LP REVIEW: smooth operations, with Bob James – Foxie (1983)
TAPPAN ZEE RECORDS, 25AP 2686, JAPAN ISSUE, GATEFOLD, STEREO, 1983 (US RELEASE, 1983, ON CBS/SONY 25AP 2686)
ARTIST
Bob James is quite a legend in the music business. He is a jazz keyboard player whose easy-on-the-ear pop instrumentals often hit the charts during the 1970s and ’80s. His last album came out in 2020 and was called ‘On Vacation‘ … you could be forgiven for thinking he was trying to tell us something …. 🙂 Bob James was born on 25 December 1939 in Marshall, Missouri (USA).
I cannot say it better than the guys from allmusic.com so here’s a quote from his bio there:
“Along with Grover Washington, Jr., he is known as one of the fathers of smooth and contemporary jazz. His music seamlessly melds genres from bop to pop, from classical to R&B via relatively simple, accessible, and elegant melodies with rich harmonies and multiple sonic textures, often anchored by lithe, funky grooves.”
During the ’90s he co-founded the jazz supergroup Fourplay. Here is a link to a 2022 interview in the Huffington Post, in case you want to read some more about Bob’s musical journey.
LABEL
Tappan Zee Records was formed by Bob James in July 1977. It was named for the bridge and river he often crossed on his way home from New York City recording sessions.
He continued to work at Columbia where he was a very successful director of progressive A&R, overseeing substantial hits for Paul Simon, Neil Diamond, Maynard Ferguson and Kenny Loggins.
Tappan Zee issued all of Bob James’ solo recordings between 1977 and 1984 (and one of his collabs with guitarist Earl Klugh) as well as a handful of records by other artists. At that time, Tappan Zee Records set the standard for what fusion jazz sounded like in the late 1970s.
Tappan Zee Records quietly disappeared when interest and sales in fusion jazz began to wane in the early 1980s. The music morphed into “contemporary jazz,” the sound changed and Bob James left Columbia in 1985 to begin a successful relationship with Warner Bros. Records.
KNOWLEGDE NUGGETS
/1\ the model on the album does not only have legs and feet 🙂 – she is called Patricia Tracy. Voilà, fixed that for you 🙂
/2\ Bob James recorded three classical albums for CBS Masterworks, the first one released in 1984.
MUSIC
I have stated on these pages before that I think Fusion is Funk without the funk, Soul without the soul and Rock without the rock. That’s just my opinion, nothing more nothing less, and it does not disqualify this record or genre at all. This is very high quality stuff by the master Bob James. The Allmusic quote above summarizes it well.
I was obviously aware of Bob James, but never moved much beyond casual listening to his music. I did not know that he wrote classical music for example. On this album you can hear that influence very clearly. Of course, the opening track ‘Ludwig‘ gives that away and you can hear how he created this very clever amalgamation of classical, fusion and jazz. Most of the tracks have some form of classical tinge to them. Sometimes you hear it only in a few bars, other times it’s a larger part of a tune. It makes it sound like classics done eighties fusion style. I think this makes Bob James somewhat unique, and recognizable. It also enhances the music and makes it more interesting to listen to.
If fusion is your thing, your collection is not complete without a Bob James record. This is as good a place to start that as any.
YOUTUBE LINK
Here’s the link to one of the tracks (A1). The entire album is on youtube but posted as individual tracks so you can go from here.
RAW MUSIC STORE
This record is available for 60AED on the RAW MUSIC Store website.
PERSONNEL
- Drums – Peter Erskine (tracks: A2, A3, B2), Steve Gadd (tracks: A1), Yogi Horton (tracks: B1, B3)
- Guitar – Hugh McCracken (tracks: B3), Steve Khan (tracks: B3)
- Percussion – Leonard ‘Doc’ Gibbs, Jr. (tracks: A3, B1, B2, B3), Ralph MacDonald (tracks: A1)
- Soprano Saxophone – David Sanborn (tracks: B1)
- Synthesizer – Rob Zantay (tracks: A2)
- Producer – Bob James
TRACKS
- A1: Ludwig 6:40
- A2: Calaban 2:43
- A3: Fireball 5:46
- B1: Zebra Man 6.05
- B2: Miranda 4.54
- B3: Marco Polo 6:42