Legendary jazz pianist, keyboardist, arranger, and record producer Bob James brought the crowd to its feet at the 13th annual Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival following a set that focused on his brand new album "Jazz Hands" and some of his most beloved tunes.
“The Secret Drawer” is a breezy smooth jazz groove driven by a rhythm track topped off with an infectious melody line. The energetic track hums with Bob’s glossy keys and Andre Chmut’s soaring saxophone solos.
WBGO's Doug Doyle had a brief chat with James following his set at Highmark Stadium in Pittsburgh.
"I have history here, old friends and musicians that I met a long time ago. I feel like I'm coming back to familiar territory. For me, I played the U.S. circuit enough times that I think I can kind of write down a kind of a description of the different personality that each city has and there are some cities that have more jazz history than others, certainly Detroit and I currently live in Michigan. I personally got to know a lot of the people that made the Detroit sound what it is. Maybe it's just my imagination or instinct but I can feel a Pittsburgh audience. I know they expect something deep. If my band can hook up with me and deliver the grooves and some magic for them, they let us know and it's a wonderful feeling."
The rest of the band consists of bassist Michael Palazzolo and drummer James Adkins.
You can tell James enjoyed playing with these talented young cats.
"I want them to give me about another years worth of humbleness. Then I'll be happy to launch them into the life I know is waiting for them. When I get lucky enough to find three people like this that are so good so early in their career, I know that I'm not going to be able to hold on to them for long."
Adkins, who put on a fabulous drum solo during the set, knows he's playing with jazz royalty.
"Man, it's the greatest experience ever. He's such a great person. I've only seen him (Bob James) mad one time. He's the best thing that's ever happened to me in my life."
Saxophonist Andre Chmut got emotional when I asked him about being on stage with James.
"It's a miracle in my life because you know I'm from Ukraine. My whole life I watched jazz festivals on YouTube and now I'm playing here. I'm so grateful to Bob and to God to give me this ability. I want to do my best."
Bassist Michael Palazzolo says he's enjoying the ride with the musician who was discovered by Quincy Jones.
"He gives us freedom to do what we want during our solo time and I have great appreciation for his music."
As music director for Newark icon Sarah Vaughan, Bob James realizes what that meant to him.
"She was a college education for me. I did have a conventional college education in Michigan but when I got the job with her which was 1965 and I was with her for four years, which is kind of the same length of time that kids go to college, by the end of those years I knew I had a college degree in things that I would have never gotten from a music school. Her artistry was so overwhelming. Being her pianist. She was pretty simple in what she wanted in terms of a band. She never really that much with a large orchestra. The trio was her favorite thing to hear, piano, bass, drums. When I was her music director as a pianist I was her orchestra. I was her arrangements. It was a very powerful feeling and I could influence her singing. If I got the tempos right, if I got the chords right, her sound changed, her singing changed, her improving and inspiration changed and that was so exciting for me."
This year marks the 50th anniversary of hip-hop. James is widely recognized as one of those responsible for the formation of hip-hop. His music, especially his early albums, has been sampled often. So does the anniversary mean anything to Bob?
"Definitely. Many give me more credit than I deserve but I'll just be happy that I was around creating music at the beginning of when they were starting to think about what their art was going to be. I didn't understand it at all at first and had some resentment about it. I wasn't sure that I liked people taking my music in chunks and just repeating it in ways I wouldn't have done myself. But there's nothing like getting to know people specifically. To realize their passion and show me what it's like from their spirit and that changed a lot for me."
The Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival runs through Sunday, September 17 at Highmark Stadium.
