José James

Full Video Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A23LG_0yUCA Directed by Clay Patrick McBride

Walking in the shoes of a legend.. shot and performed in one take at Pier59 Studios NYC! Thank you to the visionary director Clay Patrick McBride, to Bill Withers, Kori Withers and to the entire Withers family! And of course to you my fans for watching and sharing this video and enjoying the legacy of Bill’s music worldwide. Watch “Ain’t No Sunshine”: https://youtu.be/A23LG_0yUCA

Walking in the shoes of a legend.. much love + thank you to Bill Withers, Kori Withers, + the Withers family. Thank you to the visionary director Clay Patrick McBride + thank you for watching + sharing!! 🙏🏽🙏🏽 Watch the full video: https://youtu.be/A23LG_0yUCA

‪My new video for “Ain’t No Sunshine” directed by the amazing Clay Patrick McBride premiered in Billboard today 🙌🏽 ‬ ‪Much love to Bill Withers, Kori Withers + the Withers family! ❤️‬ ‪Watch:

The Beatmaker pt 1 Aaron Gilbert Steele

‪MONTREUX JAZZ 🙏🏽🖤🎤✊🏽 Montreux Jazz Festival #leanonmetour ‬ ‪ Tickets + info: https://www.montreuxjazzfestival.com/en?d=0‬

Happy Record Store Day!! 🙌🏽

Happy #recordstoreday! I’m very proud to release the definitive version of my first album ‘The Dreamer 10th Anniversary Edition’, on limited edition 180 gram black vinyl with new liner notes from me. Re-mixed by Brian Bender and re-mastered by Ian Sefchick, with a new design by Hayden Miller. Exclusively on Rainbow Blonde Records 🌈🌈🌈 Thank you to all my favorite record stores and to all my fans. Happy digging y’all 🙏🏽

RECORD STORE DAY IS THIS SATURDAY APRIL 13th!!! 🙌🏽 I can't believe it has been 10 years!!! This was the first time I met you guys, and this is the first album of mine I’m releasing on my own label. Thanks for your support! Rainbow Blonde Records is releasing a limited edition vinyl LP of The Dreamer 10th Anniversary Edition. Limited to 1000 copies, this is a beautiful new pressing of the full version of the album including the “lost” John Coltrane covers and an unreleased original “Coltrane (Dear Alice).” Featuring a new mix by Brian Bender and re-master by Ian Sefchick at Capitol. 2xLPs 180gram vinyl with full gatefold design by Hayden Miller and new liner notes by me! Find a copy at your local record store! For a full list of participating stores visit: www.recordstoreday.com Record Store Day #josejames #thedreamer

APRIL TOUR DATES!! 4.12 - New Haven, John Lyman Center for the Performing Arts with Grace Kelly Music 4.13 - Reading PA, Berks Jazz Fest with Lizz Wright 4.14 - Cape May NJ, Exit Zero Jazz Festival 4.26 - New Orleans, New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival Tickets + info: http://www.josejamesmusic.com/ Photo by Clay Patrick McBride

EU Summer Tour Announced!! 6.27 - Bratislava, Slovak Radio Hall 6.29 - Maribor, Festival Lent 6.30 - Paris, La Défense Jazz Festival 7.02 - Jazz à Vienne with Bobby McFerrin 7.03 - Istanbul Jazz Festival İKSV 7.05 - Copenhagen Jazz Festival 7.07 - Gent Jazz Festival 7.08 - Vienna, Jazz Fest Wien 7.10 - Karlsruhe, Zeltival Tollhaus 7.11 - Stuttgart, jazzopen stuttgart with Sting 7.12 - Rotterdam, NN North Sea Jazz Festival with Noordpool Orkest 7.13 - Montreux Jazz Festival 7.16 - Chiclana de la Frontera, Royal Hideaway Sessions 7.17 - Almuñécar, Jazz en la Costa 7.18 - Sete, Festival Jazz à Sète with ERIK TRUFFAZ 7.19 - Nice Jazz Festival 7.20 - Pori Jazz Festival 7.22 - Madrid, Noches del Botanico with Melody Gardot 7.23 - Marseille Jazz des cinq continents with Marcus Miller 7.25 - Jena, Kulturarena Jena 7.26 - Jazz Festival l'Estartit 7.27 - Pontevedra, Plaza de la Herreria 7.28 - Locorotondo, Locus festival Tickets: http://www.josejamesmusic.com —— 📸 Subject Matter Design: Taali #josejames #leanonmetour

PHILLY!! I’m pulling up tomorrow night as special guest with Taali at World Cafe Live come thru!! 🙏🏽🖤🎤 Tickets: https://www.worldcafelive.com/event/1829532-taali-philadelphia/ —— 📸 Subject Matter #iamheretour #rainbowblonderecords

Now that we’ve covered believing in oneself, let’s move on to technique. I recently did an interview and mentioned that I was on my way to a lesson with my voice teacher the legendary Jim Carson. When the reporter expressed surprise that I still take lessons I told him that I need lessons now more than ever! Great technique is important at every stage of development but it has been personally fascinating (and humbling) to discover how the human voice changes with age. And let me state a simple fact - the singing voice is a part of one’s holistic body so the better you treat your body the better your voice will feel. I generally avoid fried foods, excessive dairy, excessive caffeine and I quit smoking and drinking many years ago. Singing 200+ shows a year, traveling internationally and performing on 4-6 average hours of sleep per night are just some of the real challenges a touring singer faces. So I wanted to share this moment from my recent lesson with Jim, working on my intonation and vowel/dipthong placement on “Lovely Day” by Bill Withers. He’s helping me to become aware of the interior muscles that connect my tongue, jaw, throat and the roof of my mouth for better ease and control. I should stress that at this point in the lesson we had already done approx 40 minutes of traditional operatic style warmups and we’re starting to focus on specific technique for my live show.

First things first.. Believe in yourself! I passed the Starbucks where I worked while I went to the New School in 2006 and I had to make this video. I was 28 and so close to making my dreams come true but no one at the time could see my vision. As I stocked other artist’s CDs I dreamed of the day I could create my own, not realizing how close I actually was to success. In between daydreaming and getting signed I created an EP called “The Dreamer” that was my vision of contemporary jazz. That EP was the key and the seed to my entire career and I’m so thankful that Gilles Peterson was open to receiving it. But then he said “make the album” and I had to be ready to self produce, A&R and run the budget on my own album. I believed I could do it and I did. I’m eternally to Gilles for uplifting my vision and discovering me, and to al of my fans for supporting that vision for the past 11 years. I love you guys! Let’s all keep believing in our dreams 🙏🏽

NYC!! I’ll be performing this Thursday at one of my favorite venues (le) poisson rouge with Taali as a special guest for her “I Am Here” LP release concert! Check out her debut album on Rainbow Blonde Records and come thru to grab a copy on vinyl or CD. Her band is 🔥🔥🔥 and it’s gonna be an amazing night. Tix: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/taali-i-am-here-album-release-tickets-56002311421 📸: Subject Matter

Family! Be aware that people are out here impersonating me and spamming my fans for money. I guess I’m famous now lol! But in all seriousness NEVER give your personal information, money or financial info to anyone online. If you are getting a DM from me asking for money or favors or your info it’s not me. I meet fans at my shows and would never ask for your personal info. Remember to look for the blue verified icon on my social media accounts! Please be mindful and safe y’all and I’ll see you at a show soon! 🙏🏽❤️

Madrid!! I'm very excited to announce that I'll be performing at Noches del Botánico on July 22nd! I'll be presenting "Lean On Me" in tribute to the legendary Bill Withers. It's a double bill with the incredible Melody Gardot so you don't want to miss this night of jazz, soul and amazing music! Tickets available here: http://bit.ly/NDB19_JJames See you in Madrid! JJ

Meet my new band! Takeshi Ohbayashi 大林武司 - keys @Marcus Machado - guitar Aneesa Strings - bass + vox Aaron Steele - drums Tonight is the final show of our NYC residency at The Iridium. Come thru! Song: Bill Withers “Grandma’s Hands” #josejames #leanonmetour

‪Night 3 tonite of my NYC residency at The Iridium!! The band has been 🔥🔥🔥 and I’ve met fans from all over the world!! Cuba, Iceland, Ireland, Costa Rica, Brazil, Germany, UK, Japan, Korea - who’s coming tonite?‬ ‪Sets at 8:30 + 10:30pm‬ ‪Tickets: https://www.theiridium.com‬ Photo by Clay Patrick McBride

She is Here. I’m beyond proud of my creative and label partner Taali for releasing one of the most brilliant debut albums I’ve ever heard.. Groundbreaking, innovative and featuring one of the most angelic voices of her generation. Produced by Taali, Josiah Kosier, Jacob Bergson and my longtime homie Brian Bender (NBNE), I Am Here is a breath of fresh air from our new label Rainbow Blonde Records. Available on all platforms: http://rainbowblonde.co/iamhere Welcome to the Rainbow Blonde family! We are a label 100% run by and for artists and every stream, download, CD and vinyl sale goes directly to the artist. Thanks for your support and love! Full track listing below. I Am Here: 1. Release 2. I Held My Breath 3. Hear You Now 4. I Have Seen It For Myself 5. Let The Light In 6. Star (feat José James) 7. For Michal 8. Right Sized 9. Los Angeles 10. Peace Be Upon You 11. Hope Of My Own 12. A Lack Of Color 13. Erev Shel Shoshanim 14. Plunge 15. I’ll Meet You —— Tourdates at https://www.taalimusic.com/

OMFG!!!! I have an amazing surprise for all of my fans in NYC tonight thru Sunday. “The Dreamer” 10th Anniversary special edition vinyl just arrived!! We’ve created 1000 copies of this limited edition 180 gram vinyl specially for Record Store Day, so head to your local record shop worldwide on April 13th and grab a copy! This is an exceptional 2xLP press of the full version of The Dreamer, including the lost John Coltrane covers. Remixed by Brian Bender, mastered by Ian Sefchick at Capitol Mastering and released exclusively by Rainbow Blonde Records. Again this is available only this Thursday thru Sunday at my live show in NY at The Iridium (first come first served!). Not in NY? Don’t worry! This is coming to your local record store on April 13th for Record Store Day! Side A: 1. The Dreamer 2. Velvet 3. Blackeyedsusan Side B: 1. Park Bench People 2. Spirits Up Above 3. Nola 4. Red Side C: 1. Winter Wind 2. Desire 3. Love Side D: 1. Equinox 2. Central Park West 3. Resolution 4. Coltrane (Dear Alice) #josejames #rainbowblonderecords

‪NYC!!! I’ll be at The Iridium this Thursday thru Sun performing Lean on Me with an all-star band! Really excited to bring the music of Bill Withers to such an intimate venue. Who’s coming?‬ ‪Tickets: https://www.theiridium.com‬

SPRING TOUR!!!! 3.21 - NYC The Iridium 3.22 - NYC The Iridium 3.23 - NYC The Iridium 3.24 - NYC The Iridium 4.04 - Taali (le) poisson rouge Album Release (special guest with Taali) 4.12 - New Haven, CT - John Lyman Center for the Performing Arts 4.13 - Reading, PA - Berks Jazz Fest 4.14 - Cape May, NJ - Exit Zero Jazz Festival 4.26 - New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival 5.15 - Billboard Live Tokyo (special guest with Taali) 5.17 - Billboard Live OSAKA (special guest with Taali) 5.31 - Melbourne, AUS - Hamer Hall Arts Centre Melbourne Gershwin Reimagined with Laura Mvula 6.01 - Melbourne, AUS - Hamer Hall Arts Centre Melbourne Gershwin Reimagined with Laura Mvula 6.07 - Perth, AUS - Perth Concert Hall 6.08 - Perth, AUS - Perth Concert Hall 6.10 - NYC Apollo Theater Spring Gala 6.14 - DC Jazz Festival June 15 - SFJAZZ June 21 - Twin Cities Jazz Festival June 22 - Jazz Aspen Snowmass June 23 - Jazz Aspen Snowmass Tickets: http://www.josejamesmusic.com/ —— 📸: Clay Patrick McBride

New episode of 1+2+3+4 podcast up now! My guest was the incredible singer, songwriter and producer Taali who’s dropping her debut album “I Am Here” this week on our new label Rainbow Blonde Records. We talked about finding one’s voice, how to overcome your fears as a writer and what it feels like to drop an album in the digital age. Listen/subscribe: http://smarturl.it/rainbowblondepodcast Now available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, TuneIn’ Google Play, Stitcher + wherever you listen to your podcasts 🎧

JAPAN TOUR ANNOUNCED!!! I’m coming to Japan with Taali as her special guest at Billboard Live Tokyo and Billboard Live OSAKA! She’ll be performing songs from her forthcoming debut album “I Am Here” on Rainbow Blonde Records / Universal Music Japan International 🙌🏽 It’s gonna be two amazing nights of music with an awesome band and I hope to see you guys there! 5/15 Billboard Live Tokyo 5/17 Billboard Live OSAKA Tickets: http://www.billboard-live.com/pg/shop/show/index.php?mode=detail1&event=11453&shop=1 —- Photo by Maddie Deutch #IAmHereTour #RainbowBlondeRecords