Minneapolis-born vocalist José James, dubbed “one of the suavest vocal improvisers on the scene” by Pitchfork, performed at Bryant Park on Thursday, Sept. 14. James closed out Bryant Park’s 2023 Picnic Performance with his emphatic tribute to legendary singer-songwriter Erykah Badu. I am familiar with the idea of modern jazz as artists like Jon Batiste and Lawrence have reimagined the genre. However, James’s approach to redefining jazz while still maintaining its historical identity was new to me. James has credited the likes of jazz greats of old as his inspiration, such as John Coltrane, Marvin Gaye and Billie Holiday.
Having very little to go off, I was very skeptical of going to a concert of an artist I didn’t know, on a weekday. And besides, taking the trip down to Manhattan is always a complicated endeavor. I arrived at the beautiful park and met up with a group of other Fordham students. However, I was greeted with James’s tranquil voice and the high-tempo drums that accompanied it. From the opening song, I was engulfed by the rich culture and art New York has to offer in such a beautiful setting. Going into this experience, I had no real idea of who James was and what I was getting myself into. James brought out all the stops in jazz’s rich history, and I left impressed by his ability to mix his unique style with elements that are not typically associated with the genre (e.g. the synthesizer) and how that opened a door to what the future of jazz can look like.
James’s titular track, “On & On,” set the stage. The beginning of the song felt as if I was being transported to a different world. As the song acclimated to the rhythm, I had found my place in Bryant Park’s beautiful lawn. As the concert continued, the cool and collected instrumentation began to rise in intensity as James reached the song “Gone Baby, Don’t Be Long,” which brought out a tonal shift that caught me by surprise, and all I could think of was to get up and dance. I wasn’t alone in that thought, as a handful of people got up and danced along to the rhythm. I heard the slow, shallow snares and felt a rush of peace. The fantastic four-count was so simply made but carried such a heavy weight when it was paired with the soft synths and smooth vocals that James brought to the table.
It was a nearly full night, as a couple hundred people refused to miss out on the final show in the 2023 Picnic Performance lineup. As the sun set, James continued to soothe the audience with his vocals, and many people enjoyed the food and drink options that were situated inside tents near the back of the park. As the nearly full Bryant Park listened on, James reached his closing song. The song “Bag Lady” concluded with a slower (but still groovy) rhythm, which was supported by the aforementioned synthesizer. The lyrics and his vocal performance capped off a magical night that I would have completely missed if it weren’t for this article.
I was lucky enough to not be the only Fordham student there. Josie Kinney, FCRH ’27, commented, “Personally I felt as though the music was a means to socialize and expose yourself to an otherwise unfamiliar artist.”
Katerina Kleinschmidt, FCRH ’27, said, “Personally, I was thrilled to learn that they had significant jazz-soul influences because I’ve been wanting to find an entry-level jazz artist to listen to. I’d highly recommend going to a Bryant Park concert (or any other free musical performance you can find). Even if you don’t know the performers, you just might find yourself a new favorite song, artist or genre.” I went into this experience nearly blind to what I was getting myself into, but being able to share this special memory with some wonderful people, I was more than happy with my experience of James’s jam at Bryant Park.
