Boney James tickets now on sale

NPAC information

Making his saxophone sing like a human voice – that’s Boney James. Soulful and gifted, the three million-selling saxophonist and songwriter is one of today’s most respected and best-selling instrumental artists and performers in the world. The Niswonger Performing Arts Center of Northwest Ohio in Van Wert is pleased to present Boney James in concert on April 30 at 7:30 p.m. Non-series tickets are now on sale.

With his latest album Send One Your Love (Concord) – featuring “Don’t Let Me Be Lonely Tonight,” nominated for a Grammy for “Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance” – James furthers his longstanding reputation as a major force in both the worlds of Contemporary Jazz and R&B. The East Coast-raised, and Los Angeles-based artist, has not only sold over three million albums – he’s earned a string of 12 hit records (including eight Billboard Contemporary Jazz No. 1s) and garnered an array of honors: a Soul Train Award for Best Jazz Album, three Grammy nominations–two for Best Pop Instrumental Album and one for Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance–and an NAACP Image Award nomination.

The year 2009 was truly a watermark year for James. Billboard ranked him the No. 1 “Hot Smooth Jazz Artist” as well as the No. 2 “Top Contemporary Jazz Artist.” Send One Your Love was on the “Top Contemporary Jazz Album” chart for 44 weeks since its February 3, 2009, release and was ranked No. 2 for that chart overall for 2009. He was also the No. 3 “Contemporary Jazz Artist of the Decade” (behind Norah Jones and Kenny G) and the No. 8 “Best-Selling Jazz Artist of the Decade.”

Boney James was born in Lowell, Massachusetts and grew up in New Rochelle, New York, where he was influenced by Motown music, as well as the work of contemporary jazz saxophonist, Grover Washington Jr. Later James honed his R&B chops while touring and doing session work with such stars as Morris Day, the Isley Brothers, Randy Crawford, Ray Parker, Jr. and Bobby Caldwell. James made his debut as a solo artist with Trust in 1992, virtually creating the genre of “urban jazz.” He now lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Actress/Director Lily Mariye (ER’s Nurse Jarvik for 15 Seasons).

For his new CD, Send One Your Love, Boney says that his concept was “to take the sexy quality of the sax and combine it with classic soul love songs plus some of my new compositions to make the ultimate make-out CD.

“I wanted this to be an album, not just a collection of songs, to tell a romantic story from the beginning to the end,” he added.

No doubt his legions of fans will agree he’s succeeded.

According to James, “The communal experience of playing live – that’s why I became a musician in the first place. It’s exciting and liberating. It never gets old for me.” Of his live show, The Philadelphia Tribune said, “To put it mildly, Boney James … was THE BOMB, an unbelievable technician who knows how to work a crowd … a tough act to follow.”

Sponsored in part by WANE-TV, Koch Law Office and the Jim Robideau family, tickets for the April 30 concert are $20-$40. Tickets are available online at www.npacvw.org and at the NPAC box office at 10700 State Route 118-South in Van Wert or by phone at 419.238.NPAC (6722) Monday through Friday from noon to 4 p.m. For more information about tickets and additional shows at the NPAC, visit the website or find the PAC on Facebook.