José James Signs To Blue Note Records and Preps Debut On The Legendary Jazz Label

It's always an exciting time when legendary Blue Note Records pays attention and signs young new talent to the label (Norah Jones, Amos Lee, Robert Glasper, Ambrose Akinmusire, Ravi Coltrane). Most recently Blue Note records signs modern jazz singer José James. Think Jon Lucien, Terry Callier and Kurt Elling but with a warm, hip yet classic, forward thinking edge. James is no stranger to U.S. underground jazz audiences as well as the always vibrant international jazz audiences. His debut album The Dreamer (2008) and sophomore album Black Magic (2010) were both released on UK's Brownswood Recordings label spearheaded by DJ/Tastemaker Gilles Peterson. Three months after the release of Black Magic, James teamed with Belgian pianist Jef Neve to release For All We Know, a collection of jazz standards on the prestigious Verve/Impulse label.

In between recording his own albums and touring worldwide José James collaborated with a wide range of jazz, club, electronica and hip hop artists such as Nicola Conte, Timo Lassy, Jazzanova, Flying Lotus, Eric Reed, OH NO, Christian Mcbride, Taylor McFerrin, DJ Mitsu, Basement Jaxx, Chico Hamilton and Junior Mance.

José James spoke to giantstep.net right before his show at Le Poisson Rouge (NYC) in early May. He talked about his forthcoming debut album on the legendary Blue Note records label entitled No Beginning, No End. James didn't reveal an exact release date but he did reveal the guests on the album and what his fans could expect from the project. It's safe to say No Beginning, No End is a highly anticipated debut on a jazz label that continues to define the future of jazz. Read the giantstep interview here.

THE DREAMER - Brownswood Recordings (2008)

BLACK MAGIC - Brownswood Recordings (2010)

FOR ALL WE KNOW - Verve/Impulse (2010)

Hi-Fi :: Animated Tribute To Blue Note Album Covers

Because On The Verge Music is a huge fan of Blue Note records and a collector of classic Blue Note recordings, we really dig this totally swingin' animated reenactment of some of Blue Note's most iconic album covers. The video was created to promote an Italian pub (Buena Vista Socical Pub) in Italy and directed by Italian video designer Bante. Enjoy!

Ambrose Akinmusire :: When The Heart Emerges Glistening

By the time the lone standard "What's New?" arrives with a wink, 11 tracks into trumpeter-composer Ambrose Akinmusire's tour de force Blue Note debut, When The Heart Emerges Glistening, the song's title has become a rhetorical question. Co-produced by Akinmusire and his label mate and mentor Jason Moran, the album's 12 songs (10 of which were composed by Akinmusire) feature the 28-year-old trumpeter's young quintet (tenor saxophonist Walter Smith III, pianist Gerald Clayton, bassist Harish Raghavan, and drummer Justin Brown), a close-knit group of longtime friends and frequent collaborators that breathes a remarkable collective identity. The New York Times wrote that the quintet "seems destined for much wider recognition," and described their unique sound as "limber, straight-ahead jazz with mystery and pop instincts that gets around most of the old, pervasive mainstream influences, both of trumpet playing and bandleading."



"Akinmusire's forceful outing is as noteworthy for the strength of the overall concept as for the individual accomplishments of its leader, head-turning as they are. 4 stars."
-- DownBeat

"Limber, straight-ahead jazz with mystery and pop instincts that gets around most of the old, pervasive mainstream influences, both of trumpet playing and bandleading."
-- The New York Times