Bob James' Tiny Desk concert is a manifestation of freedom and collaboration. "I have youth represented here," he says before introducing his band. "I don't have that myself, but I can hire it." The joke is tinged with a certain degree of truth. Still, curiosity and openness fuel his fresh spirit and keep his fanbase wide-ranging. The jazz pianist, composer and producer took his opportunity at the Desk to highlight his iconic discography, spanning over five decades.
Quincy Jones discovered Bob James in the 1960s and signed him to a record deal. He then arranged for other jazz greats like Sarah Vaughan and Grover Washington Jr. before releasing his album One in 1974. That album featured "Feel Like Making Love" and "Nautilus," one of the most sampled records in hip-hop. While James has released dozens of projects with his contemporaries, hip-hop has been the bridge to younger generations.
Before the new, improvised version of "Nautilus" with DJ Jazzy Jeff and Talib Kweli — seriously, they mapped it out and tried it once before we hit record — James played other highlights from his catalog, including "Westchester Lady," "Angela (Theme from Taxi)" and "The Secret Drawer" from his Grammy-nominated album, Jazz Hands.
WEDNESDAY JUNE 26 THROWBACK (2nd & 4th Wednesdays) All Throwbacks: Hip Hop, Soul/Funk, Reggae +more!Featuring Ren the Vinyl Archaeologist and special guest DJ Cutso (The Bangerz)Upcoming guests Malachi, Audio1, Jah Yzer + more!at Hello Stranger Bar, 1724 Broadway, Oakland. Doors 8pm. DJ Set starts at 9pm. No cover!…See More
WEDNESDAY JUNE 26 THROWBACK (2nd & 4th Wednesdays) All Throwbacks: Hip Hop, Soul/Funk, Reggae +more!Featuring Ren the Vinyl Archaeologist and special guest DJ Cutso (The Bangerz)Upcoming guests Malachi, Audio1, Jah Yzer + more!at Hello Stranger Bar, 1724 Broadway, Oakland. Doors 8pm. DJ Set starts at 9pm. No cover!…See More
WINTICKETS to PREZIDENT BROWN WITH DJ SEP All Ages FRIDAY, JULY 12, 2024 Doors: 8pm Show: 9pm $25 Sweetwater Music HallFitz Albert Cotterell aka Prezident Brown was born in Johnny’s Hill district on the Bullhead Mountain, Jamaica in the mid-1960’s and raised in Oracabessa, St Mary. He built up a reputation by performing on local sound systems throughout the 1980’s, under various names…See More
New Jersey rapper Tru Trilla dropped his banging new album “XVI : Return of the Gods” through New Dawn Records on May 31st.Immediately featured by Bandcamp on their front page ‘New and Notable’ spotlight section, the release is fuelled by a diverse and potent soundtrack laced with the full artillery. Bolstered by a stellar line up of producers and guest featured artists…See More
Tribe Divine presents reggae in the Mission with Ryan The Operator & Jah Cuzzi (live/8 pm), followed by my set (10-midnight) at Dahlia Lounge (1799 Mission Street, San Francisco) / 21+ / Free See More
From the sun-soaked streets of California’s Inland Empire Sirr Jones and Kalifornia Cavi have been a formidable force in the hip-hop scene since 2014. Their collaboration is a testament to their shared belief that “music is the soul of man,” a philosophy they’ve practiced through a conglomeration of catchy tunes and insightful, often hilarious freestyles. Sirr Jones,…See More
Tribe Divine presents reggae in the Mission with Ryan The Operator & Jah Cuzzi (live/8 pm), followed by my set (10-midnight) at Dahlia Lounge (1799 Mission Street, San Francisco) / 21+ / Free See More
