Desire

Here's the setting.

You step into a small hole in the wall jazz club somewhere in the city. Smoke filled and no cover charge for the amazing drinks. You look around and you see the place is packed. Players standing against the walls who nod and toast you when you look their way. You find a small unoccupied table that wobbles near the back but you're happy to have a seat. The house lights dim and eventually go off and a spotlight hits a spot on the stage.

Suddenly you hear the bass lick, the piano tickle, and the snare brush come to life. Then the voice you've heard so much about hits your ears and it is worth all the hype. That's the image I was hit with when I first heard this song by the silky smooth crooner Jose James. The Minneapolis born, Brooklyn based singer has a voice that seems to be from a different era and distinctly reminds me of a young Joe Williams. Jose uses that voice to perfection on "Desire".

It's a beautiful song, gentle and melodic lamenting a love that got away. Lines like "she entered my heart/stayed awhile/made me to smile/then gone" and "her love was like a burning flame/of desire" makes this song relatable to everyone who has ever loved and lost regardless of their gender. Jose's voice hovers over the instrumentation like smoke, never touching the floor. It is his instrument and he deftly uses it going from soft to hard to soft again making this song seem almost....flawless.

I suggest you look into Jose James as soon as you can and enjoy his music with that someone special as soon as you can. It may be just what the doctor ordered.