Playin' Hooky

Performer: Bob James
Artist: Boney James; Hilary James; Steve Gadd; Rick Braun; Andy Snitzer; Fareed Haque; Chuck Loeb; Dave Samuels
Engineer: Don Murray; Ken Freeman; Larry Buksbaum; Marcel East
Distributor: WEA (Distributor)

Notes: Personnel includes: Bob James (Fender Rhodes piano, keyboards, programming); Nathan East (vocals, acoustic & electric bass); Rasheeda Azar (vocals); Boney James (soprano & tenor saxophone); Rick Braun (trumpet, flugelhorn); Max Risenhoover (vibraphone, drum programming); Dave Samuels (vibraphone); Marcel East (keyboards, programming); Paul Brown (guitar, percussion programming); Chuck Loeb, Nick Moroch (guitar); Fareed Haque (classical guitar); James Genus (acoustic bass); Chris Walker (bass, background vocals); Billy Kilson, Steve Gadd (drums); Cyro Baptista, Emedin Rivera, Lenny Castro (percussion); Michael Colina (programming); Jeff Carruthers (synthesizer programming); Hilary James, Kevin DiSimone (background vocals); Snitzer Howlin' Horns. Producers: Michael Colina, Paul Brown, Marcel East, Nathan East. Principally recorded at Remidi Studios, Dobbs Ferry, New York. All tracks have been digitally mastered using HDCD technology. Personnel: Bob James (piano, keyboards, synthesizer, programming); Hilary James , Rasheeda (vocals); Chuck Loeb (guitar); Fareed Haque (acoustic guitar); Nick Moroch (electric guitar); James Hynes, Michael Davis , Andy Snitzer, Randy Andos, Tom Timko (horns); Marcel East (keyboards, programming); Jeff Carruthers, Michael Colina (synthesizer, programming); Max Risenhoover (vibraphone, drum programming); Dave Samuels (vibraphone); James Genus (acoustic bass); Steve Gadd , Billy Kilson (drums); Emedin Rivera, Lenny Castro (percussion). Audio Mixers: Don Murray ; Ken Freeman. Recording information: Ocean Way Recorders, LA; Pyramid Studios, LA; Remidi Studios, Dobbs Ferry, NY; Right Track Studios, New York, NY; Sony Music Studios, New York, NY; Sound on Sound Studios, New York, NY; Sunset Sound, LA. Unknown Contributor Role: Bob James. Arrangers: Marcel East; Michael Colina; Bob James. The master of lite-jazz keyboard stylings unleashes his playful side on PLAYIN' HOOKY. Bob James has long been a favorite among today's young urban professionals who find pop music a little too rambunctious and jazz just a bit too harsh. This album gives James' fans plenty to enjoy. With such distinguished guests as Steve Gadd, Nathan East, Dave Samuels, and Chuck Loeb this disc contains some solid, yet subtle, performances. Once again, Bob seems to say "sit back and relax" while adding just a dash of youthful mischief. The grooves are easy and consistent on such gems as "Mind Games," "Hook, Line & Sinker," and "Love Is Where." Some playful curiosities show up in "Playing With Fire," which is based on Chopin's "Etude In E Major, Opus 10 No. 3," and a very contemporary version of George Gershwin's "Do It Again". Once again James' reflective side is on display on "Are You Ready" and the lush "Glass Hearts." Overall, who could ask for more? The composer of the "Taxi" theme is going strong with no signs of putting on the brakes.

Keyboardist Bob James is a man who has worn many musical hats. He began as a progressive-jazz pianist in the early 1960s (he even recorded for famed underground avant-garde label ESP). By the '70s, however, he'd incorporated electric keyboards and become a star in the burgeoning fusion genre, making records which would later be sampled by countless hip-hop artists. Along the way, he was also involved in the soundtracks for everything from SERPICO to the TV show TAXI, and worked as arranger and producer for Dionne Warwick, Roberta Flack, and others. In the '90s, James became even more popular as a member of the smooth-jazz supergroup Fourplay.

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