SHOWTIMES: 7:30 AND 9:30. James Staton, popularly known as J is a National Recording Artist, Saxophonist, Writer, and Producer from Chesapeake, Virginia who has managed to create a sound that strikes a tasteful balance between polishedness and honest rawness.
While there’s an undeniable smoothness to his rhythmic flow, his delivery is hard-hitting with a powerful sound, creating a certain level of intensity and poise in his overall compositions. When he dabbles in the realm of Jazz, the satisfying grace of his smooth style and delivery is even more pronounced.
J Staton has been in the music game for several years now and has steadily grown his own fan base in the Hampton Roads, VA area and Statewide. J is a natural. He draws immense satisfaction in encapsulating his thoughts and ideas into this creative medium. J is buoyed by a desire to stand out from the rest and music has helped him enhance his own being with works that are honest to him and entertaining to listeners.
His debut album, THIS MIND OF MINE (2013) and his single project “IT’S ALL GOOD”, released in 2019 is a mixture of smooth melodic jazz grooves with a taste of funk. “IT’S ALL GOOD” made Billboard and The Smooth Jazz National Charts; it remained on there for 17 weeks. J has appeared at The Apollo Theater. He has performed with Gerald Albright, Norman Connors, Jennette Harris, and Peter White. Staton has opened for Jeff Lorber, Eric Darius, and Ben Tankard to mention a few. J has also shared the stage with Avery Sunshine. He was nominated twice by Veer Magazine Music Awards for 2013 & 2019 Best in Jazz. His latest single, “KICKIN IT” produced by Grammy Award-winning Jeff Lorber and Featuring Jeff Lorber and bassist Jimmy Haslip from the Yellowjackets, was released on May 31, 2022.
Entirely devoted to his craft, J has been focusing his time on his songwriting and unique sound, whilst developing relationships to network effectively. He remains humble always as he continues to create grounded and honest works of art in a bid to share his gift with the world.