Boney James Plays PlayhouseSquare, 3/29

Virtuoso saxman Boney James will celebrate the first anniversary of the release of his #1 charted album, Contact, with a return to PlayhouseSquare’s intimate Ohio Theatre March 29th at 8 pm. Not only is Contact James’ ninth #1 album of Billboard’s Smooth Jazz Chart, it has spawned his current #1 single, "Spin," his 20th single to reach the #1 spot.

The career of this Grammy-nominated super-hyphenate (saxman-keyboardist-producer-songwriter) has been prolific, as testified by 13 albums in 17 years, along with four RIAA certified gold albums and four #1 albums (three resulting in Grammy nominations).

The Lowell, Massachusetts native plays tenor, alto and soprano saxophones on his latest album, explaining that each song is like casting a movie…”that some songs just feel right on a certain sax.” His music chops were originally honed via “sideman” experience for The Isley Brothers, Sheena Easton, Bobby Caldwell, Morris Day, Teena Marie and Ray Parker, Jr.

Although four of his solo CDs have resulted in gold records, for a long time Boney admits that he had preferred working with other record producers, rather than produce himself, because he felt he had just too many ideas—as if he might be undisciplined.

He finally donned the hat of “producer” for his 2004 album, Pure, challenging himself by taking up the reins to not only produce, but co-write every song, play a variety of instruments and choose innovative voices to realize his album goals.

Being in charge on this album empowered Boney to follow his muse, which led to innovative results. But the impetus for Pure was predicated by a painful 2002 event that led the jazz instrumentalist to set higher goals in his personal and professional life.

“I had started writing the material for the album and building a digital studio,” Boney recalls. “I wanted to take control of how I made music, so that whenever the inspiration took me I could just roll out of bed and get to work. Then, on the day I finished putting the studio all together, I got the news that my older brother had died.”

His brother had been, in Boney’s words, a “huge part of my life.” As he worked on Pure, he channeled his emotions into the recording. The creative process was very healing. “One of the positive things I learned through my brother is that you’d better grab for it while you can,” he says. “It made me proactive about everything. I don’t procrastinate anymore. If I get an idea, I go for it.”

Beginning with his early pizza delivery days-- to finance his performing dream, to on-the-road apprenticeships with fellow artists-- to the blossoming of a solo career, Boney’s vision and hard work has paid off with an ever-expanding list of awards and nominations.

Tickets for Boney James’ 8 pm, Thurs., March 29th concert at PlayhouseSquare’s Ohio Theatre are $49.50, $39.50 & $10 Smart Seats, on sale at playhousesquare.org; The PlayhouseSquare Ticket Office; or 216-241-6000.