No Beginning No End 2

Jose James wrapped up his Blue Note phase after five assorted albums in six years and wasted no time co-founding Rainbow Blonde, a label consolidating his alliance with fellow singer/composer and partner Talia Taali Billig and trusty engineer Brian Bender. First out was a reissue of his Brownswood debut, The Dreamer, followed by releases from Taali, Benders Bright & Guilty, and bassist Ben Williams. James begins his artistic independence with a sequel to his Blue Note debut. Its just as much an extension of his farewell, the Bill Withers testimonial Lean on Me, in that it stresses traditional songcraft and is more about warm and direct communication (mostly fondness and togetherness) than feel and groove. Having already covered a lite FM staple, Withers and Grover Washington, Jr.s Just the Two of Us, James overemphasizes the continuity with a version of Billy Joels Just the Way You Are. He at least strips it of schmaltz and affectation with Brett Williams bopping piano at the fore and Marcus Machados virtuosic guitar (instead of Phil Woods saxophone) taking a solo like its a Steely Dan session. Everything else is original, written by James with Billig and longtime associate Scott Jacoby as chief collaborators. The stylistic range, stretched by Ben Williams and drummers Jamire Williams and Justin Brown, is broader than it is on No Beginning No End, coasting through multiple jazz modes, blues, and gospel, with natural digressions into mid-60s pop-soul, Memphis R&B, organic disco, and adult contemporary. A few of the rootsier numbers -- the lively Aloe Blacc collaboration Turn Me Up, the Lizz Wright duet Take Me Home, the rare sorrowful moment Miss Me When Im Gone included -- have a touch of Withers to them. What differentiates this from all of James previous albums is the large number of guest singers and instrumentalists, all boundary pushers who inject the songs with a constant communal spirit. The hospitality James displays couldnt serve as a more appropriate statement of intent from a label operated by and for artists. ~ Andy Kellman

ディアンジェロの《Voodoo》('00)に呪いをかけられた2000年代のアーティストたちの行く末を、グルーヴやサウンドのパースペクティヴの変化に求め批評家たちはこの20年ずっと耳を凝らしてきた。ジャズでは特にロバート・グラスパーやミシェル・ンデゲオチェロ、そしてこのホセ・ジェイムズの音楽に関心が集まっていたように思う。『Black magic 』('10)では、タイトルそのものがVoodooに由来していたし、それは『No Beginning No End』('13)まで持続した。'15年のジャズへ回帰をへて、再び20年ホセがポップをシェイクする。
intoxicate (C)高見一樹