José James releases first-ever Christmas album

'Merry Christmas from José James' has just been released on Rainbow Blonde Records

Author: Alastair SteelPublished 19th Nov 2021
Last updated 19th Nov 2021

Jazz FM-nominated artist José James has released his first ever Christmas album Merry Christmas from José James.

The contemporary album celebrates the holiday season while honouring classic jazz and pop records of the 1950s.

The record takes inspiration from the classic jazz-crooner elegance of Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole whilst tapping into the earthy sophistication of soul legends Stevie Wonder and Donny Hathaway.

The ten-track record features two original tracks, “Christmas in New York” and “Christmas Day” along with popular ballads such as “The Christmas Song,” “White Christmas,” “Let it Snow” and “This Christmas,” a modern twist on the Donny Hathaway holiday favourite. In James' version, he musically brings an aspect of R&B and hip-hop to the mostly Jazz collection and adds an element of family, with a guest vocal appearance by his 8-year-old daughter. Another family member who was instrumental in the album was his grandmother Nancy who helped him discover much of the music of Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong and more, who each influenced the album’s musical mood board.

Songwriting for the project was spearheaded by José James and his partner, recently Grammy-nominated Talia Billig. The album’s studio band features Grammy-winning and nominated all-stars Ben Williams (bass), Aaron Parks (piano), Jharis Yokley (drums) and Marcus Strickland (soprano saxophone). Produced by José James and Brian Bender and recorded by Ariel Shafir at Dreamland Studios, the album was mastered by Frank Arkwright at Abbey Road Studios. The session was recorded completely live on 2” tape and mixed in LCR (left-centre-right) by Brian Bender at Motherbrain West.

Reflecting on the album, José said “We worked really hard to recreate the exact recording conditions of the 1950s. Take the best jazz musicians in the world, put them in a fully vintage analogue world-class studio, and assemble the creme de la creme of American Christmas classics". “We recorded everything in one take, no overdubs, on one uncomfortably hot sunny day in July up near Woodstock. Every great Christmas album has been recorded in the summer, so this is also part of the tradition,” he continued.