Jose James enlists Robert Glasper, Emily King, Chris Dave & Fink for new album No Beginning, No End

Here’s a new project to definitely keep an ear out for this year: jazz-inspired New York-based vocalist Jose James has been in the studio this month finishing off his latest album, No Beginning, No End; with a host of quality, ear pleasing musicians, songwriters and producers on-board for the ride, including Robert Glasper, Chris Dave, Emily King and Fink.

Born and raised in Minneapolis, Jose James moved to New York and inked a deal with Gilles Peterson‘s Brownswood Recordings on a visit to London, prior to releasing his debut album The Dreamer in 2008. His sophomore release BlackMagic featured collaborations with Flying Lotus, Moodymann, Taylor McFerrin and DJ Mitsu the Beats, followed by 2012′s For All We Know on Verve.

His fourth album No Beginning, No End is titled based on “the Universal concept of everything being connected on the deepest + most basic level… humanity, love, togetherness,” the singer announced via Twitter last week.

“This is a true labor of love I’ve paid for all the sessions from demo to full production myself.. there is no label involved no A+R.. just the freedom of my music, working with exactly who I want to work with,” he continued, revealing that Leon Ware was a “huge catalyst” for the project.

“We met in LA and talked about jazz, Marvin Gaye and writing for Motown.. true legend,” Jose recalls. “I wanted to use the same concept of working with top musicians who love jazz and soul – like Pino [Palladino], [Robert] Glasper, Taku[ya Kuroda], [Richard] Spaven and Chris ["Daddy"] Dave - playing more structured songs i.e. less modal, with more of a pop or singer-songwriter sensibility.”

Recorded in Recorded in London, Paris and New York, just some of the other producers, artists and writers involved with the album include: Hindi Zahra, Takuya Kuroda (horn arrangements, trumpet & flugelhorn), Corey King (trombone), Suphala, Jules Buckley (string quartet arrangement), Kris Bowers, Nate Smith, Solomon Dorsey, Emily King (who he calls “one of the best writers of her generation”), Grant Windsor, Amp Fiddler, Fink and Jessica Care Moore.

“I can easily say that this is my best album so far,” the singer concludes.

James is to perform his new material at shows in New York, Tokyo and Osaka in February as follows:

NYC @ Harlem Stage, Feb 10 + 11
TOKYO @ Billboard Live, Feb 18 + 19
OSAKA @ Billboard Live, Feb 20