Bob James (musician)
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Robert McElhiney "Bob" James (born December 25, 1939) is a two-time Grammy Award-winning smooth jazz keyboardist, arranger and producer. He is recognized as one of the original founders of smooth jazz, is renowned for the complexity of his arrangements and instrumentals, and his work is frequently sampled.
Legacy
James is recognized as one of the progenitors of smooth jazz. His music has also been sampled often in hip hop music. Two of James' songs – "Nautilus" from 1974's One and "Take Me to the Mardi Gras" from 1975's Two – are among the most sampled in hip hop history. "Nautilus" has been most famously sampled in Eric B. & Rakim's "Let The Rhythm Hit 'em", Run-D.M.C.'s "Beats to the Rhyme", Ghostface Killah's "Daytona 500", Soul II Soul's "Jazzie's Groove" and Jeru the Damaja's "My Mind Spray" amongst many others and the notes of "Nautilus'" bassline were played on a keyboard for Slick Rick's "Children's Story". According to whosampled.com, "Nautilus" and "Take Me to Mardi Gras" have been sampled in thirty-two and forty-three hip-hop recordings, respectively. The song, "Take Me to the Mardi Gras" (written by Paul Simon) incorporates in its first four measures a bell and drum groove that is one of hip hop's fundamental breakbeats. Crash Crew's "Breaking Bells (Take Me To The Mardi Gras)", Run-D.M.C.'s "Peter Piper", LL Cool J's "Rock the Bells", the Beastie Boys' "Hold it Now, Hit it", Missy Elliott's "Work It," will.i.am's "I Got it from my Mama," "This Is Me (Urban Remix)" by girl group Dream for their debut album It Was All a Dream, "I Want You" from Common's Finding Forever, and most recently "Take It Back" from Wu-Tang Clan's 8 Diagrams.
Röyksopp sampled his version of the Stylistics song "You're as Right as Rain" for their instrumental track "Eple." The title track from his 1981 album Sign of the Times was sampled in De La Soul's "Keepin' the Faith", and Warren G's "Regulate". In addition, James is mentioned in a verse by André 3000 on "Black Ice" from Goodie Mob's second album Still Standing.
His "Angela" was sampled in the track "Cab Fare" by Souls of Mischief, an out-take from their album No Man's Land.
The track "El Verano" from the 1977 album "BJ4" is used as a sample in the song "Blown Away" by the Cocoa Brovaz and also in the Masta Ace Track "NY Confidential".
English Drum & Bass pioneer Adam F extensively sampled "Westchester Lady" on his 1995 breakthrough release Circles.
One's "Night on Bald Mountain" is used in the video game God Hand, and forms the soundtrack to a level of the same name.
N.W.A's "Alwayz Into Somethin'" and New Edition's "Hit Me Off" uses a sample of "Storm King" from the album Three.
"Nautilus" was used in video game developer Rockstar's "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas" on the fictional radio station, Master Sounds 98.3.
"The Rhythm" by Kwamé the Boy Genius features a sample of "Look-Alike" from the album Lucky Seven.
"Can't Wait" by Redman features a sample of "Caribbean Nights" from the album Touchdown.
"MC's Smoke Crack" by Edan features a sample of "Look-Alike" from the album Lucky Seven.
"Sign" by Coldcut features a sample of "I Feel A Song (In My Heart)" from the album Two.
"Pure Pleasure" by DJ Cam features a sample of "Nautilus" from the album One.
