Three million-selling and three-time Grammy nominee, saxophonist BONEY JAMES has
added a few select concert dates including participating in a benefit concert
in Atlanta April 26. Proceeds from that evening will go to Atlanta's Emory University's
ALS Research Department as well as help defray medical costs for longtime music
industry executive Deborah Lewow, who is suffering from ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease).
Boney says, "Deborah and I worked together when I was at Warner Brothers
Records for 10 years. She was always one of my favorite people in the record business
and a huge part of my early successes. I'm so sorry she's dealing with this disease
and so glad to be able do something to try and help her and the Emory ALS Center!"
The added shows continue last year's 50-city trek in support of BONEY's
latest studio set, SEND ONE YOUR LOVE (Concord Records). A song from that album--"Don't
Let Me Be Lonely Tonight (Introducing Quinn)"--received a Grammy nomination last
year in the "Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance" category. Beyond the Grammy
nomination, 2009 was truly a watermark year for BONEY: Billboard ranked him the
#1 "Hot Smooth Jazz Artist" as well as the #2 "Top Contemporary Jazz Artist."
SEND ONE YOUR LOVE has been top 10 on the "Top Contemporary Jazz Album" chart
for 62 weeks since its February 3, 2009 release and was ranked #2 for that chart
overall for 2009. He was also named the #3 Contemporary Jazz Artist of the Decade
(behind Norah Jones and Kenny G.) and the #8 Best-Selling Jazz Artist of the Decade.
The songwriter/saxophonist--a major force in both the worlds of Contemporary
Jazz and R&B--has decided to harness the power of the Internet after experiencing
good fortune with Quinn, an unknown vocalist at the time. Now, BONEY's again searching
for a new vocalist for his next album. He's excited to cast the net wide on the
Internet for undiscovered vocal collaborators. "I'm always just trying to match
a singer with the song," he says when asked about what kind of singers he's looking
for. "Since I'm still writing it's hard to say, but so much is just inspiration--I'll
know it when I hear it!
BONEY--who has collaborated with such artists
as Faith Evans, Jaheim, George Benson, Anthony Hamilton and Angie Stone--has not
only sold over three million albums; he has earned a string of 12 hit records
(including 8 Billboard Contemporary Jazz #1's) and garnered an array of honors:
a Soul Train Award for Best Jazz Album, three Grammy nominations--two for Best
Pop Instrumental Album and one for Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance--and
an NAACP Image Award nomination.
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