segunda-feira, 30 de maio de 2011

JAMES AND I

By Lúcia Udemezue
Photo Rafael Henri (flickr.com/RafaHenri)



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I perfectly remember of the first time that I heard the velvety and strong vocal of the North American singer José James. It was in January of 2009, at the Berlin Club, in Sao Paulo, in one of those delicious nights of Tuesday that the house dedicates to Jazz.
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Between one music and another, the impeccable set list of Dj Waltinho Abud, surprised me with a unique sound, that made me stand up of the chair, meet him with a piece of napkin and a pen on my hands to write down the name of the singer who had touched me. Since that I haven't stopped researching and virtually following the career of the talented James.
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Those who hear him for the first time tends to imagine him as the great master of the North American jazz of the decade of 50: a man of classic style, wearing an impeccable suit black and seated on the edge of a piano. None of that. José James is young and owns strong musicality influenced by the hip hop culture (as well as his dressing style), for the soul and acid jazz.
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There is no way to deny that the musician has a fundamental role in the diffusion of the jazz around the world, demystifying the character “erudite and elitist” that, for decades has labeled the rhythm. Because of his potential on mixing styles and his constant dialog that breaks the hip hop culture, José James has been enlarging the resonant possibilities of thousands of people so far opposite to the jazzy culture, especially out of the United States.
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In October of 2010, the musician was for the second time in Sao Paulo (the first one was in 2008), to participate of Nublu Jazz Festival, where he made two presentations, one in Santo André and the other one in Pompéia, both branches of SESC.
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Followed by a great band formed by Marc Cary (piano), Christopher Smith (bass) and Adam Jackson (drum) James, made two incredible shows that drove crazy his fans and surprised those who didn't know his work.
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His arrival in Brazil was a great gift for me and all the lovers of this new jazz that may have the talented North American singer Esperanza Spalding as one of his principal representatives.
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The cherry of the cake of this history was the quick meeting that I had with James right after the show that happened in the ABC of Sao Paulo, where the musician granted an exclusive interview to the magazine OM2ºATO. Unfortunately, it is true, the "cherry" of the cake flew with his band back to the states, but the cake is still here, and now we can share it with you!




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“ ... women's reaction in the shows, which inevitably surrender to the charm of the singer, contrasted to men's perplexity, because it's undeniable that José James has a grand presence of stage ” “ Holding a glass of red wine, with all his charm and elegance, the singer, as well as in his presentations, set the sensual mood - I confess that it was not easy to interview him(sic) ”.
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OM2ºATO - How do you feel in Sao Paulo for the second time, did you feel any difference in the reception of you work?

José James - In the first time that I came to Sao Paulo the album The Dreamer had just been launched and could not make a great tour. The quantity of people is the same with the same love and affection. I saw young people wearing caps like me, a clear style of the hip hop culture, couples, women, children ... there is a mixture of generations in the orchestra and today, two years after the first time that I came here, I feel much more comfortable and happy about the reception of the work.

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OM2ºATO - How do people accept your music “more contemporary and young” inside the musical jazz scene?

JJ - The jazz permeates the American culture. Jazz as a traditional northern American musical style is the fundamental base and it is present for all generations.


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OM2ºATO - How do you define your music style?
JJ - I and my whole band came from the jazz, but perhaps what we do is not a "jazz" properly stated. There are several contributions of different styles in this new work (Blackmagic), for example. The jazz is a black music and we make a work with several nuances and collaborations and with freedom of trying.


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OM2ºATO - On your first album The Dreamer (2008), you composed a lyric which is the name the disc and that is a tribute to Martin Luther King. What is your political view as a black musician and what was your intention while writing the lyric?
JJ - The lyric of the song The Dreamer was written for all the ethnic communities. It is a political view on social relations that for me should be egalitarian. I felt really happy for having a black president. I definitely don't represent direct or indirectly the United States in the songs I sing.


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DISCOGRAPHY





Blackmagic
2010



The Dreamer
2008











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www.myspace.com/josejamesquartet
www.facebook.com/josejamesmusic