JOSÉ JAMES PRESENTS 1978: REVENGE OF THE DRAGON
- Montclair Jazz Festival
- Sep 8, 2025
- 1 min read
Updated: Sep 10, 2025
José James – Jazz, Soul & Modern Music Innovator
José James is both conductor and conduit. Across 17 years as a singer, songwriter, bandleader, and producer — and co-founder of Rainbow Blonde Records since 2018 — he has explored genres, eras, and traditions with the depth of a music historian and the confidence of a master performer.
With a silky baritone that adapts effortlessly across styles, James first made waves with his debut The Dreamer (2008), blending contemporary jazz with hip-hop textures. This fearless approach has fueled a discography with no boundaries: the breakthrough No Beginning No End (Blue Note, 2013); the standards collection For All We Know (2010); the genre-bending While You Were Sleeping (2014); and the R&B-forward Love in a Time of Madness (2017).
His tributes to legends Billie Holiday (Yesterday I Had the Blues, 2015), Bill Withers (Lean On Me, 2018), and Erykah Badu (On & On, 2023) highlight his ability to honor tradition while reinventing it. His latest release, 1978: Revenge of the Dragon (2025), fuses disco, funk, and soul into a vibrant statement of musical freedom.
Through bold collaborations, live performances, and studio innovation, José James has become a leading figure in modern jazz, soul, and R&B, shaping the future of music while staying rooted in its past.
JAZZ HOUSE KiDS’ presentation of José James is supported through a Chamber Music America Presenter Consortium for Jazz grant in collaboration with the DC Jazz Festival and August Wilson African American Cultural Center. A component of the Doris Duke Jazz Ensembles Project, Presenter Consortium for Jazz is funded by the Doris Duke Foundation.
It’s fascinating to see José James reimagine classic sounds across genres, and exploring his creative journey alongside resources from yourpcb makes diving into modern jazz even more rewarding.