ticket prices start at $20 and can be purchased online. To learn more about Eric Essix and the MOVE Trio, visit Essix online or connect with him on Facebook.