Jose James - 1978

 

180-gram gatefold double LP

Soulful, hypnotic grooves on José James' album 1978 recall 1970s pan-African sound

Internationally-acclaimed jazz singer José James — the forward-looking, genre-defying singer for the hip-hop generation — has done it again.

1978 (his 12th studio album since 2008's The Dreamer) announces an instant classic, combining James' deep love of jazz and hip-hop with songwriting and production nods to R&B heroes Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson and Leon Ware.

Produced by James and featuring an all-star ensemble, 1978 pulsates with the socially conscious feel-good vibes of Marvin Gaye, Prince and Stevie Wonder.

"I want music that feels fun and accessible. I spent two years touring with my Bill Withers Project, and watching people dance to 'A Lovely Day.' I want my music to tap into that joy, but I also wanted to write songs that you could put under a microscope and nerd out to the jazz harmonies, the way Quincy Jones did for Michael Jackson," James says. "I needed to mature a bit to start telling my story and to get my songwriting level and production to this level."

Five years in the making, 1978 emerges as James's most autobiographical work yet, pulsating with the socially conscious party and politics vibes of ‘70s luminaries. Disco-stompers "Saturday Night (Need You Now)" and "Planet Nine" invite listeners to escape on the dance floor, while "For Trayvon" is a poised tribute to Trayvon Martin. "38th & Chicago" expresses James' outrage and heartbreak surrounding the murder of George Floyd. Despite its infectious beat and hook, the lyrics comprise a stunning/wrenching protest anthem, with a title that references the Minneapolis intersection where George Floyd was murdered, just blocks from where James grew up.

James emerges as a leader in today's global Black music through collaborations such as "Dark Side Of The Sun" with Baloji and "Place of Worship" with Xenia França. In recent overseas 1978 reviews, Record Collector likens James to a "Johnny Hartman-like crooner for the hip-hop age," while Echoes praises his "Marvin-style sexy undulation" on "Black Orpheus (Don't Look Back)."

Side A

1. Let's Get It

2. Isis & Osiris

Side B

1. Saturday Night (Need You Now)

2. Black Orpheus (Don't Look Back)

Side C

1. Dark Side of the Sun

2. Place of Worship

Side D

1. For Trayvon

2. 38th & Chicago

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