Episode #324: Boney James TALKS ‘Slow Burn’ & Billboard Success

It is a privilege to welcome legendary composer, producer, and saxophonist Boney James to The Jake’s Take with Jacob Elyachar Podcast.

Boney’s musical journey began when he picked up the clarinet at eight and switched to the saxophone at 10. His family moved from New Rochelle, New York, to Los Angeles when he was 14. In the City of Angels, Boney James joined his first band and attended the University of California at Los Angeles. After he graduated with a history degree, he turned his attention to music full-time and learned to play keyboards.

In 1985, he joined Morris Day’s band and spent seven years as a sideman and touring musician for Bobby Caldwell, the Isley Brothers, Randy Crawford, and Teena Marie. In 1992, Boney released his debut album, Trust, and has released 15 solo studio albums and a collaborative record, Shake It Up, with Rick Braun in 2000. Boney James also recorded many legendary recording artists such as Al Jarreau, Angie Stone, Anthony Hamilton, Faith Evans, George Benson, and Kenny Lattimore.

In 2014, Boney produced two songs on Al Jarreau’s tribute record to George Duke, My Old Friend: “Bring Me Joy” (with George Duke) and “No Rhyme, No Reason” (with Kelly Price). The following year, he first appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Earlier this year, Boney James made history as he became the first recording artist to hit 20 number one singles on the Billboard Smooth Jazz chart. In addition to his Billboard milestone, he is a four-time Grammy Award nominee and a Soul Train Award winner. Boney also received three NAACP Image Award nominations for Best Jazz Album.

On October 18, Boney will release his nineteenth studio album, Slow Burn. The record’s first single, “All I Want is You,” is a collaboration with rising R&B star October London. The song was Boney’s fastest-reaching single on Adult Urban Radio, reaching the Top 30 in three weeks and crossing the 1 million streams milestone within two weeks on Pandora.

On this edition of The Jake’s Take with Jacob Elyachar Podcast, Boney James discussed the lessons he learned from Bobby Caldwell, Morris Day, and Teena Marie, Slow Burn’s recording process, and “All I Want is You’s” viral success.

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