Bob James (musician)
Robert McElhiney James (born December 25, 1939)[1] is an American jazz keyboardist, arranger, and record producer. He founded the band Fourplay and wrote "Angela", the theme song for the TV show Taxi.[2] According to VICE, music from his first seven albums has often been sampled and believed to have contributed to the formation of hip hop.[3][4] Among his most well known recordings are "Nautilus", "Westchester Lady", "Tappan Zee", and his version of "Take Me to the Mardi Gras".
For other people named Bob James, see Bob James (disambiguation).
Bob James
Robert McElhiney James
December 25, 1939
Marshall, Missouri, U.S.
- Musician
- composer
- arranger
- record producer
- Keyboards
1962–present
- CTI
- Tappan Zee
- Koch
- Columbia
- Warner Bros.
Early life and family[edit]
James was born on Christmas Day of 1939 in Marshall, Missouri, United States.[1] He started playing the piano at age four.[1] His first piano teacher, Sister Mary Elizabeth, who taught at Mercy Academy, discovered that he had perfect pitch. At age seven, James began to study with R. T. Dufford, a teacher at Missouri Valley College. At age 15, James continued his studies with Franklin Launer, a teacher at Christian College in Columbia, Missouri, with more music instruction during high school from Harold Lickey, conductor of the Marshall High School Band and Orchestra. Apart from the piano, James learned to play trumpet, timpani, and percussion. From 1950 to 1956, he competed in the Missouri State Fair piano competitions and received several blue ribbons.
James attended the University of Michigan,[1] but during his second year transferred to Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. At Berklee his roommate was saxophonist Nick Brignola.