The Snapshot: Interview with Jose James
Tuesday, June 10th, 2008
It’s a pleasure to find that everything old is new again. Jazz is as strong as ever, showing no signs of backing down and staying underground. But like colors of the rainbow, there are different shades of jazz. There are the jazz vocalists of today who are keeping the flames alive, with Cecilia Stalin, Elizabeth Shepherd, and Bajka just to name a few.
Among this new generation of jazz vocalists is Jose James. With his roots steep in hip-hop, the music has had him discover the sound of jazz. Developing his vocal skills over time, he eventually landed in the prestigious jazz program at The New School in New York. He’s since moved on to learn and work with other jazz talents, and was eventually discovered by BBC Radio 1’s Gilles Peterson. Signing on to Peterson’s Brownswood Recordings label, the response from James’ music being played on Peterson’s Worldwide radio show was massive. In January 2008, James’ full-length debut album The Dreamer was released to global critical acclaim.
Even before the album’s release, James has been keeping extremely busy. When not performing on his home turf, he’s been keeping a frantic traveling schedule that’s taken him around the globe, all the while finding time to collaborate with other heavy-hitters in the underground music scene.
Jose James was generous enough to take some time out for some conversation. It took awhile for us to get it right, but the time is now. I’m pleased to present to you some blurbs with one of the most talked-about jazz vocalists in quite some time…
Velanche: You were originally a hip-hop head. What steered you into the jazz world?
Jose James: Just hearing it in samples probably first - all that great 90’s hip-hop like A Tribe Called Kwest, Digable Planets, The Pharcyde… all that - but then I just started listening to real jazz on the radio and boom I was into it.
V: Explain your experiences at the New School in New York, and why you’ve decided to leave it to venture on your own.
Jose James: The New School Jazz program has a great lineup of educators - Junior Mance,
Chico Hamilton (one of the school’s founders), Charles Tolliver, Bernard “Pretty” Purdy. I had private lessons with Janet Lawson. But the price factor is huge, [plus] between owning a home and] getting a jazz degree, it’s an easy choice - but it’s still the spot to meet and collaborate with the finest international pool of student jazz musicians and vocalists in the world. When it was time to make a record, it was an easy decision to do music full time.
V: What’s the story behind your being found by Gilles Peterson, then subsequently getting signed onto his Brownswood Recordings label?
Jose James: I was in London doing a vocal jazz competition and had just produced an EP in NY, so I was making the rounds and passing it off. One copy got to Gilles, who was working @ Cargo, and he contacted me about my track “The Dreamer” for Brownswood Bubblers Vol. 1; I was down. We had some conversations about my Coltrane stuff [and] he wanted to make an album - the rest is history.
V: The Dreamer is quite the jazz album. Can you share your experiences of making the album, the pre-release hype it generated, and your feelings once it was released to the public?
Jose James: This album is literally 2 years of my life - the passion and learning [and] expression of my experience. I think it has all the wisdom I’ve earned in it and it was literally my world. I said if I never make another album, let me make this one correctly with no compromise, and that’s what it is. Gilles and I really went deep on it; it’s pure music and just real. We just hoped people would understand it and the response has been tremendous!
Of course, there were funny things along the way; I had recorded all this Coltrane stuff which is up on my “b-sides” page on Myspace and we ended up not securing the rights to use the songs from the estate. So I had to write new work which was a blessing in disguise and some deep stuff on the album: “Desire,” “Winterwind” and “Velvet.”
I’m blessed that worldwide, the music is helping people through their everyday - it’s a “life album” as in music you can live with in your life that will grow with you.
V: You’ve been performing in your hometown of New York, but you’ve also ventured and performed overseas. What’s been the audience reaction, and what it is that you take away with each city that you visit?
Jose James: Every city and show has a different vibe. I think overseas, it’s a little more special because it’s more rare and people feel that whereas I live in NY and hit at least once a month. But music is universal, and you really see that - no matter where we are people respond to emotion, rhythm and sound in the same way; we’re all the same. I love to connect, and to feel I have friends all over the world, and that I belong to the world.
V: Videos of you and your performances have been circulating over YouTube. Does it feel any different when you get people’s reaction online than it does when you’re receiving accolades in person?
Jose James: Not really, as we’re in the digital world now and it’s a blessing to connect to people so far away through technology. I enjoy meeting people live too, but it’s all connected.
V: One of your upcoming projects is with members of the Japanese jazz group Soil and Pimp. Can you explain what that project is about?
Jose James: It’s actually with the trio project within that group called J.A.M. They asked me to collaborate on a track “Jazzy Joint,” which turned out real cool; it’s only available in [Japan], currently. I had the chance to hit with them in Tokyo and it was dope! They are some of the finest new generation jazz musicians in Japan.
V: What are your future projects that people should be looking forward to?
Jose James: New tracks with Nicola Conte, Jazzanova, Flying Lotus, Bassment Jaxx and Ben Westbeech. Word.
Jose James’ album The Dreamer is out now on Brownswood Recordings. Find more information and music on his Myspace site.
UPDATE - 11 June 2008: The peeps at Belgium’s On-Point has done a video interview with Jose James during his visit there. You’ve read it here, now see its take on JJ.