Boney James Tickets : Boney James Has Accumulated Four Riaa Certified Gold Records

Boney James, is a saxophonist, songwriter and producer who popularized urban jazz (an updated version of contemporary jazz that contains elements of R&B and hip-hop). He is one of the most successful instrumental artists of our time, with sales totaling over 3 million records.

Boney James is a three-time Grammy Award nominee (Best Pop Instrumental Album, 2001 and 2004, and Best Traditional R&B Performance, 2009 ) and a Soul Train Award winner (Best Jazz Album). He has also been honored with an NAACP Image Award nomination for Best Jazz Album. He has accumulated four RIAA certified Gold records. His current and twelfth CD, Send One Your Love, spent 8 consecutive weeks at #1 on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz charts.

8 of James' albums have reached #1 on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Chart and 2 have reached the top 10 on the R&B Albums Chart, a rare feat for an Instrumental Artist.In 2000 he collaborated with trumpeter Rick Braun on an album called Shake it Up. Their duets include "Grazin' in the Grass," which had been previously performed by the Friends of Distinction and Hugh Masekela.

Other artists who have made guest appearances on Boney's records include Faith Evans, George Benson, Dwele, Al Jarreau, Philip Bailey, Anthony Hamilton, Jaheim, Eric Benet, Dave Hollister and Angie Stone.

Born in Lowell, Massachusetts, he took up the clarinet at the age of eight and switched to sax when he was 10. Boney spent his early teen years in New Rochelle, New York and became a Motown fan, which contributed to his "musical influence and soulful R&B style." He was also influenced by saxophonist Grover Washington, Jr.. When James was 14 his family moved to Los Angeles, where he joined a fusion band which had some success opening for acts like Flora Purim and the Yellowjackets. Another member of this early band was John Shanks, now a successful pop producer.

His R&B influence was further strengthened by seven years of touring and sessions as a sideman with artists like Day, the Isley Brothers, Bobby Caldwell, Randy Crawford, Teena Marie and many others. It was on the road with Crawford that he earned his now-famous moniker; his per diem as a touring musician barely kept him fed, and a bandmate notoriously commented of his dwindling physique, "At this rate we'll have to start calling you Boney James!".

In the early 90's, after joining Bobby Caldwell's band, he caught the attention of the engineer/mixer & producer Paul Brown. In 1992 he released his debut album as a leader, Trust, on the indy Spindletop Records label, and was signed by the Warner Brothers label in 1994. James assumed the role of producer starting with his "Pure" CD in 2003. Following a string of chart topping albums, in 2006 James moved to Concord Records and with the release of Shine achieved his career highest Billboard Pop Chart position (#44 on the Top 200).

In 2008, James recorded a song with American Idol finalist Syesha Mercado, entitled "Gonna Get It," which was co-written by James and Rahsaan Patterson. It is currently available exclusively in the iTunes Music Store.

For his 2009 album, Send One Your Love, James decided to take a different path with a concept album, a collection of ten seductive love songs. In addition to the Grammy nomination for Best Traditional R&B Performance, in 2009 Billboard ranked him the #1 "Hot Smooth Jazz Artist" as well as the #2 "Top Contemporary Jazz Artist." Send One Your Love was Top 5 on the "Top Contemporary Jazz Album" chart for 50 weeks and was ranked #2 for that chart overall for 2009. He was also the #3 Billboard Contemporary Jazz Artist of the Decade.