http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.17728&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rssBob James' popularity as a smooth jazz pianist has sometimes obscured the fact that he's also a fine bop and fusion musician. James was discovered by Quincy Jones while he was still a college student and his 1962 debut <I>Bold Conceptions</I> shows how well versed he is in hard bop. He quickly went on to become Sarah Vaughan's piano accompanist but during this same period he started breaking ground in the world of electronic music by combining (then) new computer technology with jazz. While his releases from the 1960s were critically well received, in the early '70s, James cut a series fusion albums on which he usually played the Rhodes, Clavinet or other electric keyboards. The albums <I>One</I>, <I>Two</I>, and <I>Three</I> combined solid jazz musicianship, with a breezy funk vibe and clever easy listening arrangements. While they were considered jazz sellouts at the time of release, these discs have aged very well and often show up as hip-hop and electronica samples. By the late 1970's, James was one the top-selling artists in jazz when his melancholy theme song and incidental music for the excellent sitcom <I>Taxi</I> brought his music to a whole new audience. James has become more and more mainstream as the decades have progressed but that partly stems from the fact that he helped create the sonic template and textures for smooth jazz. James currently divides most of his time between cutting very commercial instrumentals and R&B heavy smooth jazz (often with his all-star band Fourplay) but he still keeps his hand in the acoustic jazz world. His superb 1996 release <I>Straight Up</I> proved that his more exploratory albums can actually sell just as well as his more commercial products. Besides his soundtrack work on <I>Taxi</I>, James has also recorded film scores for director Sidney Lumet. - Nick DedinaPop-Jazzen720Sat, 26 Dec 2009 12:48:31 -0800 http://static.realone.com/rotw/images/logo_rhapsody_113x22.gif http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.17728&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss Bob James' popularity as a smooth jazz pianist has sometimes obscured the fact that he's also a fine bop and fusion musician. James was discovered by Quincy Jones while he was still a college student and his 1962 debut <I>Bold Conceptions</I> shows how well versed he is in hard bop. He quickly went on to become Sarah Vaughan's piano accompanist but during this same period he started breaking ground in the world of electronic music by combining (then) new computer technology with jazz. While his releases from the 1960s were critically well received, in the early '70s, James cut a series fusion albums on which he usually played the Rhodes, Clavinet or other electric keyboards. The albums <I>One</I>, <I>Two</I>, and <I>Three</I> combined solid jazz musicianship, with a breezy funk vibe and clever easy listening arrangements. While they were considered jazz sellouts at the time of release, these discs have aged very well and often show up as hip-hop and electronica samples. By the late 1970's, James was one the top-selling artists in jazz when his melancholy theme song and incidental music for the excellent sitcom <I>Taxi</I> brought his music to a whole new audience. James has become more and more mainstream as the decades have progressed but that partly stems from the fact that he helped create the sonic template and textures for smooth jazz. James currently divides most of his time between cutting very commercial instrumentals and R&B heavy smooth jazz (often with his all-star band Fourplay) but he still keeps his hand in the acoustic jazz world. His superb 1996 release <I>Straight Up</I> proved that his more exploratory albums can actually sell just as well as his more commercial products. Besides his soundtrack work on <I>Taxi</I>, James has also recorded film scores for director Sidney Lumet. - Nick Dedina http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.797861&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss Pop-Jazz Mon, 7 Jul 1986 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by Bob James on Rhapsody Online 797861 tra.797861 Bob James art.17728 0.99 Double Vision alb.304983 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/5/2/7/7/1277725_170x170.jpg 2002-12-20 00:00:00.0 1986-07-07 00:00:00.0 true Maputo tra.797861 409000 http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.797861&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.797861&variant=data&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.7477120&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss Pop-Jazz Tue, 1 Jan 2002 00:00:00 -0800 Top Tracks by Bob James on Rhapsody Online 7477120 tra.7477120 Bob James art.17728 0.99 The Essential Collection: 24 Smooth Jazz Classics alb.7472655 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/2/1/2/6/726212_170x170.jpg 2005-07-12 00:00:00.0 2002-01-01 00:00:00.0 true Feel Like Makin' Love tra.7477120 400000 http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.7477120&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.7477120&variant=data&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.9162528&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss Pop-Jazz Mon, 1 Jan 1979 00:00:00 -0800 Top Tracks by Bob James on Rhapsody Online 9162528 tra.9162528 Bob James art.17728 0.99 One On One alb.9157730 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/0/4/9/2/772940_170x170.jpg 2006-01-24 00:00:00.0 1979-01-01 00:00:00.0 true Kari tra.9162528 390000 http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.9162528&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.9162528&variant=data&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.9162530&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss Pop-Jazz Mon, 1 Jan 1979 00:00:00 -0800 Top Tracks by Bob James on Rhapsody Online 9162530 tra.9162530 Bob James art.17728 0.99 One On One alb.9157730 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/0/4/9/2/772940_170x170.jpg 2006-01-24 00:00:00.0 1979-01-01 00:00:00.0 true Love Lips tra.9162530 398000 http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.9162530&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.9162530&variant=data&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.2055347&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss Pop-Jazz Tue, 16 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by Bob James on Rhapsody Online 2055347 tra.2055347 Bob James art.17728 0.99 Cool alb.235902 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/7/4/6/1/1291647_170x170.jpg 2007-10-16 00:00:00.0 2007-10-16 00:00:00.0 true San Diego Stomp tra.2055347 321000 http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.2055347&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.2055347&variant=data&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.1982628&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss Pop-Jazz Mon, 1 Jan 1990 00:00:00 -0800 Top Tracks by Bob James on Rhapsody Online 1982628 tra.1982628 Bob James art.17728 0.99 Grand Piano Canyon alb.132525 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/3/8/6/7/1287683_170x170.jpg 2005-01-18 00:00:00.0 1990-01-01 00:00:00.0 true Bare Bones tra.1982628 286000 http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.1982628&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.1982628&variant=data&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.9162529&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss Pop-Jazz Mon, 1 Jan 1979 00:00:00 -0800 Top Tracks by Bob James on Rhapsody Online 9162529 tra.9162529 Bob James art.17728 0.99 One On One alb.9157730 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/0/4/9/2/772940_170x170.jpg 2006-01-24 00:00:00.0 1979-01-01 00:00:00.0 true The Afterglow tra.9162529 393000 http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.9162529&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.9162529&variant=data&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.4957375&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss Pop-Jazz Tue, 24 Feb 2004 00:00:00 -0800 Top Tracks by Bob James on Rhapsody Online 4957375 tra.4957375 Bob James art.17728 0.99 Take It from The Top alb.4938884 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/7/6/7/2/622767_170x170.jpg 2004-02-24 00:00:00.0 2004-02-24 00:00:00.0 true Downtown tra.4957375 329000 http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.4957375&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.4957375&variant=data&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.7477125&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss Pop-Jazz Tue, 1 Jan 2002 00:00:00 -0800 Top Tracks by Bob James on Rhapsody Online 7477125 tra.7477125 Bob James art.17728 0.99 The Essential Collection: 24 Smooth Jazz Classics alb.7472655 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/2/1/2/6/726212_170x170.jpg 2005-07-12 00:00:00.0 2002-01-01 00:00:00.0 true Westchester Lady tra.7477125 447000 http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.7477125&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.7477125&variant=data&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.797831&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss Pop-Jazz Fri, 1 Jan 1982 00:00:00 -0800 Top Tracks by Bob James on Rhapsody Online 797831 tra.797831 Bob James art.17728 0.0 Two Of A Kind alb.177720 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/1/2/2/8/398221_170x170.jpg 1994-01-29 00:00:00.0 1982-01-01 00:00:00.0 true The Falcon tra.797831 530000 http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.797831&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.797831&variant=data&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.9162532&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss Pop-Jazz Mon, 1 Jan 1979 00:00:00 -0800 Top Tracks by Bob James on Rhapsody Online 9162532 tra.9162532 Bob James art.17728 0.99 One On One alb.9157730 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/0/4/9/2/772940_170x170.jpg 2006-01-24 00:00:00.0 1979-01-01 00:00:00.0 true I'll Never See You Smile Again tra.9162532 328000 http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.9162532&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.9162532&variant=data&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.1982636&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss Pop-Jazz Mon, 1 Jan 1990 00:00:00 -0800 Top Tracks by Bob James on Rhapsody Online 1982636 tra.1982636 Bob James art.17728 0.99 Grand Piano Canyon alb.132525 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/3/8/6/7/1287683_170x170.jpg 2005-01-18 00:00:00.0 1990-01-01 00:00:00.0 true Far From Turtle tra.1982636 387000 http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.1982636&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.1982636&variant=data&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.9162533&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss Pop-Jazz Mon, 1 Jan 1979 00:00:00 -0800 Top Tracks by Bob James on Rhapsody Online 9162533 tra.9162533 Bob James art.17728 0.99 One On One alb.9157730 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/0/4/9/2/772940_170x170.jpg 2006-01-24 00:00:00.0 1979-01-01 00:00:00.0 true Winding River tra.9162533 322000 http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.9162533&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.9162533&variant=data&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.9162531&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss Pop-Jazz Mon, 1 Jan 1979 00:00:00 -0800 Top Tracks by Bob James on Rhapsody Online 9162531 tra.9162531 Bob James art.17728 0.99 One On One alb.9157730 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/0/4/9/2/772940_170x170.jpg 2006-01-24 00:00:00.0 1979-01-01 00:00:00.0 true Mallorca tra.9162531 288000 http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.9162531&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.9162531&variant=data&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.7477123&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss Pop-Jazz Tue, 1 Jan 2002 00:00:00 -0800 Top Tracks by Bob James on Rhapsody Online 7477123 tra.7477123 Bob James art.17728 0.99 The Essential Collection: 24 Smooth Jazz Classics alb.7472655 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/2/1/2/6/726212_170x170.jpg 2005-07-12 00:00:00.0 2002-01-01 00:00:00.0 true Take Me to the Mardi Gras tra.7477123 351000 http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.7477123&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.7477123&variant=data&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.2405163&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss Pop-Jazz Tue, 2 May 2006 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by Bob James on Rhapsody Online 2405163 tra.2405163 Bob James art.17728 0.99 The Genie alb.251327 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/1/4/5/7/417541_170x170.jpg 2006-05-02 00:00:00.0 2006-05-02 00:00:00.0 true Angela (Theme From "Taxi") tra.2405163 150000 http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.2405163&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.2405163&variant=data&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.2055343&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss Pop-Jazz Tue, 16 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by Bob James on Rhapsody Online 2055343 tra.2055343 Bob James art.17728 0.99 Cool alb.235902 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/7/4/6/1/1291647_170x170.jpg 2007-10-16 00:00:00.0 2007-10-16 00:00:00.0 true New York Samba tra.2055343 349000 http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.2055343&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.2055343&variant=data&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.797864&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss Pop-Jazz Mon, 7 Jul 1986 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by Bob James on Rhapsody Online 797864 tra.797864 Bob James art.17728 0.99 Double Vision alb.304983 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/5/2/7/7/1277725_170x170.jpg 2002-12-20 00:00:00.0 1986-07-07 00:00:00.0 true Since I Fell For You tra.797864 351000 http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.797864&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.797864&variant=data&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.7584295&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss Pop-Jazz Sun, 1 Jan 1978 00:00:00 -0800 Top Tracks by Bob James on Rhapsody Online 7584295 tra.7584295 Bob James art.17728 0.99 Touchdown alb.7581895 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/4/9/1/4/734194_170x170.jpg 2005-08-23 00:00:00.0 1978-01-01 00:00:00.0 true Angela (Theme from 'Taxi') tra.7584295 345000 http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.7584295&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.7584295&variant=data&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.1997391&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss Pop-Jazz Thu, 1 Jan 1976 00:00:00 -0800 Top Tracks by Bob James on Rhapsody Online 1997391 tra.1997391 Bob James art.17728 0.99 Three alb.215950 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/5/2/4/7/387425_170x170.jpg 2005-08-23 00:00:00.0 1976-01-01 00:00:00.0 true Westchester Lady tra.1997391 449000 http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.1997391&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.1997391&variant=data&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.1982635&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss Pop-Jazz Mon, 1 Jan 1990 00:00:00 -0800 Top Tracks by Bob James on Rhapsody Online 1982635 tra.1982635 Bob James art.17728 0.99 Grand Piano Canyon alb.132525 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/3/8/6/7/1287683_170x170.jpg 2005-01-18 00:00:00.0 1990-01-01 00:00:00.0 true Just Listen tra.1982635 429000 http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.1982635&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.1982635&variant=data&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.2055339&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss Pop-Jazz Tue, 16 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by Bob James on Rhapsody Online 2055339 tra.2055339 Bob James art.17728 0.99 Cool alb.235902 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/7/4/6/1/1291647_170x170.jpg 2007-10-16 00:00:00.0 2007-10-16 00:00:00.0 true So Much In Common tra.2055339 376000 http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.2055339&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.2055339&variant=data&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.17204446&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss Pop-Jazz Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0800 Top Tracks by Bob James on Rhapsody Online 17204446 tra.17204446 Bob James art.17728 0.99 Playin' Hooky alb.17202229 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/7/3/0/1/1261037_170x170.jpg 2009-04-21 00:00:00.0 2007-11-20 00:00:00.0 true Night Sky tra.17204446 264000 http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.17204446&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.17204446&variant=data&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.7477130&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss Pop-Jazz Tue, 1 Jan 2002 00:00:00 -0800 Top Tracks by Bob James on Rhapsody Online 7477130 tra.7477130 Bob James art.17728 0.99 The Essential Collection: 24 Smooth Jazz Classics alb.7472655 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/2/1/2/6/726212_170x170.jpg 2005-07-12 00:00:00.0 2002-01-01 00:00:00.0 true Angela (Theme from Taxi) tra.7477130 345000 http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.7477130&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.7477130&variant=data&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.798077&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss Pop-Jazz Tue, 1 Jan 1974 00:00:00 -0800 Top Tracks by Bob James on Rhapsody Online 798077 tra.798077 Bob James art.17728 0.99 One alb.209202 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/9/3/9/9/389939_170x170.jpg 2005-10-18 00:00:00.0 1974-01-01 00:00:00.0 true Feel Like Making Love tra.798077 399000 http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.798077&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://mp3.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.798077&variant=data&rws=%2Fbob-james%2Ftop-tracks.rss