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Boney James
Four gold albums, four GRAMMY nominations, two NAACP Image Award nominations, a Soul Train Music Award and a nomination, sales totaling more than 3 million records. Chart-topping saxophonist Boney James embodies the phrase "horn of plenty.”
"I'm always thinking about making music,” he says. "It's still my consuming passion.”
That passion reverberates throughout James' latest project, The Beat. The April 9 release marks his 14th album as well as his return to former label Concord Records. It's a penetrating fusion of R&B, jazz and Latin rhythms given voice by James' emotive saxophone and such guests as trumpet hitman Rick Braun, R&B singer Raheem DeVaughn and spoken word phenom The Floacist.
"There was no sense that this had to be a certain thing,” recalls James, who was between labels when he began recording the album. "I was recording for fun, experimenting with this hybrid R&B and Latin sound, two genres I love. So my playing on this album has a different energy. I think it's one of the best records I've ever done.”
Sergio Mendes' "Batucada (The Beat)” provided the initial inspiration for the genre mash-up. Re-imagining the Brazilian tune with a percolating funk backbeat, James reunites with longtime colleague Braun—a combustible teaming he describes as possessing a "certain edge that creates a really cool vibe.”
That natural, organic vibe courses throughout the rest of the 10-track album produced by James, who also wrote/co-wrote eight songs. Those tunes include lead single "Maker of Love,” a sexy flamethrower sparked by the soulful Raheem DeVaughn. A longtime fan of the R&B singer, James says their collaboration came to fruition after they began following each other on Twitter. "I sent him the track, and he came back with an incredible lyric and finished vocal that he'd done in one night,” recalls James.
Equally as mesmerizing is the seductive "The Midas (This Is Why)” featuring U.K. poet/musician The Floacist, best known as one-half of the Grammy-winning neo-soul duo Floetry. "I just wanted a spoken word thing,” says James of The Floacist's laid-back flow. "Between its R&B groove, the shekere and conga percussion plus her Euro coffeehouse feel, the track adds to the album's world music flavor.”
James opens the album with an illuminating take on Stevie Wonder's R&B/Latin mid-tempo classic "Don't You Worry ‘Bout a Thing.” From there, "The Beat” saunters into the easygoing groove of "Sunset Boulevard” then segues into the sophisticated bossa nova samba of "Mari's Song.” After kicking into high energy on the percussion-driven "Powerhouse,” the versatile musician downshifts effortlessly into first gear on the subtly elegant "Acalento (Lullaby).” Notes James, "I'm just trying to stretch a little here. There's no agenda. It's just music that came out of me.”
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Boney James: Detour
by Jeff Winbush
The thing about a new Boney James album is that it is the same old Boney James album. James has skillfully found his niche as a musician and doggone if he's going to stray far from it. Detour is the saxophonist's 18th album as a leader, but the formula (and the songs) remain the same. Start off with that buttery sweet tenor sax right upfront, add some keyboards, programmed drums, and quietly strummed guitars, throw in a vocal track or ...
Continue ReadingBoney James: Futuresoul
by Jeff Winbush
At this point, with 15 albums under his belt, it's been established what Boney James does and does not do well. If you are in search of an adventurous artist who is constantly pushing the envelope and challenging himself and the listener by daring to deviate from expectation, keep looking: this is not the saxophonist you are looking for. James is an extremely impressive master of the good groove. That is something he is at the top of ...
Continue ReadingBoney James: The Beat Goes On
by Belinda Ware
Saxophonist Boney James is a prolific musician and songwriter gifted with an ear for creating music inspired by artistic expressionism. As an architect of original songs, James is an intellectual man of modest demeanor who has established himself as a musical pioneer in his intuitive discovery of the formula for longevity in his mellifluous career spanning three decades. At the root of his professional success is his meditative passion for exploring uncharted paths as a songwriter and interpreter of songs. ...
Continue ReadingBoney James: The Beat
by Jeff Winbush
In the crowded field of 50,000 smooth jazz saxophones, only a handful are blessed with a distinctive sound of their own and if Boney James isn't first in his class he should be high on the list. James can play with both raw power and gentle, soulful restraint. There's more restraint than power on The Beat, the 14th album by the New York-born saxophonist, but James has always opted for underplaying a bit than roof-raising soloing.James' background in ...
Continue ReadingBoney James: Pure
by Brian Soergel
Saxophonist Boney James is one of the few smooth jazz artists who is able to cross over into the R&B genre, which is one reason why his latest CD, the follow-up to 2001's Ride, entered the Billboard Top 200 charts at No. 66. He's able to do this party because he picks either established artists or up-and-comers to sing on his vocal tracks. But James is also savvy enough to actually make sure that his vocal tracks are memorable, instead ...
Continue ReadingJazz And R&B Stars Set To Groove Memorial Day Weekend In San Diego
Source:
Great Scott P.R.oductions
Maxwell, Brian Culbertson, Charlie Wilson, Ledisi, Mint Condition, Robert Glasper, Anthony Hamilton and Boney James among the performers at the Payne Pest Management San Diego Jazz Festival taking place May 23-25, 2014. Phoenix, Arizona (28 February 2014): With much of the nation presently suffering through the worst winter in decades, perhaps planning to party in luxury Memorial Day Weekend with a stellar slate of jazz and R&B favorites will help make the snow, ice and frigid temperatures a bit more ...
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Soul-jazz Saxophonist Boney James Set To Make “Contact” With Atlanta August 31st
Source:
Great Scott P.R.oductions
Tickets on sale now for the concert at The Fred presented by The Smooth Jazz Cruise St. Louis, Missouri (25 June 2012): As the excitement mounts for January’s 10th anniversary sailings, The Smooth Jazz Cruise: The Greatest Party at Sea will present soul-jazz sax sensation Boney James in concert August 31st at The Frederick Brown, Jr. Amphitheater (The Fred) in Peachtree City, GA. Opening the show will be eclectic violinist Ken Ford. Tickets are now on sale and available at ...
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Jazz This Week: Boney James, Linda Presgrave, Good 4 the Soul, Mardra and Reggie Thomas, and More
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St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman
It's summer, a time when not only is the livin' purported to be “easy," but also a time when smooth jazz musicians take to the road and free concert series in local parks and elsewhere are in full swing. Here's what's going on this weekend with jazz and creative music in St. Louis: Tonight, the Mardra and Reggie Thomas Quartet open this summer's series of free concerts at O'Fallon Park on the North Side.On Thursday, saxophonist ...
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STLJN Saturday Video Showcase: The Return of Boney James
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St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman
This week, we've got some clips of smooth jazz saxophonist Boney James, who will be back in the St. Louis area next Thursday, July 8 to perform at the Ameristar Casino's Bottleneck Blues Bar.James is no stranger to St. Louis--he's played both at the Bottleneck and The Pageant in recent years--but this show marks more than just a return to the Gateway City. It also will be just the second ...
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Notes from the Net: "First Times" with Miles; Oliver Lake's New CD; Boney James on the Mend; Plus News, Reviews, Interviews and More
Source:
St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman
Here's the latest compilation of assorted news briefs and links related to jazz, improvisation, and creative music in St. Louis, including news of musicians originally from the Gateway City, recent visitors, and coming attractions, plus assorted other items of interest:* Starting off, as is our custom, with a Miles Davis item, NPR's A Blog Supreme recently asked readers “What Was Your First Miles Davis Album"? and got “nearly 1,000 replies on NPR's Facebook page; 103 replies here on ...
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Jazz Artist Boney James Grammy-Nominated Saxophonist Struck by Suspected Drunken Driver
Source:
All About Jazz
Publicists for Boney James say the Grammy-nominated jazz saxophonist has canceled a show after being struck by a suspected drunken driver in Long Beach.
They say James was driving home from a jazz festival in Newport Beach on Saturday when his car was rear-ended while he was stopped in traffic on Interstate 405. He suffered a fractured jaw, two broken teeth and a gash on his chin that needed 14 stitches.
Passers-by pulled him from the car. He has been ...
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Saxman Boney James Tops Billboard Charts for 5th Consecutive Week
Source:
Deborah Radel
James Kicks Off National Tour March 25th, 2009 Including Headline Show at Legendary Hollywood Bowl
Send One Your Love, the new CD from sax icon Boney James (released on Concord Records on February 3, 2009) has claimed the top spot on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Chart for the fifth week in a row with no slowdown in sight.
Showing Jamess crossover appeal, the record also debuted at #21 on the Billboard R&B Chart and entered the Billboard Top ...
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Boney James "Send One Your Love" CD Available on February 3
Source:
Special Ops Media
On February 3, 2009 Concord Records will release Send One Your Love, a new collection of seductive love songs from sax icon Boney James. On February 3, 2009 Concord Records will release Send One Your Love, a 10-track album of seductive love songs from sax icon Boney James. Just in time for Valentine's Day, Boney has put together the ultimate “musical valentine." Send One You Love includes new James originals as well as covers from Stevie Wonder, Barry White, the ...
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Boney James & American Idol Top 3 Finalist Syesha Mercado Release Exclusive Digital Single
Source:
On Target Media Group
Boney James & American Idol's Syesha Mercado Release Exclusive Internet Only Single Gonna Get It. Urban Jazz Icon and American Idol's Last Woman Standing Release iTunes Exclusive on May 12, 2008 Los Angeles, CA- On May 12th two-time Grammy Award nominee Boney James and current American Idol Top 3 finalist Syesha Mercado join forces to release the soulful uptempo groover “Gonna Get It" exclusively on iTunes. Written by James and critically acclaimed R&B singer-songwriter Rahsaan Patterson, Gonna Get ...
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