Boney James is The Slow Burn That's Redefining Jazz
From Humble Beginnings to Jazz Icon: Boney James' Journey to Blazing Brilliance
In a career that has spanned over three remarkable decades, Boney James has solidified his place as a contemporary jazz icon. His latest album, Slow Burn, marks yet another high point in his illustrious journey. Featuring a collection of 10 new tracks produced by Boney himself, this album continues to build on a legacy that includes four GRAMMY nominations, three NAACP Image Award nominations, a Soul Train Award for Best Jazz Album, and four RIAA Gold Record certifications.
“When I mentioned the phrase ‘slow burn’ to people as a possible title, they said, ‘That also refers to your whole career in a way,’” James recently reflected. “This is my nineteenth record and I feel like I’m just hitting my stride.”
Slow Burn showcases an impressive array of guest collaborators. The legendary bass player Marcus Miller appears on “Arcadia” and again on “Butterfly,” a remake of the Herbie Hancock and Bennie Maupin classic, joined by internationally renowned jazz/gospel keyboardist Cory Henry. Multi-instrumentalist Jairus Mozee, known for his work with Anderson .Paak, Anthony Hamilton, and Nicki Minaj, co-wrote and co-produced four tracks on the album with Boney, including the title track “Slow Burn.” The sultry first single, “All I Want Is You,” features rising R&B vocalist October London, and James proclaims it to be “one of the most exciting vocal collaborations I’ve ever recorded.”
This summer and fall, James will bring his iconic 30-year career to the live stage, playing select dates across the U.S. Promising to perform selections from Slow Burn and other hits, his tour will visit several cities, including Nashville, Milwaukee, Charlotte, and Boston.
During his three-decade career, Boney James has released a staggering nineteen studio albums. His mid-90s releases—Seduction (1995), Sweet Thing (1997), and Body Language (1999)—all achieved RIAA Gold certification. In 2015, futuresoul spent eleven weeks atop the Billboard Contemporary Jazz chart and became the best-selling Contemporary Jazz Record of that year. His 2020 album Solid became his highest charting release on the pop charts, peaking in the Top 10 on the Billboard 200.
With nearly a dozen of his albums landing at #1 on Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz Album chart, Boney James has collaborated with a long list of critically acclaimed R&B and soul stars, including Raheem DeVaughn, Faith Evans, George Benson, George Duke, Dwele, Al Jarreau, Philip Bailey, Anthony Hamilton, Jaheim, Eric Benét, Dave Hollister, Stokley Williams, Kenny Lattimore, Angie Stone, and Lalah Hathaway.
Boney James’ nineteenth studio album, Slow Burn, will be released through Concord Records on October 18th. As he continues to evolve and inspire, Boney James remains a grand performer in the world of jazz, bringing soul, passion, and a timeless quality to every note he plays.