Originally from Marshall, Missouri, two-time GRAMMY winner Bob James (b.1939) has enjoyed a tremendously varied career, characterized by many fascinating twists and turns. To some, he’s a hip-hop icon because samples of his music played a pivotal role in the foundation of rap, while to others, he’s the godfather of smooth jazz.
After being discovered by Quincy Jones at the Notre Dame Collegiate Jazz Festival in 1962, James made his mark at producer Creed Taylor’s CTI label in the 1970s when he was the architect of an innovative new sound that fused jazz with classical music and funk. James’s music found a broader audience in 1978 after his track “Angela” was used as the theme to the popular U.S. TV sitcom, “Taxi.” He also ran his record label, Tappan Zee Records, for many years, has released albums dedicated to classical music, and co-founded the popular and hugely successful smooth jazz group Fourplay. His work has also been abundantly sampled by hip-hop DJs and producers. Now signed to international record label, evosound, Evolution Music Group, his latest album, Jazz Hands, was nominated for a GRAMMY.
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