(January 19, 2024) José James has been one of the most creative and interesting R&B and jazz stars for the past decade, with enough twists and turns in his discography that he has avoided the kinds of easy classifications that typically come this far into an artist's career.
James' unusual musical turns appear to be continuing on his upcoming album, 1978, a tribute to the legendary production work of such dance and Yacht legends as Quincy Jones and Leon Ware. And the lead single is a slice of smooth dance glory that should find a welcome reception from both classic soulheads and younger audiences. "Saturday Night (Need You Now)" has the club-friendly feel of Michael Jackson's "Rock With You," but with James' familiar baritone giving a more muscular vibe that works exceedingly well.
(January 19, 2024) José James has been one of the most creative and interesting R&B and jazz stars for the past decade, with enough twists and turns in his discography that he has avoided the kinds of easy classifications that typically come this far into an artist's career.
James' unusual musical turns appear to be continuing on his upcoming album, 1978, a tribute to the legendary production work of such dance and Yacht legends as Quincy Jones and Leon Ware. And the lead single is a slice of smooth dance glory that should find a welcome reception from both classic soulheads and younger audiences. "Saturday Night (Need You Now)" has the club-friendly feel of Michael Jackson's "Rock With You," but with James' familiar baritone giving a more muscular vibe that works exceedingly well.
“Doing my tribute to Bill Withers inspired me,” James explains. “Singing his hits from the '70s and '80s like ‘Lovely Day’ and ‘Just the Two of Us’ made me want to dig deeper and try to write a song that could bring my own joy to people.”
With collaborators Kaveh Rastegar (Tiana Major9) and Talia Billig, José James delivers a great introductory cut that points to the direction of the much anticipated new album, and a single that will be on heavy repeat around here. Check out "Saturday Night (Need You Now)" below.
By Chris Rizik
José James
"Saturday Night (Need You Now)"