For All We Know is José James' first album for Impulse! Records, as well as his first U.S. release. But the Minneapolis-born, London-based singer is already a sensation in Britain, Europe and Japan. Since his arrival on the international scene in 2008, audiences and critics alike have embraced the artist's talent and versatility, with his first two albums (released on influential DJ/producer Gilles Peterson's Brownswood Recordings label) winning James a reputation as both a rising star and a vital new creative force.
All but one of For All We Know's ten songs were recorded in a single informal six-hour session at Galaxy Studios in Mol, Belgium. The project came together spontaneously, after James and Neve performed together on a Belgian television show and Neve filled in for James' regular pianist at a concert in Brussels.
"It felt like we'd been playing together forever," José recalls. "I had the next day off, so I said 'Let's go in the studio and try to capture some of this vibe.' Jef booked this really nice studio, we let the tape roll, and that's the album. There was no producer, no overdubs, and most of the songs were first takes.
"It wasn't anything that we thought was gonna turn into a big release," he continues. "It was just something that we thought was really cool. We just played the songs we love the way we felt them, with no constraints. Playing as a duo is very pure and honest; it's just you, the piano and silence."
As impressive as For All We Know is, it presents just one aspect of José James' musical portfolio, whose expansiveness and diversity belies the artist's tender age. The son of a jazz-saxophonist/multi-instrumentalist father from Panama, José first embraced jazz in his early teens. By the age of 17, he had emerged as both a budding performer and a serious student of jazz history and technique, performing around Minneapolis in a variety of lineups with an assortment of seasoned local jazz players.
"I realized early on that I could connect with people through music," José recalls. "I wasn't thinking much about making it into a career; I was just caught up in the excitement of making music. I also realized that the vocal developments in jazz progressed with the instrumental developments, and that the instrumentalists' rhythmic and harmonic sophistication was absorbed and transmuted by the singers of the day. That really opened my eyes, and helped to give me a direction and a focus."
José's musical development continued after a move to New York, where he attended the New School's prestigious jazz program, studying with instrumental legends Junior Mance and Chico Hamilton, both of whom subsequently invited him to perform on their recordings.
In 2006, while participating in a vocal competition in London, José met Gilles Peterson, who was sufficiently impressed with his talents to sign him to Brownswood Recordings. He released a pair of acclaimed, mostly self-written albums for the label, The Dreamer and Blackmagic. In addition to showcasing the artist's vocal and songwriting gifts, those albums combined his deep-rooted jazz sensibility with elements of classic soul, contemporary R&B, hip-hop and drum 'n' bass.
James' growing notoriety led to him collaborating on record with a wide assortment of jazz, club and hip-hop acts, including Basement Jaxx, Nicola Conte, Toshio Matsuura, Jazzanova, Flying Lotus, Christian McBride, Elan Mehler, the Heritage Orchestra, Robert Mitchell, Jazzy Sport and Simbad. He also established a reputation as a magnetic live performer, appearing at such hallowed venues as London's Royal Festival Hall, the North Sea Jazz Festival, the Vitoria Jazz Festival, Billboard Live in Tokyo, Centro Cultural in Sao Paolo, the Hermitage of St. Petersburg and Central Park Summerstage in New York.
Like José, pianist Jef Neve has quickly established himself as one of jazz's most exciting young talents. Already an established figure in his homeland of Belgium and a rising star in the rest of the world, he's released five best-selling albums that have won international acclaim. The Jef Neve Trio has performed throughout Europe, including appearances at many of the world's most prestigious jazz festivals. In 2009, Neve debuted his first piano concerto, with the Brussels Philharmonic Orchestra, and won additional notoriety for his musical score for director Felix Van Groeningen's film The Misfortunates.
Having already won the hearts of international audiences, José James is inspired by the opportunity to make a splash in his home country. "It's so exciting, and it's a huge honor to be on Impulse; it's Trane's house. I'm very proud of this record, and I love being able to give back to the music that nurtured me."
With a background that encompasses all manner of diverse musical pursuits, José James sees the potential for many different kinds of records in his future.
"I've never wanted to stay in one place," he states. "Jazz has always been about looking forward and experimenting and trying new things. If For All We Know has an influence on my direction in the future, it's to make me more open to taking chances and seeing where the moment takes you. That's what this record was about for me, and that's what I want to keep doing."
Body & Soul
José James & Jef Neve Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For you I cry for you dear only
Why haven't you seen it
I'm all for you body and soul
I spend my days in longing
And wondering why it's me
you're wronging
I tell you I mean it
I can't believe it
It's hard to conceive
That you'd turn away
from romance
Are you pretending
Don't say it's the ending
Unless I can have
one more chance to prove dear
My life a wreck you're making
You know I'm yours
for just the taking
I'd gladly surrender
Myself to you body and soul
I can't believe it
It's hard to conceive
That you'd turn away
from romance
Are you pretending
Don't say it's the ending
Unless I can have
one more chance to prove dear
My life a wreck you're making
You know I'm yours
for just the taking
I'd gladly surrender
Myself to you body and soul
The lyrics of José James's song "Body and Soul" express a sense of longing, sadness, and desperation. The singer is pleading with their love interest to reciprocate their feelings and give them another chance, despite feeling wronged by them before. They express their willingness to surrender themselves entirely to this person, body and soul. The repeated chorus, "I'm all for you body and soul," emphasizes the depth of the singer's devotion and the extent to which they are willing to go to be with the person they love.
The lyrics also suggest a sense of disbelief and confusion on the part of the singer - they cannot understand why their love interest would turn away from romance, and they wonder if perhaps the person is just pretending to be done with the relationship. This sense of uncertainty and vulnerability is captured in the lines "Are you pretending / Don't say it's the ending / Unless I can have one more chance to prove dear." Overall, the lyrics convey a sense of heartbreak and a desire to be reunited with the person the singer loves.
Line by Line Meaning
My heart is sad and lonely
The singer feels deeply unhappy and alone.
For you I cry for you dear only
The singer weeps solely for the person they are addressing.
Why haven't you seen it
The singer wonders why their love is not reciprocated.
I'm all for you body and soul
The artist gives their all--physical, emotional, and spiritual--to the one they love.
I spend my days in longing
The artist yearns for their beloved all day long.
And wondering why it's me you're wronging
The singer is confused and hurt by the fact that their love is not being returned.
I tell you I mean it
The singer is sincere in their declarations of love.
I'm all for you body and soul
The artist again asserts that they are giving everything to the object of their affection.
I can't believe it
The artist is incredulous that their love is not being returned.
It's hard to conceive
The artist finds it difficult to imagine that their love is unrequited.
That you'd turn away from romance
The singer is dismayed that their romantic advances are being rejected.
Are you pretending
The artist questions whether their beloved is being insincere or deceitful.
Don't say it's the ending
The singer pleads with their beloved not to give up on their relationship.
Unless I can have one more chance to prove dear
The singer begs for another opportunity to show their love.
My life a wreck you're making
The singer's life is becoming chaotic and difficult as a result of unrequited love.
You know I'm yours for just the taking
The artist is willing to give themselves freely to the object of their affection.
I'd gladly surrender myself to you body and soul
The artist is offering their whole being--physically, emotionally, and spiritually--to the one they love.
Lyrics © Sentric Music, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Edward Heyman, Frank Eyton, John Green, Robert Sour
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind