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[0:01] Robert Bannon: This is Robert Bannon, and before I hit the theme song and introduce the show, I want to tell you about some exciting Roundtable news. The Roundtable has a brand new website. You can go to robertbannon.com, find out all about me, find out all about the show. Brand new and now up and running with brand new Roundtable merchandise. Do you know that on Thursday nights, since the show was invented in 2001, we've been having a segment called Shameless Plug? Because I'm shameless. One of the things that people talk about the most. So we have brand new Shameless Plug Roundtable merchandise. Or you can get a special New Jersey Detroit shirt that we made exclusively for this month at robertbannon.com. Plus, if you buy two items, you get a Shameless Plug tote bag. Go to robertbannon.com, follow me on Instagram and make sure you're subscribing to us wherever you listen to podcasts or on YouTube. Now let's do a show.

[0:57] Robert Bannon: Are you ready? It's the Roundtable with me, Robert Bannon. Well everybody, you know, this summer we talked to the incredible Boney James before he came to Detroit and played an incredible show. He opened up the season at the Aretha and he told us that he had a trick up his sleeve. There was something coming out this year with his two billion streams and his Grammy nominations and his millions of records sold. And he was right. A big giant trick was up his sleeve. An incredible new album. October 2nd, the day this is coming out, is the day the album is. Let's go. Is this number 20?

[1:30] Boney James: This is the 20th record that I've released. It's amazing, isn't it? It really is.

[1:35] Robert Bannon: How did you do that? You're only 22 years old, Boney James.

[1:38] Boney James: Yes. Yeah. Well, that's how old I feel, luckily. So hopefully I got another few in me. But yeah, it's a big milestone. I'm really excited about it.

[1:47] Robert Bannon: It's called A Simple Man. So why is that the title? What does that mean to you?

[1:53] Boney James: You know, I was just reflecting, as I sometimes do, and I had a song that I thought was a simple song. And then the phrase A Simple Man popped into my head as maybe more poetic. And I thought, what does that mean to me? And it really did seem to encapsulate how I'm trying to live these days. You know, it's a crazy world. And I find that I'm a lot happier when I just try and focus on the positive things happening in each given day, in each moment. And simplifying in general, you know, I don't really need much except my saxophone and my family. And luckily, I have an audience. But, you know, just to be able to make music and that's all I need to make me happy. And I think that's what I was referring to with this record title. And hopefully that's something that the audience can connect with and maybe take into their lives.

[2:41] Robert Bannon: I love that so much. When I look at your career, and when we talked last time about your journey from playing with incredible bands to stepping forward and being the front man and now being you as the act on the road and going around and touring, it's an incredible story. And I told you, and I believe this when I listened to the record, your saxophone is the voice. It tells a story without any words. Nobody makes music and tells a story like you. How do you, how did this happen? How does a day of recording, writing music look like for you?

[3:15] Boney James: Well, you know, it's so different. Each song is a little different. I mean, sometimes I'm just needling around on the keyboard. I mean, there's a song on the record that came from a little cell phone recording that I had made of the keyboard player and bass player in my band jamming at Soundcheck one day, and I liked what they were playing. So I took it home and wrote a song to that. That one's called The Midnight Sun. And, you know, sometimes guys will send me demos that they're working on and melodies just pop into my head sometimes. I mean, I'll be just be playing and I try and just keep a list of things. I have a little, you know, memo recorder of all these ideas. And then I try and put them together. There's a lot of hard work and discipline, elbow grease involved.

[4:01] Robert Bannon: That's what you do. A lot of hard work, a lot of hard work. So your single came out and your single came out and I put it on immediately. The second it came out, it's called I Belong To You because Boney James and Letta C together is like a match made in music heaven. I mean, how do you know her? What was it like to hear her voice on your record? How did it come to be?

[4:24] Boney James: Well, I know her going back a number of years. I saw her play in Oakland, where she was from before she was famous. And I thought she's really talented. Then I was participating in a Luther Vandross tribute record right after Luther died in the early 2000s and co-producing a couple songs with a guy named Rex Rideout, a wonderful producer, keyboard player, songwriter. And somehow we decided to maybe ask Letta C to collaborate on it before she was big. And then subsequently he went on to manage her and co-write her and produce her records. And then I lost touch with him. I lost touch with her. I ran into her in the airport a couple times over the years, but we weren't close friends or anything.

But I subsequently just a few months ago did a collaboration with another great Detroit singer named Kem. Rex Rideout was producing that and he called me and I did that for him. And then I thought, gee, I wonder if he can hook me up with Letta C because I have this song now that would be great for her. And he said, I'm sending it to her right now. And he did. And just a few days later, I got back her demo of her singing on my song and it's a hit. I said, that's a hit. It's incredible. So it just was kismet.

[5:44] Robert Bannon: Shout out to Kem and shout out to Letta C. Letta C is going to Broadway. She could do anything. She could sing the phone book. She's so talented. But when I heard what she came up with on this song, I was just blown away. The lyrics are so beautiful. The way her voice and my sax marry together, I think is just magical. And it's climbing up the charts. I think we're going top 20 this week, you know, and it's a baby record. So we want to take it all the way to the top.

[6:08] Boney James: So that means you got to stream it. It's called I Belong To You. It's available right now. And there's a music video that's out. You can go to Boney James website. You can go to YouTube. You can watch it. Send it to somebody you love. Send it to them. That's what I think of your music. I know it's not all love songs. There's other stuff, but it is the most romantic, beautiful date night. You have a boyfriend or girlfriend. You're going to order a takeout. You're going to sit down. You're going to light a candle. There's only one person to put on, and it's you.

[6:35] Boney James: Thank you so much. In terms of the romance, too, you know, her husband, Letta C's husband, Ron Young, actually directed this video. And it was a real family affair. But yeah, it is a very romantic song. I think it's going to be a wedding classic, hopefully.

[6:48] Robert Bannon: It is going to be. Look, better get your dance on. And shout out to Ron, too. He's such a good photographer. He has such a good eye. And you know how to write a song, and that's it. That's it. Wrap it up, everybody. He got it. So when you put 20 Babies out, 20 albums have come out, truly. And when you go back to Trust, which was your debut in 1992, what have you learned? What's different about Boney James today than that first album?

[7:18] Boney James: You know, it's interesting, that question, because when I hear some of the playing on that first record, because I'm actually going to add one of those songs to the show in this new tour we're going to do. And I went back, and I'm like trying to relearn what I did. And it still sounds like me, but it's definitely a younger version of me. I think my tone is much more warm and robust and full of nuance now. I can hear the experience in my tone when I'm recording now, as opposed to what I did back then. And I think I have more of an economy of choices when I'm soloing. And I just can tell that I'm a more mature me playing now, and I find that really encouraging. You know, I'm constantly trying to evolve as a songwriter and a sax player. And when I compare that record to the new one, I think the new record is better, even though I'm still in love with the first one.

[8:09] Robert Bannon: Yeah. You know, I told you, I took two years of saxophone, and cats were coming up to my house when me playing. It was not cute. Boney James, it's not cute to be a bad saxophone player. You know, it's like a painter who can create an exquisite piece of art. It is the most beautiful artwork. How much do you play when you're not on the road?

[8:33] Robert Bannon: Welcome to The Roundtable! I am so excited to have the incredible Boney James with us today. Boney, how are you?

[9:03] Boney James: I'm doing great, Robert! Thanks for having me.

[9:18] Robert Bannon: Of course! Let's dive right in. Your new album, "A Simple Man," just dropped. Can you tell us about the inspiration behind this deeply personal project?

[9:33] Boney James: Absolutely! This album is really a reflection of my journey over the years. It's about finding joy in the simple things in life, and I wanted to capture that essence in my music.

[9:48] Robert Bannon: That's beautiful. You’ve been blending jazz and R&B for over three decades now. How do you think your sound has evolved over the years?

[10:03] Boney James: I think my sound has matured as I've grown as an artist. I've always tried to stay true to my roots while also exploring new influences and collaborations. It's all about growth and experimentation for me.

[10:23] Robert Bannon: Speaking of collaborations, you have some amazing features on this album, including Ledisi and Larry Carlton. How did those collaborations come about?

[10:38] Boney James: Well, I've always admired their work, and I reached out to them to see if they would be interested in collaborating. Thankfully, they were on board, and it was a fantastic experience working with such talented artists.

[10:58] Robert Bannon: That's fantastic! I love the track "I Belong To You" featuring Ledisi. What was it like working with her on that song?

[11:18] Boney James: Ledisi is such a powerhouse vocalist. She brought so much emotion to the song, and it was a joy to create together. We really connected on the message of the song, which made it even more special.

[11:38] Robert Bannon: It definitely shows! Your music has such a soulful quality. How do you infuse that soul into your saxophone playing?

[11:58] Boney James: For me, it's all about feeling. I try to play from the heart and let the music guide me. I draw inspiration from my life experiences and the emotions I want to convey through my instrument.

[12:18] Robert Bannon: That's a great approach. You've had a long and successful career. What keeps you motivated to create and explore new sounds?

[12:38] Boney James: I think the love for music and the desire to connect with people keeps me going. There's always something new to discover, and I want to keep pushing myself as an artist.

[12:58] Robert Bannon: That's inspiring! As you look back on your journey, what are some of the highlights that stand out to you?

[13:18] Boney James: There have been so many memorable moments, from performing at iconic venues to receiving Grammy nominations. But honestly, the best moments are the ones where I get to share my music with fans and see their reactions.

[13:38] Robert Bannon: I can imagine! Your connection with your audience is so important. What do you hope listeners take away from "A Simple Man"?

[13:58] Boney James: I hope they find joy and comfort in the music. It's a reminder to appreciate the simple things in life and to find happiness in the everyday moments.

[14:18] Robert Bannon: That's a wonderful message. Thank you for sharing that with us, Boney.

[14:38] Boney James: Thank you for having me, Robert! It's been a pleasure.

[14:58] Robert Bannon: The pleasure is all mine! Let's keep the conversation going about your music and what’s next for you.

[15:18] Boney James: Absolutely! I'm excited to share more and continue this journey.

[15:38] Robert Bannon: Great! We'll be right back after this break.

[15:58] Boney James: Looking forward to it!

[16:18] Robert Bannon: Stay tuned, everyone!

[16:38] Boney James: Yes, stay tuned!

[16:58]