Not so new kid James Suggs debuts his jazz CD in Side Door Saturday

I’m not sure if James Suggs qualifies any longer as the new kid in town. Since arriving from Argentina four years ago, James has become a favorite on the local jazz scene, he’s gotten his masters in music from USF and he married Carolina Ticeira, his sweetheart from Argentina.
 
And now, he’s released a new album on Arbors Records – “You’re Gonna Hear From Me” – that’s moving up the jazz charts. This Saturday, March 16 at 8 p.m., James celebrates the release of the CD with a show in the Palladium Side Door.
 
The album was produced by jazz legend, Houston Person, who also plays sax on the album. It was recorded at Van Gelder Studios in New Jersey, an almost hallowed place in jazz history. Classic albums by artists of jazz like Coltrane and Ellington were recorded there and released on Blue Note, Verve, Impulse and Prestige.
 
Thanks to Rachel Domber and Arbors Records, Houston will be on the bandstand with James this Saturday. They’ll be joined by another trio of Palladium favorites, La Lucha (that’s John O’Leary on piano, Alejandro Arenas, bass, and Mark Feinman, drums.)
 
Last week I chatted with the not-so-new kid in town about the new album and about playing with someone he idolized as a young musician.
 
PalladiumPaul: Did you know Houston’s playing before this project?
 
James: I used to listen to (Houston Person) when I was a kid. I first heard him when I was 13. It was on a compilation CD called something cheesy like “Jazz For a Rainy Day.” I remember his sound being so distinct.
 
PalladiumPaul: Did you ever think you’d work with him?
 
James: Of course, a boy can dream. I always thought I’d love to record and meet and play with my heroes. When I saw it was going to happen I couldn’t believe it.
 
PalladiumPaul: How did it happen?
 
James: Rachel (Domber from Arbors Records) contacted me at the Palladium after a concert and said she wants to record me. She said I was in charge and could pick my musicians.
 
I called Nate Najar, who gave me some advice. He told me I should work with a veteran jazz musician who has done this many times before. And pairing that veteran with younger guys as well.
 
Houston was one of the guys I thought of. And it turns out that he was already a good friend of Rachel’s and had recorded tons of times under the Arbors label.
 
PalladiumPaul: Where did you record the album?
 
James: We went to Englewood Cliffs, NJ, at the historic Van Gelder Studios. That was a nerve-racking realization. Houston had recorded there. He knows it. Back in the day, Rudy Van Gelder was recording out of his parents’ apartment. From then on since ’59 there’s a list of all the classic jazz recordings and legends that recorded there. John Coltrane and Duke Ellington was recorded there.
 
PalladiumPaul: How did you pick the tunes?
 
James: That was the beginning of correspondence with Houston. We sent each other emails or called each other up with ideas for tunes. I sent some and he’d suggest other ones. We werer both digging deep and trying to find tunes no one does anymore but still loves.
 
PalladiumPaul: And you got some veteran side men: Lafayette Harris, piano, Peter Washington, bass, and Lewis Nash – drums. How’d they come to the project?
 
James: Houston chose those guys. I had known of the drummer and bass player. He wanted to choose people he knew would be fun to work with and play the hell out of it. I took his advice.
 
PalladiumPaul: And I hear the album is doing great.
 
James: It’s been crazy. There are two charts. One is the national community and college radio chart…WUSF is on that one. It includes Canada. The latest chart had me at Number 9 on that one. Jazz Week is a very prestigious chart. Last week I was Number 17 on that one.
 
James Suggs CD Release Party is in the Palladium Side Door at 8 p.m. on Saturday, March 16. For tickets and information, you can follow this link.