The UB Interview: Legendary Boney James Talks ‘Slow Burn’

slow burn: noun, informal: A feeling that grows with a slow but deliberate intensity.

For saxophonist and composer Boney James, these words perfectly describe the music he has crafted for his new Concord Records release, “Slow Burn,” available this Friday October 18th.

“Slow Burn” is a new high point in a remarkable career that now spans more than three decades and includes a long list of accolades; four Grammy nominations, three NAACP Image Award nominations, a Soul Train Award for Best Jazz Album and four RIAA Gold Record certifications.

In 2009, Billboard named Boney one of the Top 3 Contemporary Jazz Artists of the decade. In 2024, Boney became the first ever artist to score 20 #1 singles on the Billboard Smooth Jazz chart.

The title track, “Slow Burn,” is one of four tunes on the album that James co-wrote and co produced with multi-instrumentalist Jairus Mozee, known for his work with Anderson Paak, Anthony Hamilton and Nikki Minaj.

Another prominent guest artist, rising-star R&B vocalist October London, best known for his 2023 hit “The Rebirth Of Marvin” is featured on the first single from the album, “All I Want Is You.”

One of UB‘s favorites of course, being based in Minneapolis, is the funky “Slide” which features Boney on tenor saxophone and keyboards, backed by all the member of his crack touring band. “This song has a little Minneapolis feel,” stated Boney James. “I got my start as a professional musician touring with Morris Day, but this is the first time I’ve copped this groove.”

The penultimate track on “Slow Burn” is “Between the Lines,” followed by a grooving take on saxophonist Stanley Turrentine’s “Sugar,” featuring longtime friend and collaborator Rick Braun on trumpet.

UB Hot Tracks: “Arcadia,” Slide,” “A Little Romance,” “The Bounce,” and “All I Want Is You.”

“Slow Burn” follows two of the most successful albums of Boney James career, 2020’s “Solid” and 2022’s “Detour” which debuted in the Top 10 on the Billboard Pop Albums Chart.

Growing up in New Rochelle, New York, Boney James played clarinet in his school band, but two years later, he says, “The teacher needed a sax player. As soon as I switched, playing it became my favorite thing to do.”

By the time he entered his teens, James was already gigging with bands, and he turned pro at 19. After years of paying his dues with artists like The Isley Brothers, Teena Marie and many more, Boney cut his first album on an independent label, which led immediately to a major label deal and a string of increasingly successful recordings and nonstop touring.

Now residing in Los Angeles with wife, director Lily Mariye

Aries from UB spoke to one of our favorites Boney James, about the release of his highly anticipated new album “Slow Burn.”

Boney shares the process of starting on a new album and what the songs on “Slow Burn” mean to him.

He also tells UB how the collaborations with Marcus Miller and October London came about.

Plus Boney dishes on his upcoming tour and tells us who’s left on his wish-list to work with and more!

UrbanBridgez.com: Excited to talk to you as always because as you know, I’m a huge fan since “Sweet Thing.”
Boney James: I appreciate it. That’s all the way back. It’s going back a long way.

UrbanBridgez.com: Oh yeah, it was that good. I use to sell it at Sam Goody having it playing in-store back then. I have to ask, what goes into a new Boney James album? What’s your process when you begin to put it together?
Boney James: Oh, man, it’s a lot of sweat. But really, whenever I turn in the record, the last record, “Detour,” came out in September of ’22, I believe. Then there’s a long-period where I’m just out there playing shows and promoting the current record, and I don’t feel creative at all. But like clockwork over the course of my life, every couple of years. I start to get the urge to make something new and just start collecting ideas a little bit at a time. And the next thing you know, you’re deep into it and you look up and you got a whole new record, and that’s how it goes.

UrbanBridgez.com: Yeah, it shows. I love it. And this album, I’ve listened to it. So again, a huge fan of all your previous work, but this one is also a great piece of work as well.
Boney James: Thank you. Thank you so much. I’m really proud of this one.

UrbanBridgez.com: I love how the album leads off with “Arcadia” with Marcus Miller. It’s so smooth. How did you two come together for that as well as “Butterfly?”
Boney James: Well, Marcus and I have known each other for quite some time. He played on my “Ride” CD on one song. That was the first time I met him. But of course, Marcus is a legend, and one of the great parts of my life is I co-host these cruises with him. It’s called the Smooth Jazz Cruise, and we do it twice a year, and it’s been about 15 some odd years now. Every year, we’re out at sea hosting another 20 artists and 2,500 fans and playing music together. And that’s been an amazing part of my life. So we were actually on the ship last, whatever it was, January, and hanging out in the dressing room, and he was playing an acoustic bass, which was just sitting there. And I’m like, I didn’t even know you played Acoustic Bass. He’s like, oh, I call it play at home. I said, well, Maybe I got to get you on my record doing that. That’s how this particular song started out.

UrbanBridgez.com: Okay, I love that story. The fact that you didn’t know is surprising.
Boney James: Yeah. So Marcus is playing Acoustic Bass solo. I don’t know that anyone else has ever released something like that before. I think this might be the first Marcus Miller acoustic bass solo out in the world. So I’m excited about that.

UrbanBridgez.com: Oh, yes, definitely. Then October London, he’s one of our emerging favorites. “All I Want Is You, it’s perfection. So talk to us a bit about what it is about October that made you want to work with him and make him a part of this project.
Boney James: I was just driving in my car listening to the radio, and “Back to Your Place” was a song that he had that was #1, I think, for a long time last year. And I thought, Man, who is this cat? Because I had not been familiar with him. I just filed him away. Then I was working on this song with Jairus Mozee. We were co-writing this track, and I thought it would be an instrumental at first, but I came to realize it needed to be a vocal song. October popped back into my head and I thought, Well, I wonder if he’d be interested in working together? That started this whole process of tracking him down and finding out if he’d be into it. Apparently, he and his dad listened to me all the time, which was good luck! He went in the studio and wrote this the lyrics and sent me back his vocal, and now we’ve got a pretty solid hit.

UrbanBridgez.com: Definitely. Perfect combination. Yeah, I knew he had to be a fan because you all just flow so effortlessly together.
Boney James: Man, I’m so proud of this song. I think this might be the best vocal I mean, I’ve had some very, very blessed to have some great collaborations, but this one really jumps out at me as a solid, as a good one.

UrbanBridgez.com: Then on this album, I have to “Slide,” “Arcadia,” and I already mentioned, “The Bounce,” are my top favorites at the moment.
Boney James: Cool. Thank you, man. I’m trying to figure out which songs to learn for the live show.

UrbanBridgez.com: For this album, those songs or any songs on the album, do any of them have a deep connection to you? Just recording it and you play it back now like wow.
Boney James: Oh man, the whole record really does. I mean, and that’s the thing about songs. I can’t pick favorites. They’re really like my children. I spend so much time with them and birth them, and they’re just part of me. But every song on the record, I think, has got something special about it. There’s two songs on the record I didn’t write. “Butterfly” which is a Herbie Hancock song, and “Sugar,” which is the last song on the record, a Stanley Turrentine song. That was my homage to some of the greats that came before.

UrbanBridgez.com: If you had to break this album down, as far as difference from previous Bony James albums, how would you say it is?
Boney James: Oh wow that’s a tough one. I mean, some of it, I think it’s a little bit jazzier. I don’t think I’ve ever recorded an acoustic bass before. That’s a sound that’s new. Working with someone like Cory Henry, who’s an amazing keyboardist on the song “Butterfly,” he just took it to places that I thought that’s the new, fresh this sound for one of my records to hear that, all that complex harmony, but still so beautiful. I know, but yeah, to me, it just all flows really, really well. I just think that some of my sax playing is hopefully attaining some new heights in terms of sound and creativity. And that’s just what I’m always looking for, it’s just some growth.

UrbanBridgez.com: Yeah, exactly. I definitely agree with that. And then you got to tell everybody in your own words why they need to stream and download “Slow Burn” starting October 18th.
Boney James: Oh, man. If you like music, you need to check this one out.

UrbanBridgez.com: That’s it and you’re going to love it one you press play! Then switching gears, but staying on subject. 19 albums in, three decades later. What would you say is your biggest lesson that you’ve learned in this industry.
Boney James: Oh, my gosh. Just keep at it. Keep at it. Don’t give up. You never know what’s going to happen.

UrbanBridgez.com: You’ve worked with a very impressive list of talent over the years. Is there anyone else that you would like to collaborate with or given the opportunity?
Boney James: I’m a big Maxwell fan. I’d love to work with him someday. Stevie Wonder is still on top of my list.

UrbanBridgez.com: Man, you’re talking about a collaboration for the ears. Then you got to tell everybody what they can expect in our upcoming tour that you’re getting ready to start for the new album?
Boney James: Well, I don’t even know yet. I’m still thinking that through. But I mean, it’s always very difficult when you have a new record and you’re in with the new songs, and then you’ve been also doing this show with it, and with someone like me, with all these albums that I’ve made, to let some songs go and find where you’re going to put the new songs. It’s a challenge.

UrbanBridgez.com: I know it’s going to be a great show. And then before we wrap, I have to ask you, pretty much, is there anything else that you want to mention to the fans before we actually get out of here today?
Boney James: My message for the fans is always, thank you so much for listening. I couldn’t do it without you.

UrbanBridgez.com: Real good. Well, again, I want to thank you for taking time out, Boney, speaking with me. It’s always a pleasure. Always excited for a new Boney James album, and hopefully, I get a chance to see you in concert, even if it’s the cruise you guys do.
Boney James: Oh, man. Thank you very much. Glad to be here. Thanks for including me.

UrbanBridgez.com: No problem. You take care and continue success and blessing. You have a good one.
Boney James: Appreciate it.