Jazz, Soul, Blues, and Funk

Jim Stephen’s Yellow River album release is his 4th in 36 months on Ropeadope Records. It’s a 10 song “tour-de-force” featuring music rooted deep in Jazz, Soul, Blues, and Funk. It was recorded mostly in two days at the legendary Esplanade Studios in New Orleans where Jim calls home.

Jim got a late start in music, not really playing or performing until after his high school years, probably closer to 20 years old. “A lot of my music friends in life have forever on me when it comes to playing music; some of these cats were playing when they were like four years old,” he said.

Though born in Philadelphia, he prefers his home in New Orleans. He still makes the trip back up north occasionally for some “steady work” as he calls it, as a investigative consultant. But he stressed it was only temporary, and getting back to New Orleans to his main passion of writing, recording and performing music is top on his list.

“Music is just all about expression,” Jim said, “It’s about the art of expressing yourself. It could be sad, or anger, or frustration, or even happy; the audience doesn’t know what emotion you’re feeling, but they feel something. So it’s all feeling and expression for me.”

Jim said he actually has five more albums in the planning stages for the near future. “I’m going to do another acoustic/delta album before heading home in August, and back to Esplanade in January for the next album. I have a lot I need to get out,” he exclaimed.

Some of the songs are newer, but some he’s been holding onto for a while. “I’m just now finally able to get them done, and done properly. A lot of this stuff I’ve played forever, but I didn’t have the opportunity financially and otherwise to get them recorded,” he said. “And then I play whenever I can. We’re booking what we can, and playing either acoustically, or with the band.”
To find out more, visit
https://ropeadope.com/jim-stephens/