{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Season 5: Jose James Brings Hip Hop Cool to International Jazz Audiences","description":"Acclaimed international jazz artist Jose James has a composure about him that one might compare to James Bond.   The Minneapolis native claims he was one of the least talented artists in his music circles growing up, yet he ultimately attended The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music. His first album, The Dreamer, debuted in 2008. Since then, he\u2019s gone on to play at the Kennedy Center, The Hollywood Bowl, Ancienne Belgique, Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Melbourne Symphony and has recorded 11 more records including his latest which dropped April 5\u2014the stunning album 1978, named for the year of his birth.   Along the way, he\u2019s picked up honor after honor in establishing himself as an extraordinary jazz singer\/songwriter\u2014but one built for the hip-hop generation. Pitchfork called him, \u201cone of the suavest vocal improvisers on the scene,\u201d and it\u2019s been said his arrangements and approach are \u201cin deep conversation with funk, R&B, and hip-hop.\u201d   Despite oozing cool, he\u2019s not really all about himself. You quickly understand that James lives for the collaboration and building art that he loves with others.   \u201cI really grew up with this idea that you make music with a band, with other people,\u201d he told me recently on The Load Out Music Podcast.  He grew up feeling the diverse vibes of bands ranging from the Ohio Players and Peter, Paul and Mary found in his mother\u2019s record collection; the funky global beats of his multi-instrumentalist father\u2019s band, Ipso Facto; the western church music of his Catholic school and diverse artists such as Nirvana, 10,000 Maniacs, De la Soul, A Tribe Called Quest and Grammy-winner Bobby McFerrin who was the creative chair of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra for a time in the early 1990s. When he was 17, James attended a McFerrin concert with the noted jazz pianist Chick Corea. It was then that he was hooked on the idea that a career in music was inevitable\u2014but he still was surprised that others saw it as well. \u201cWow,\u201d James said. \u201cPeople see something in me that I might not see. I didn\u2019t really go to college. I didn\u2019t want to do the traditional route. I was like, I can have a coffee shop job and pay my rent and see what happens. This is where my spirit is taking me.\u201d Despite a love for jazz, early on James understood that jazz could be limiting and wanted to explore the boundaries of the genre. \u201cThere is a strong jazz radio, but it\u2019s pretty strict about what they play,\u201d he said, noting that listeners essentially find smooth or classic jazz on radio, but the parameters are narrow. Thus, he approaches each record with the understanding that he must keep certain singles within the ditches, producing them to be radio friendly, while stretching boundaries on other tracks with dance, pop and hip-hop beats. \u201cI think it\u2019s more frustrating that jazz, in general, is not more popular in America,\u201d he muses, despite his voice not elevating to indicate any semblance of anger. \u201cYou go to Tokyo, go to any shopping mall, restaurant, they are playing jazz.\u201d As James\u2019 star has risen, he\u2019s realized two principal realities about his chosen career: That money and power still drive the industry and that he would be little without the graciousness of other artists.  \u201cIt\u2019s not just about talent, James said. \u201cIt\u2019s about who\u2019s pushing you and how much money.\u201d This became apparent to him when he released a single independently in 2012 to little fanfare. However, the same single was included on his first album for the vaunted Blue Note label and it became a sensational hit, landing him appearances on David Letterman\u2019s and Conan O\u2019Brien\u2019s late-night shows.  James credits his success to mentors who have given him their time including legendary jazz pianist McCoy Tyner (who worked with John Coltrane), singer Anita Baker, composer Christian McBride, band leader Chico Hamilton and even former late-night host Jay Leno. \u201cThere\u2019s so much generosity going around,\u201d he said. \u201cYou have to take the wins.\u201d As for 1978, James said that it is, \u201cThe first time I\u2019ve really gotten personal in a concrete way. I\u2019m going to reveal more about myself and where I\u2019m from.\u201d  He points to the racial politics of Minnesota and efforts to bring to bear a range of influences including Prince, Michael Jackson and even Bob Dylan. \u201cI call it party and politics because, to me, that\u2019s what the 70s kind of resonates with. People knew how to party. They could throw down. But they were also famous for taking a stand.\u201d Thus, the first half of the album is what he calls \u201cparty,\u201d while the second half focuses on \u201cpolitics,\u201d including pieces written in the memories of George Floyd and Trayvon Martin. \u201cI don\u2019t really worry about it,\u201d James said of injecting politics into his art. \u201cI\u2019ve definitely gotten some of that\u2014the shut up and sing kind of vibe. If it\u2019s important to you, I think you\u2019ve got to talk about it. If people don\u2019t like it, that\u2019s kind of fine.\u201d It\u2019s important to Jose James indeed. Enjoy a tremendous episode of The Load Out Music Podcast with the acclaimed jazz maestro.  ","author_name":"The Load Out Music Podcast","author_url":"http:\/\/loadoutmusic.libsyn.com\/website","html":"