Bob James Trio: Rocket Man

Bob James has been delighting fans for decades going back to his early days in Marshall, Missouri. Discovered by Quincy Jones at the Notre Dame Jazz Festival in 1963, Bob recorded his first solo album Bold Conceptions the same year for Mercury Records where Q was a A&R executive. The rest is history. James has done it all and worked with the biggest names like Hank Crawford and Grover Washington. He’s owned his own label Tappan Zee Records, also the name of one his big hits. I had the pleasure of being at Warner Bros Records when he teamed with Harvey Mason, Nathan East, and Lee Ritenour to form the group FourPlay. This Grammy award winner is still at it with his latest a take on Elton John’s classic Rocket Man, from his current, late-period Jazz trio album Feel Like Making Live. Now I must admit when I first heard it I said “it’s okay,” being a fan of the original recording. Then I let the music do its thing and I found myself lost in a real mellow mood and I said “Bob has captured the essence of this song without a word!” I’m sure you’ll appreciate Bob James’ take of the Rocket Man as you relax listening to Serenade to The City with Rick Joyner, nightly on Jazz 91.9 WCLK.