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James Pasco Gourley Jr., born on June 9, 1926, in St. Louis, Missouri, was an American jazz guitarist who began his musical journey at the Monarch Conservatory of Music in Hammond, Indiana. He dropped out of high school to play with a jazz band in Oklahoma City and served in the U.S. Navy from 1944 to 1946. In 1951, Gourley moved to France, where he collaborated extensively with European jazz greats including Henri Renaud, Lou Bennett, Kenny Clarke, Richard Galliano, Stéphane Grappelli, Bobby Jaspar, Eddy Louiss, Martial Solal, and Barney Wilen. He also played with American musicians such as Bob Brookmeyer, Stan Getz, Lee Konitz, Bud Powell, Zoot Sims, Lucky Thompson, and Lester Young. Notable albums include Americans in Europe Vol. 1 (1963) and Straight Ahead Express (2004). Gourley's career spanned over five decades until his death on December 7, 2008.
