Concert – Bob James Quartet
JAZZ AUTUMN 2025 Concert with Bob James Quartet at Teatro Cuyás, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
Originally from Marshall, Missouri, Bob James (b. 1939), a two-time GRAMMY winner, has enjoyed a tremendously varied career, characterized by many fascinating turns.
Discovered by Quincy Jones at the Nôtre Dame Jazz Festival in 1963, James recorded his first solo album, Bold Conceptions, for Mercury Records that same year. Over five decades, 58 albums and countless awards would follow. He honed his skills working with Creed Taylor, collaborating on albums for artists such as Hank Crawford and Grover Washington, Jr., among others. During his time at CTI, James achieved great popular success overseeing major hits by Paul Simon, Neil Diamond, Maynard Ferguson, and Kenny Loggins. James has also worked with icons such as Harvey Mason, Jr., Lee Ritenour, Chuck Loeb, Kirk Whalum, Keiko Matsui, David Sanborn, and many more.
Although recognized as one of the progenitors of smooth jazz, his music has also had a profound effect on the history of hip hop, having been frequently sampled. Two of James's songs, “Nautilus“ from 1974“s One and “Take Me to the Mardi Gras“ from 1975“s Two, are among the most sampled in hip hop history. According to whosampled.com, “Nautilus“ and “Take Me to Mardi Gras’ have been sampled in thirty-two and forty-three hip-hop recordings, respectively. N.W.A's “Alwayz into Somethin““ uses a sample from “Storm King“ from the album Three. Redman's “Can’t Wait“ includes a sample from “Caribbean Nights“ from the album Touchdown. Additionally, James is mentioned in a verse by André 3000 on “Black Ice“ from Goodie Mob's second album, Still Standing.
Related Events
