Combining jazz, soul, drum’n’bass, and spoken word into his own unique brand of vocal jazz, New York City-based vocalist José James is often referred to as a jazz singer for the hip-hop generation. Last heard in a performance at the Lensic in Santa Fe in a December 2021 New Mexico Jazz Festival event, James returns to New Mexico to perform at the Lensic and Outpost with his latest project honoring Grammy winning singer-songwriter (as well as touring artist, producer, DJ, director, and activist) Erika Badu. An artist who often shows love to those who inspire him, James has dedicated entire albums to artists whose music he’s admired, including Billie Holiday and Bill Withers, and on his latest release, On & On: José James Sings Badu, he “investigates the breadth of Erykah Badu’s iconic catalog, from her groundbreaking debut album Baduizm to her contemporary masterpieces New Amerykah Pt. 1 and 2.” James notes, “It’s simple . . . Jazz singing has always been about interpreting the highest level of standards of your time. And for my generation Erykah Badu has been one of the most innovative and incisive songwriters. Her work has proven to be groundbreaking in a social, musical and artistic sense.” On & On is described as a jazz album conceived in the spirit of Herbie Hancock’s River: The Joni Letters, and on which James “artfully draws upon his experiences with modern masters like McCoy Tyner, Robert Glasper and Flying Lotus to create a new sonic landscape through an improvisatory lens.” A celebrated international performer, James has released 11 critically-acclaimed albums and presented his work at venues such as The Kennedy Center, Hollywood Bowl, Ancienne Belgique and Billboard Live Tokyo. He has performed as a guest artist with McCoy Tyner, Laura Mvula and the Jazz at Lincoln Center, Melbourne Symphony and Royal Concertgebouw Orchestras and is the recipient of both the Edison Award and L’Académie du Jazz Grand Prix. NPR Music exclaims, “Catch up with Jose James now because he’s a rarity— an artist evolving at warp speed.”