"
data-original-title="" title="">Smokey Robinson for the new generation." That's some heavy but deserving press as James' previous releases- -2010's Blackmagic and 2008's The Dreamer (both on Brownswood Records)—bear witness. With his Blue Note debut, No Beginning No End's decidedly marketed project eschews the limitations of James being labeled just a "jazz singer" with a recording that swirls together jazz, hip hop, R&B, and romantic ballads into a stylized mix.
"
data-original-title="" title="">Robert Glasper, who also contributes to James' label debut, the singer has successfully created a release that reflects his culture and diversity as revealed in the track "Sword + Gun," featuring Moroccan singer Hindi Zahra. Its hypnotism is interwoven with North African-flavored percussion, harmonized hand claps, and tight horn vamps driven by a smooth drum and bass beat. From conception to completion, the piece evolved in about six hours in a Paris studio with Zahra and James adding ingenious music touches and lyrics that include peaceful anti-war sentiments:
Lay down your sword and gun
Lay down your soldier's arms
You don't want to die
So far from home.
When performed live, the vibe is even more persuasive, as the music, vocals, and hand-claps give the song an added dimension that's hard to deny..
It's All Over Your Body, Sword + Gun (feat. Hindi Zahra), Trouble,
Vanguard, Come To My Door, Heaven On The Ground (feat. Emily King), Do
You Feel, Make It Right, Bird Of Space, No Beginning No End, Tomorrow,
Come To My Door (Acoustic Version) [Bonus Track])
All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.
Go Ad Free!
To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.
We sent a confirmation message to . Look for it, then click the link to activate your account. If you don’t see the email in your inbox, check your spam, bulk or promotions folder.
All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.
Buy Now
