Bob James
Keyboardist behind the Taxi theme and a catalogue of fusion records that hip-hop producers have been cutting up since the 1980s.
About Bob James
Bob James grew up in Marshall, Missouri, and started out in acoustic jazz, accompanying Sarah Vaughan before moving into arranging and production. In the 1970s he worked as an arranger for Creed Taylor's CTI label, where his own numbered albums, starting with One, set his mix of electric keyboards, orchestral horns and strings over funk-leaning grooves. He later ran his own label, Tappan Zee.
His tune 'Angela' became the theme to Taxi, and tracks such as 'Nautilus' and 'Take Me to the Mardi Gras' have turned up in countless hip-hop productions, the latter as the bed for Run-DMC's 'Peter Piper'. In 1991 he formed Fourplay with Lee Ritenour, Nathan East and Harvey Mason, and he made the duo album Double Vision with saxophonist David Sanborn.
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Questions about Bob James
What festivals is Bob James playing in 2027?
Bob James is booked at 1 festival we cover: Big Ears 2027.
Is Bob James on tour?
Yes. Bob James has one show listed: Boston, MA on Sep 10, 2027, plus 1 festival on the page above.
Is Bob James playing Big Ears 2027?
Yes, Bob James is on the Big Ears 2027 lineup, April 1–4, 2027 at Downtown Knoxville, TN.
What kind of music does Bob James play?
Bob James plays jazz.



