“Whitney James ain't your typically thin-voiced, self-obsessed pseudo-diva. She's got a spine-tingling presence…” – Seattle Weekly

 

 

Vocalist Whitney James takes her rightful place among today’s great jazz singers with her stunning debut album, The Nature of Love (January 19, 2010, Stir Stick Music). With her working rhythm section of pianist Joshua Wolff, bassist Matt Clohesy, and drummer Jon Wikan, and special guest trumpeter Ingrid Jensen, James blends a singer’s sensitivity to lyrics with an instrumentalist’s command of phrasing, melody, and timbre. The album’s ambitious program of material includes classics from the Great American Songbook such as Jerome Kern and Ira Gershwin’s “Long Ago and Far Away” and Irving Berlin’s “How Deep Is the Ocean,” as well as challenging jazz tunes such as Benny Golson’s “Whisper Not” and Jimmy Rowles’s “The Peacocks.” 
 
James doesn’t just sing a tune—she creatively engages it. Every time she approaches a melody and a lyric, she finds a new way to phrase them, shape them, highlight a word or a few notes that shade the meaning and make the music richer. Her sense of time and pacing make her a consummate musician’s singer—she knows how to work with a band, instead of asking it to merely back her. Her supple alto voice wraps itself around a song like a sheer silk scarf. She sings with a bright clarity of tone, yet she colors her sound with earthy inflections, subtle squeezed notes, dark growls, and notes of soaring purity.
 
Her polished musicianship helps her interpret the best of American popular music as well as challenging originals of jazz composers rarely attempted by singers. The upper edge of her voice gently caresses “Tenderly,” highlighting the song’s romantic glow, then she matches trumpeter Jensen tone for tone with an instrumentalist’s full sound. She subjects “Long Ago and Far Away” to playful transformations, making the song her own without ever obscuring the composers’ original intent. She negotiates the transitions between Latin and swing beats on “How Deep Is the Ocean” with elegance, phrasing behind the beat at times to create an exquisite tension. And she remains unfazed by the tricky melody of “The Peacocks,” making the composition’s daunting contours sound graceful and natural.
 
Her band mates are sensitive accompanists with strong voices of their own. In a duo version of “Be Anything,” Wolff, who has also worked with singers Jay Clayton and Mark Murphy, weaves lovely countermelodies and rich harmonies around James’ sincere reading of the song. He’s alert to every twist and variation that James makes to “Long Ago and Far Away,” then swings hard in a lyrical, incisive solo of his own. Bassist Clohesy, who has recorded with Seamus Blake, Pete McCann and Geoffrey Keezer, among others, is a versatile accompanist and soloist. His time is impeccable and his note choice adds depth to the ensemble. His solo on Abbey Lincoln’s “My Love Is You” is a beautifully constructed statement, coherent and moving. Wikan has played with the Maria Schneider Orchestra, Jensen, and shared rhythm duties with Clohesy in the bands of Torben Waldorff and Keezer. His attention to dynamics and space and his crisp time-keeping make him a perfect drummer for vocalists, but he can power a band as well, as he does on the hard driving “Whisper Not.” Jensen is featured with the Schneider Orchestra and has performed and recorded as a leader and with Jeff 'Tain' Watts, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Marc Copland, Gary Bartz, Chris Connor, and many others. Her warm tone blends beautifully with James on “Tenderly” and “Whisper Not.” A lyrical player who is nevertheless full of surprises, she crafts an exciting solo on “Whisper Not” and a poignant ballad performance on “The Very Thought of You.”
 
It’s rare that a performer emerges fully formed on their first album. But Whitney James has the musicianship and deep emotional power of a mature artist.

Listen to clips from Whitney’s debut CD “The Nature Of Love”.

 

Described as “A startlingly impressive and mature debut CD” by Philip Booth of the St. Petersburg Times, just one of many reviews.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Call The Fox at 813-639-0400 for reservations. http://www.foxjazzcafe.net/ 

 

Saturday, May 12, 2012 from 8:30 - 12:30 PM

The Fox Jazz Club -- Whitney plays with the wonderful John O'Leary on piano, Alejandro Arenas on bass and Mark Feinman on drums.

Tampa, FL

Call The Fox at 813-639-0400 for reservations. http://www.foxjazzcafe.net/

 

Saturday, May 5, 2012 from 8:30 - 12:30 PM

The Fox Jazz Club -- Whitney plays with the wonderful John O'Leary on piano, Alejandro Arenas on bass and Mark Feinman on drums.

Tampa, FL

Call The Fox at 813-639-0400 for reservations. http://www.foxjazzcafe.net/

 

Saturday, April 28, 2012 from 7 -11 PM

Creative Clay Fundraiser featuring Whitney's Quintet Jeremy Powell on saxophone, Matt Bokulic on piano, Ian Goodman on drums, Billy Pillucere on bass.

Tampa, FL

 

Sunday, April 22, 2012 at 3 PM

Tampa Jazz Club presents Whitney James in Concert.

Whitney plays with the wonderful Joshua Wolff on piano, Jeremy Powell on saxophone, Michael Ross on bass, Walt Hubbard on drums.

Tampa, FL

http://www.tampajazzclub.com/

 

 

WEST COAST TOUR April 5th - 12th with guitarist Terrence Brewer

http://terrencebrewer.com/index.html

 

Sunday, April 8, 2012 from 4 - 6PM - ON TOUR

Berkley House Concert -- Whitney is thrilled to be performing a house concert with guitarist Terrence Brewer and band.

Reservations required -

Please contact Tom Montgomery at 510.697.4097 or

Linda Oliver linda@berkleyhouseconcerts.org to reserve your seats.

 

Saturday, April 7, 2012 from 7 - 10 PM - ON TOUR

The Plaza Bistro

Presented by the Sonoma Valley Jazz Society -- Whitney plays with wonderful guitarist Terrence Brewer.

Sonoma, CA

Visit http://www.theplazabistro.com or http://www.sonomavalleyjazzsociety.org for more information.

Friday, April 6, 2012 from 7 - 10 PM - ON TOUR

Jupiter -- Whitney plays with wonderful guitarist Terrence Brewer and his incredible band.

Berkley, CA

Visit http://www.jupiterbeer.com/jupiter/ for more information.

 

Thursday, April 5, 2012 from 6 - 9 PM - ON TOUR

Butterfly Restaurant -- Whitney plays with wonderful guitarist Terrence Brewer.

San Francisco, CA

Visit http://butterflysf.com/ for more information.

 

 

NORTHEAST TOUR

 

Sunday, March 18, 2012 - ON TOUR

Germano's -- Whitney plays with Joshua Wolff on piano, Frank Russo on drums, Tom Baldwin on bass.

Baltimore, MD

Visit http://www.germanostrattoria.com/ for more information. 

 

Saturday, March 17, 2012 - ON TOUR

49 West -- Whitney plays with Joshua Wolff on piano, Frank Russo on drums, and Tom Baldwin on bass.

Special guest Jeff Antoniuk on saxophone.

Annapolis, MD

Visit http://www.49westcoffeehouse.com for more information.

 

Friday, March 16, 2012 - ON TOUR

Mandarin Oriental -- Whitney plays with the Chris Grasso Trio.

Washington, DC.

Visit http://chrisgrassomusic.com/mandarin.htm for more information.

 

Call The Fox at 813-289-8846 for reservations.

 

 

Call The Fox at 813-289-8846 for reservations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Call The Fox at 813-289-8846 for reservations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Call The Fox at 813-289-8846 for reservations.

 

 

NEW AMERICAN THEATER'S SPECIAL SUMMER CABARET SERIES -- Whitney is appearing in Love and Other Fairytales, featuring with James W. Crumbly, Jr. on Piano and guest vocalist, Natalie Symons.
Tickets are $15 visit http://www.newamericantheater.org/home.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

Call The Fox at 813-289-8846 for reservations. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Call The Fox at 813-289-8846 for reservations.

 

 

 

 

Call The Fox at 813-289-8846 for reservations.