Sep 3, 2026 10:44 AM
In Memoriam: Cassandra Wilson, 1955–2026
Cassandra Wilson, a singer, songwriter and producer who was one of the most acclaimed and successful jazz vocalists of…
Singer José James is releasing No Beginning No End 2 on Rainbow Blonde Records, which he co-founded with singer-songwriter Talia Billig and sound engineer Brian Bender.
(Photo: Janette Beckman)“Turn Me Up,” a single off José James’ upcoming No Beginning No End 2, radiates like an anthem. Inside an enticing groove, he sings, “I’m feeling good, baby, and I’m feeling free/ And yes, I’m young, gifted and black, so just let me be.”
Celebrations are in order not just because James has an album that showcases some of his best songwriting to date, but it’s being released on Rainbow Blonde, a new label the vocalist co-founded with singer-songwriter Talia Billig and sound engineer Brian Bender.
“It’s such a blessing to have founded a label. I honestly couldn’t have asked for a better team,” James said. “Talia brings all her experience from working with Blue Note Records, and Brian brings so much audio-engineering experience as a producer; he’s a musician as well. They’re also friends of mine, and we’ve been working together for years.
James offers the new album, which is due out March 6, as a sequel to his 2012 Blue Note debut, No Beginning No End. Both recordings boast a vibe that fuses the warm analog sounds of the 1970s with contemporary hip-hop-centric pulses.
“The late ’70s is a beautiful, overlooked point of reference,” James said, noting the emergence of Elton John, Roberta Flack, James Taylor and Carole King, as well as the popularity of funk, disco and reggae during the decade. “There was a moment in American music where you had all of these seemingly disparate styles coming into power at the same time. And they were all hiring jazz musicians in the studios to help create this new tapestry. That ’70s sound—that warmth—still reverberates within me.”
When James made No Beginning No End, he and Bender worked closely with performers like bassist Pino Palladino and keyboardist Robert Glasper. The sequel features bassist Ben Williams, drummer Jamire Williams and a raft of vocalists like Lizz Wright, Ledisi, Aloe Blacc and Laura Mvula. And in keeping with its predecessor, No Beginning No End 2 places an emphasis on songwriting and production, rather than centering on a specific genre.
The new album also features radio-friendly bangers like “I Need Your Love,” a sensual medium-tempo duet with Ledisi, the shuffling two-stepper “Baby Don’t Cry” and the glimmering “Feels So Good.” Other highlights include “Saint James,” an introspective ballad about James’ experiences as a martyr in toxic romances, and “Oracle,” a gorgeous soul-searching lament, co-written by Billig.
“I wanted to end the album with ‘Oracle,’ because it’s like a moment of ascension and peace,” he explained. “There’s always some spirituality involved with my music.”
No Beginning No End 2 comes on the heels of James’ 2018 exploration of Bill Withers repertoire, Lean On Me (Blue Note). The three years the singer spent performing, touring, recording and interacting with Withers had a profound effect on his songwriting: James learned how to be more direct in his lyrics.
“There’s an obtuseness within contemporary jazz, which I love. But there is something so direct about ‘Lean On Me’ or ‘Lovely Day,’” James said. “To see people in places like Japan and throughout Europe sing and know all the words to those songs, and to see the joy those songs evoked, really made me feel good.”
“In the era where Death Row Records is now owned by Hasbro, once you sign on the dotted line with a major record label, you just don’t know where your creative capital is going to land,” James said. “For Talia, Brian and me, it’s really important to know that our music has a safe home and a destiny.”
The label aims to capture a diversity of music while also serving as a platform for a diverse roster in terms of race, gender, ethnicity and sexual orientation. “A record label should reflect the times that it exists in as a societal function,” James said. “Jazz plays a huge piece in our vision. But it’s important for us to see Rainbow Blonde being perceived as something broader than jazz. We’re a label for creative voices who have a vision of how they want to be presented to the world.” DB
Wilson’s ability to connect to audiences helped her to win two Grammy awards and multiple other accolades. She was named an NEA Jazz Master in 2022.
Sep 3, 2026 10:44 AM
Cassandra Wilson, a singer, songwriter and producer who was one of the most acclaimed and successful jazz vocalists of…
“The love from the jazz and music community restored my faith in humanity,” Walia wrote in an online post upon his release from detention at an ICE facility.
Aug 18, 2026 2:15 PM
Indian jazz guitarist and composer Pritesh Walia has been released after being unexpectedly detained by ICE and taken…
Percussionist Poncho Sanchez was among the artists scheduled to perform at the now-canceled inaugural LA Jazz Festival.
Aug 11, 2026 12:53 PM
The inaugural LA Jazz Festival, originally scheduled to run Aug. 7–23 with dozens of events across Los Angeles’…
Bertoncini was a specialist and advocate for the nylon-string acoustic guitar, turning down high-profile opportunities that were unsuited to the sound and techniques that he used with that instrument.
Sep 1, 2026 11:06 AM
Gene Bertoncini, an esteemed jazz guitarist, composer, arranger and educator, died Aug. 29 at the Lillian Booth Actors…
Jessica Molaskey and John Pizzarelli with Tony Bennett at their wedding reception in 1998.
Aug 4, 2026 12:32 PM
Well, what can be said about Tony Bennett that you don’t already know? As I type this, I’m listening to Tony…
