José James

José James ( b. 1979 ) is an American jazz singer.

Life

James has ancestors from Panama and Ireland and grew up in Brooklyn. Growing up with hip- hop and soul, he felt his own words, drawn to jazz, about Nat King Cole and especially John Coltrane, whose " Equinox " he interpreted. He switches between New York and England, where he on the Jazz Competition 2006 in London attracted attention made ​​the producer and disc jockey Gilles Peterson, whose label at Brownwood in 2008 his debut album "The Dreamer " was released with Junior Mance on piano. James sings it mostly his own compositions and uses different styles from classic scat singing to hip -hop ( " Park Bench People" by Freestyle Fellowship ). The title commemorates Martin Luther King. He plays with various rhythm sections and currently with Gideon van Gelder on the piano. In 2010 he released his second album, "Black Magic", also at Brownwood.

Discography

  • 2008: The Dreamer
  • 2010: Black Magic
  • 2010: For All We Know
  • 2013: No Beginning No End ( Blue Note )
Hip hop music Blue Note Records Integrated Authority File
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