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José James

“No Beginning No End sums up how I feel about music right now,” says José James of his Blue Note Records debut. “I don’t want to be confined to any particular style. I decided I didn’t want to be considered a jazz singer anymore and that was really freeing. Once I realized that jazz singing is just something that I do and it’s just a label, it freed me as an artist to just write without any boundaries.” No Beginning No End is a seamless musical experience that moves between different styles with remarkable fluidity, bound together by James’ transcendent voice. It marks a new chapter in the artistic journey of the 33-year-old singer/songwriter. Conceived, recorded and produced independently without any recording contract, the album is his most personal statement yet. Along the way, he recruited a mighty team of collaborators that include noted producer/bassist Pino Palladino; pianist/composer and fellow Blue Note artist Robert Glasper; R&B singer/songwriter/guitarist Emily King; international French-Moroccan singing star Hindi Zahra; and the 2011 Thelonious Monk International Piano Competition winner Kris Bowers. “I feel like this is my first album as an artist,” James says, “This is the first time in which there were no label, no A&R – nothing but myself and my relationship and history with my music.” James has already established himself as a trailblazer for his intoxicating blend of jazz, hip-hop, R&B and electronica from his previous three albums. His 2008 debut The Dreamer and its 2010 follow-up, BlackMagic – both produced by the world-renowned DJ Gilles Peterson – transformed the Minneapolis-born, New York-based singer into an underground sensation in both the modern jazz and DJ culture scenes. His musical path follows its own rhyme and reason. James is a musical omnivore, an artist that resists being pigeonholed, equally at ease on stage with jazz legend McCoy Tyner as he is in the studio with rapper Oh No or electronica pioneer Flying Lotus. Ben Ratliff described James’ musical magic in a February 2012 edition of The New York Times: “He’s a romantic baritone with a deep-funk band, stretching out songs, evoking both the ’70s of Roberta Flack and Gil Scott-Heron and the ’90s and oughts of J Dilla,” then making smart comparisons to R&B superstar D’Angelo but distinguishing James as “a very different kind of singer than D’Angelo. He’s a little more acoustic singer-songwriter, a little more delicate.” On No Beginning No End, James shows an even deeper regard for pop song structures while retaining the “element of surprise” associated with jazz.

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Album Review

Ben Wendel: All One

Read "All One" reviewed by Claudio Bonomi


Classe 1976, canadese di nascita, cresciuto a Los Angeles e attualmente residente a Brooklyn (New York), Ben Wendel è considerato un astro nascente del jazz contemporaneo da diversi anni. Sassofonista e compositore, oltre ad essere stato nel 2001 tra i fondatori dei Kneebody, si è costruito negli anni una solida reputazione di solista e leader firmando ben sette album che hanno suscitato l'attenzione di pubblico e critica. Questo All One non fa eccezione. È stato concepito in tempi ...

4
Album Review

Ben Wendel: All One

Read "All One" reviewed by Jerome Wilson


Saxophonist Ben Wendel came up with a unique approach for this album of duets. He plays with a different musician on each of these six tracks, but while his guests stick to their primary instruments, Wendel fills in the space around them with multiple saxophone and bassoon parts, electronic effects, and percussion. The most conventional results of this approach are heard in the two vocal tracks. Cecile McLorin Salvant's sensitive singing on “I Loves You Porgy" and Jose ...

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Catching Up With

José James: Why The Female Of The Species Is Groovier Than The Male

Read "José James: Why The Female Of The Species Is Groovier Than The Male" reviewed by Peter Jones


Jazz singer José James considers Erykah Badu to be the Joni Mitchell of his generation, a woman who has constructed a world of her own in order to tell her own alternative story. To prove the point, earlier this year he released On & On (Rainbow Blonde), a whole album of Badu songs, which he has been performing on tour. This tribute to Badu's songwriting follows previous albums dedicated to Billie Holiday (Yesterday I Had the Blues, Blue Note, 2015) ...

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Album Review

José James: Lean On Me

Read "Lean On Me" reviewed by Franz A. Matzner


Already known for his crisp production values, astute musicianship and eclectic presentations, Jose James delivers again with his tribute to Bill Withers, Lean on Me. The album reaffirms James' signature attention to stylistic pastiche while further refining his thematic focus on the subtleties of human relationships. Here James' narcotic blend is simultaneously steeped in tradition and floats at the horizon of modernity. The beats penetrate with unabashed eroticism. James' voice coos with soul and cuts with the dirty ...

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Live Review

Lean On Me: José James Celebrates Bill Withers @ NYC Winter Jazzfest

Read "Lean On Me: José James Celebrates Bill Withers @ NYC Winter Jazzfest" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky


Lean On Me: José James Celebrates Bill Withers Le Poisson Rouge NYC Winter Jazzfest New York, NY January 1, 2018 By the time José James took to the stage for his headlining slot on a quadruple-bill event that served as the second stand-alone concert in the 2018 NYC Winter Jazzfest schedule, three hours of music had already come and gone. Knower's electro-pop, complete with an expletive-laced introduction, ushered in the evening; the No ...

Album Review

José James: Love In A Time Of Madness

Read "Love In A Time Of Madness" reviewed by Angelo Leonardi


Chi conosce José James a partire dal recente disco dedicato a Billie Holiday (Yesterday I Had the Blues , Blue Note, 2015) rimarrà sorpreso da quest'incisione, quarta per la Blue Note su un totale di sette album. Love in a Time of Madness consta di 12 brani incisi tra Los Angeles e New York, e prodotti principalmente da Antario Holmes, operante nell'area di confine tra soul, rap ed elettronica. Il lavoro è profondamente intriso di quell'estetica ma non ...

Lyrics

José James: una grande voce per la Black Music

Read "José James: una grande voce per la Black Music" reviewed by Angelo Leonardi


La recente pubblicazione per la Blue Note di Yesterday I Had the Blues -The Music of Billie Holiday , torna a collocare José James in una piena cornice jazzistica. È una commemorazione della cantante e un approccio tradizionale che oggi James affronta senza paura d'apparire prigionero del passato. L'altro esempio riguarda l'album For All We Know, (Impulse! 2010) realizzato in duo col pianista Jef Neve. La permanenza in casa Blue Note si rivela fruttuosa. Il suo presidente, Don ...

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Event

Upcoming Music Events At Harlem Stage (marcus Strickland, José James, Nona Hendryx, More)

Upcoming Music Events At Harlem Stage (marcus Strickland, José James, Nona Hendryx, More)

Source: Matt Gross

WHEN THE MOON TURNS GREEN: THE MYTH AND MUSIC OF BILLIE HOLIDAY Harlem Stage Gatehouse Tuesday, April 28 Time: 7:30pm Free with RSVP Join us as Dr. Robert O’Meally, author of Lady Day: The Many Faces of Billie Holiday, Dr. Farah Jasmin Griffin, author of If You Can’t Be Free, Be A Mystery and Dr. John Szwed, author of the forthcoming Billie Holiday: A Musical Biography, explore the mythand music of the ...

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Performance / Tour

The Lead Sheet: Twin Cities Live Jazz, January 16-22

The Lead Sheet: Twin Cities Live Jazz, January 16-22

Source: JazzINK by Andrea Canter

There seems to be a South/Southeast Minneapolis Jazz Vortex tonight with top musicians performing at the Icehouse, Jazz Central and The Nicollet, all within about a three-mile radius. And there's more music if you spread out just a little bit farther. That's just one night. Over the weekend and into the coming week, we have such options as Arne and Maud saluting the centennials for Billie and Frank; a rare duo gig with Joan Griffith and Reuben Ristrom; another “pop-up" ...

Recording

Trumpeter Takuya Kuroda Set To Make Blue Note Debut With Feb. 18 Release Of “Rising Son” Produced By José James

Trumpeter Takuya Kuroda Set To Make Blue Note Debut With Feb. 18 Release Of “Rising Son” Produced By José James

Source: Michael Ricci

Ascendant trumpeter and composer Takuya Kuroda is set to make his Blue Note debut with the February 18 release of Rising Son, which was produced by Jose James. Kuroda, who is best known for his inspired presence in James’ band, steps forth here to helm that remarkable band which features keyboardist Kris Bowers, electric bassist Solomon Dorsey, drummer Nate Smith, and trombonist Corey King. James mostly stayed on the other side of the glass in the producer’s chair except for ...

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Festival

Atlanta Jazz Festival Gearing Up For Major Concerts On Memorial Day Weekend

Atlanta Jazz Festival Gearing Up For Major Concerts On Memorial Day Weekend

Source: Karen Hatchett

Atlanta, GA: “Music lovers are in for some incredible performances at the Atlanta Jazz Festival over Memorial Day Weekend, says Camille Russell Love, Director of the City of Atlanta Office of Cultural Affairs. “We will kick off the weekend with an evening under the stars at Chastain Park Amphitheatre featuring BWB and special guest Chrisette Michele on May 24. We’re hosting a Late Night Jazz Concert with Dionne Farris & Russell Gunn on May 26. And from May 25-27 we’re ...

Recording

Jose James: 'No Beginning, No End'

Jose James: 'No Beginning, No End'

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers

As readers know, I'm a massive fan of the new jazz style emerging that incorporates '70s soul, electronica and hip-hop. Exponents of this movement include pianist Robert Glasper, bassist Esperanza Spalding and drummer Terri Lyne Carrington. Add to the list José James, a vocalist with retro smarts and a clear vision of where jazz is heading next. James's new album—No Beginning, No End—is his fourth CD and a major step forward for the eclectic genre. If you've been listening to ...

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Performance / Tour

Jose James and Jef Neve at Regattabar in Cambridge on June 16

Jose James and Jef Neve at Regattabar in Cambridge on June 16

Source: MassJazz: Jazz in Massachusetts

Jazz vocalist Jose James and Belgian pianist Jef Neve are performing at the Regattabar Jazz Club at Charles Hotel in Harvard Square, Cambridge, on Wednesday, June 16 at 7:30 p.m.Tickets are $20 and can be purchased online or by calling 617 395-7757.The show celebrates the release of their new CD, For All We Know, issued by Impulse! Records.James, born and raised in Minneapolis, is the son of a jazz saxophonist from Panama. James studied ...

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Interview

Jazz Vocalist Jose James Talks Inspiration, Flying Lotus, and Tonight's Zanzibar Gig

Jazz Vocalist Jose James Talks Inspiration, Flying Lotus, and Tonight's Zanzibar Gig

Source: Michael Ricci

With the genre perennially accused of atrophy, it's little surprise that precocious vocalist and “Jazz Times" darling Jose James has been hailed as a so-called “savior of jazz." But the hype surrounding the Minneapolis-bred and Brooklyn-based crooner is well deserved, with his smoky, golden-throated grooves among the most dynamic to emerge from the tradition in recent memory. Boasting the support of hugely influential British DJ Gilles Peterson, plus beats from Los Angeles producer wunderkind Flying Lotus, James' latest album, “Black ...

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Recording

New Release from Jose James & Jef Neve "For All We Know" on Impulse

New Release from Jose James & Jef Neve "For All We Know" on Impulse

Source: Verve Label Group

"This record is all about capturing the moment," Jose James says of For All We Know, his upcoming Impulse! release. The album, a collaboration between James and noted Belgian pianist Jef Neve, finds the charismatic young vocalist applying his warm, rich baritone to a sterling assortment of timeless jazz and pop standards. The result is an eloquently spare, effortlessly expressive set, with James' vivid performances and the intimate duo format lending new emotional depth to such beloved classics as “Tenderly," ...

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Recording

NEA Jazz Master Chico Hamilton Releases "Twelve Tones of Love" Featuring Jose James

NEA Jazz Master Chico Hamilton Releases "Twelve Tones of Love" Featuring Jose James

Source: AMT Public Relations

Jazz Legend Chico Hamilton Celebrates Copious Musical Influences in His Latest Album, Twelve Tones of Love “One of the most polished, adventurous and inquisitive drummers in jazz." --Jazz Times Chico Hamilton MySpace page featuring streaming audio-http://www.myspace.com/chicohamilton New York, NY -- NEA Jazz Master Foreststorn Chico Hamilton takes listeners on a musical journey of his venerable career and the numerous people who have influenced it in his latest CD Twelve Tones of Love (Release: 4/14/09 Joyous Shout!). Adding to his 50-plus ...

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Recording

Chico Hamilton Releases New Album Featuring Jose James

Chico Hamilton Releases New Album Featuring Jose James

Source: AMT Public Relations

Jazz Legend Chico Hamilton Celebrates Copious Musical Influences in His Latest Album, Twelve Tones of Love

...one of the most polished, adventurous and inquisitive drummers in jazz... Jazz Times

New York City - NEA Jazz Master Foreststorn “Chico" Hamilton takes listeners on a musical journey of his venerable career and the numerous people who have influenced it in his latest CD Twelve Tones of Love (Release: 4/14/09 Joyous Shout!). Adding to his 50-plus discography, Twelve Tones of Love ...

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Concerts

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

All One

Edition Records
2023

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Lean On Me

Blue Note Records
2018

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Love In A Time Of...

Blue Note Records
2017

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Yesterday I Had the...

Blue Note Records
2015

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While You Were...

Blue Note Records
2014

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No Beginning No End

Blue Note Records
2013

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