James Hurt Explained

James Maurice Hurt Jr is an American jazz pianist.

Early life

Hurt had early training as a drummer.^[1]

Career

Hurt was a member of Sherman Irby's quartet that played regularly at Smalls Jazz Club in New York City in the late 1990s.^[2] Gregory Tardy wrote a song after him, entitled "Mr. Hurt";^[3] the pair played with Rashied Ali in 1999.^[4]

In the 1990s, Hurt played on albums with Antonio Hart (Here I Stand),^[5] Abbey Lincoln (Wholly Earth), and Russell Gunn.^[6]

His own first album was Dark Grooves – Mystical Rhythms on Blue Note Records in 1999.^{[7] [8]} In a review of the album, James Lien of CMJ New Music Report called Hurt "one of the more adventurous young pianists to recently emerge on the New York scene."^[9] Calvin Wilson of The Kansas City Star described the album as "at once boldly experimental and totally accessible."^[10]

James has played with Elizabeth Kontomanou,^[11] Graham Haynes,^[12] DJ Logic,^[13] and composer, percussionist, and conductor Adam Rudolph (as a percussionist),^[14]

Hurt has made guest appearances with Donald Edwards, Stacy Dillard,^[15] and Rudresh Mahanthappa.^[16]

Hurt has been a piano tutor at the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music.^[17]

Discography

As leader

• Dark Grooves, Mystical Rhythms (Blue Note, 1999)

As sideman

• Russell Gunn, Gunn Fu (HighNote, 1997)
• Antonio Hart, Here I Stand (Impulse!/GRP, 1997)
• Sherman Irby, Full Circle (Blue Note, 1997)
• Sherman Irby, Big Mama's Biscuits (Blue Note, 1998)
• Abbey Lincoln, Wholly Earth (Verve/Gitanes Jazz, 1998 [1999])
• Russell Gunn, Love Requiem (HighNote, 1999)
• Jeffery Smith, Down Here Below (Verve, 1999)
• DJ Spinna, Here to There (Rapster, 2002)
• DJ Spinna, Outta Time featuring the Free Radikalz (Papa, 2004)
• DJ Spinna, Intergalactic Soul (Wonderwax, 2006)

External links

• James at the Royal Family Ball @ Terminal 5, Jambands, October 18, 2010
• Web site: James Hurt and Marc Cary at The Jazz Gallery, 3/14/02. Cox. Gerard. March 8, 2004. All About Jazz. March 24, 2012.

Notes and References

1. News: Individuality in a Pianist Trained as a Drummer. Watrous. Peter. September 26, 1996. New York Times. March 25, 2012.
2. Web site: Artists-Sherman Irby.
3. Web site: Gregory Tardy:The Hidden Light.
4. Web site: At The Vision Vision.
5. Web site: [{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=james-hurt-p339154|pure_url=yes}} James Hurt: Biography ]. Jason. Ankeny . Allmusic. March 24, 2012.
6. Anne Legrand, James Hurt, le vampire de New York, Citizen Jazz, March 19, 2011
7. Web site: James Hurt: Dark Grooves – Mystical Rhythms. Santella. Jim. September 1, 1999. All About Jazz. March 24, 2012.
8. Web site: [{{AllMusic|class=album|id=dark-grooves-mystical-rhythms-r425981|pure_url=yes}} Dark Grooves – Mystical Rhythms: Review ]. Steve . Loewy . Allmusic. March 25, 2012.
9. Lien. James. September 6, 1999. Jazz Reviews. CMJ New Music Report. CMJ Network, Inc.. 59. 634. 33. 0890-0795.
10. News: Experiments gone aright: Imagination and daring are highlighted on three new CDs . Wilson. Calvin. The Kansas City Star. September 8, 1999. F6.
11. Web site: Elizabeth Kontomanou.
12. Web site: Bitches Brew Revisited.
13. Web site: Project Logic, The Blue Note.
14. Web site: Adam Rudolph:Seeking The Creative Soul.
15. Web site: Stacy Dillard:One & Tarbaby.
16. Web site: Rudresh Mahanthappa.
17. Web site: Private Instrumental Instruction Faculty | the New School Jazz and Contemporary Music . 2013-10-25 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131029220316/http://www.newschool.edu/jazz/private-faculty/ . October 29, 2013 . mdy-all .