NEW YORK—The best performances arguably happen in small, dimly lit clubs, not boastful arenas. Closer proximity to the band makes for a much more personal mood, enabling the audience to feel like they’re part of the music.
That mood was precisely the vibe last weekend at the Jazz Standard from Thursday, Sept. 29, through Sunday, Oct. 2. During the four-day run, the basement club on East 27th Street that sits beneath the upscale barbeque restaurant Blue Smoke was filled with the soulful sounds of jazz singer José James. He and the accompanying band played diverse sets, among those James’s new single “Trouble” from his upcoming album.
James is not your average jazz singer. His musical arrangements are rooted in jazz inspired by influences such as John Coltrane, yet he also includes a wide range of other elements in his sound. The influence of soul is obvious, both in vocals and melodies. There are also hints of drum ‘n’ bass, and one of his main inspirations—hip-hop.
“I love it. I mean, I was raised on it; that’s my generation.” James said when we spoke on Thursday, following his sound check and before the show.
“I think when it’s done well it’s great, it’s a valid musical statement. [For] people of my generation, hip-hop is the music that we grew up on.”
Hip-hop has a history of borrowing elements from jazz, but it’s seldom done the other way around.
And maybe it’s the younger take on a much more established genre that attracted a younger crowd to the Jazz Standard for the Thursday night show I attended. Most of the tables were filled with patrons in their 20s and 30s, enjoying the music and the vibe. And not only the audience was young, so were the players on stage.
James was in really good company, fronting an accomplished jazz ensemble. Takuya Kuroda lent a kick to James’s smooth voice, impressing with frequent trumpet solos clearly to the enthusiastic crowd’s delight, as they clapped after every single one.
Also present on stage was acclaimed jazz drummer Francisco Mela, pianist Kris Bowers (winner of the 2011 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Piano Competition) and Ben Williams on the bass (winner of the 2009 Thelonious Monk International Competition for double-bass). Together they formed a fresh and organic-sounding backdrop for James’s vocals.
The music shifted in style during the evening. At times it was classic jazz that felt right at home in dim, intimate clubs like the Jazz Standard; other times it floated into mellow soul. Sometimes it would embrace listeners with slowed-down silky notes, just to sweep them off their feet again with more funky, head-nodding rhythms.
James’s performance at the Jazz Standard showed off his ability to swirl jazz, soul, and hip-hop together into an entertaining performance. However, genre itself is not what’s important; it’s the art form of live music in itself, and the great legacy of what is American music.
“I try not to think about label so much, like this is jazz, or this is hip-hop or R&B. We have museums—you could go to the Met and see modern art. But with music, it’s a little different. I think America has this treasure trove of recordings and artists, like Billie Holiday, Coltrane, and Miles Davis,” explained James.
“You don’t have a place that you can necessarily go to and see why it’s important, so I think it’s just important for Americans specifically, to know what they’ve created … It’s a very American art form.”
Clearly on display at the Jazz Standard was the entire band’s love for performance. They were smiling, exchanging laughs, and experimenting with the rhythms and sounds. It all felt very personal and welcoming. And one thing was sure—the audience loved it. So much so, that an encore was precipitated by enthusiastic applause and spirit before the night was brought to an end.
José James’s new single “Trouble” will be available on iTunes on Oct. 14, and he is working on an upcoming album that promises even more genre bending. James has been collaborating with artists such as singers Emily King and Hindi Zahra, and well-known bass player Pino Palladino.
“It’s a very fresh view of the music scene. It’s also played all live; it’s real instruments, so it’s an interesting mixture … [It’s] more romantic and more mellow.”
James also has a clear direction to what he’s aiming for. “I want to write songs and records that people of all genres feel good about.
“I just went through my library before I started the project and looked through it; and what I would just stick to, what I’d come back to was always Al Green, Marvin Gaye... I thought a lot about why that feels good, and those records sound so warm. They’re not like daytime or nighttime records; it’s just good music.
“That’s what I want to do, just good music.”
