Chico Hamilton told me, "The first take is important in jazz because that's where the real emotion is." That's your true response to what's happening…

- Jose James

Jason [Moran] and John [Patitucci] and Eric [Harland] knew it was a Billie Holiday tribute. I'm sure they assumed it was going to be like another sin…

- Jose James

I go by the "Miles Davis school of production and band-leading", where you pick the best musicians you can, you provide them with a minimum of direct…

- Jose James

Once I had the band, Jason [Moran] and John [Patitucci] and Eric [Harland] - it's very exciting to have that trio of just world-class guys - I alread…

- Jose James

The other songs [of Billie Holiday] - "Body and Soul" is like the standard - I also wanted some songs that I knew I would sound good on, as a produce…

- Jose James

There used to be a club in new york called Bradley's - I've never been there, it closed in the 80's - but I used to study with Junior Mance, and he w…

- Jose James

The level of musicianship in New York is the highest in the world. It's tough to get into. You start gigging making 50 dollars a night, or playing fo…

- Jose James

I've sort of realized there's a definite pattern to my output at this point: there's an album that everybody sort of loves, that's a real balance bet…

- Jose James

When I sort of step in my jazz world, it's somewhere between instrumental jazz and vocal jazz.

- Jose James