artist info

Twenty albums into a career built on deep groove and a saxophone voice all his own, Boney James is still finding new ground. Today, the four-time GRAMMY nominee and multi-platinum saxophonist, composer and producer announces new album A Simple Man, arriving October 2 via Concord Records, alongside the new single and official music video "I Belong To You" featuring Ledisi. Vinyl editions of the album will be available November 6.

Produced by James, A Simple Man is a soulful collection shaped by his growing desire for clarity. The title began with a song, then became a reflection of how he now approaches both his work and his life: removing distraction so that the essential elements can come through more clearly. "I don’t need a lot of things to make me happy," says James. "As I've gotten older, I've wanted to drop the extraneous things. The simple life is something I crave, and that spirit found its way into this album. A Simple Man is about getting closer to what feels essential, both in the music and in my life."

James' path to this point began on the road. After turning professional at 19, he spent years as a sideman, first touring with Morris Day before working with The Isley Brothers, Teena Marie, Randy Crawford, Ray Parker Jr., Sheena Easton and Bobby Caldwell. Between gigs, he made demos and developed a musical identity of his own, eventually stepping forward with his 1992 debut, Trust. The decades since have brought constant touring and an expansive run of collaborations, with James recording alongside artists including George Benson, Al Jarreau, George Duke, Faith Evans, Bilal, Lalah Hathaway, Raheem DeVaughn and October London. Those relationships reflect the breadth of his sound, as well as the deep foundation in R&B that has shaped his approach from the beginning.

James is thrilled that his music continues to reach new audiences more than thirty years after he released his debut album, Trust in 1992. "It's always been my goal to be one of those guys that would just keep doing it at a high level," he says, "and to have that connection with the audience."