Sam Wilkes

Born in 1991, raised in Connecticut and based in Los Angeles while studying at the USC Thornton School of Music, Sam Wilkes has built a career at the intersection of jazz, funk, R&B, ambient and a more indie‑rock oriented songwriting approach. A bassist, multi‑instrumentalist, composer and producer, he became part of the Los Angeles scene in the early 2010s, first with the duo Pratley, founded with James Watson, and subsequently through collaborations with acts such as Scary Pockets, Knower and Chaka Khan, for whom he co‑wrote the song “Hello Happiness” in 2019. A significant portion of his output is developed alongside saxophonist Sam Gendel in duo recordings — Music for Saxofone & Bass Guitar (2018), Music for Saxofone & Bass Guitar More Songs (2021) and The Doober (2024) — albums rooted in improvisation, repeating motifs and very open, airy forms. As a solo artist he has released Wilkes (2018), One Theme & Subsequent Improvisation (2021) and Driving (2023), on which his approach expands to include more vocal work, acoustic guitar and subtle chamber‑pop. His music moves between composition and collective playing, with a marked taste for loose structures, melodic bass lines and minimalist arrangements.