With maybe the exception of James Brown, smooth jazz torch carrier Bob James has probably been sampled more often than anybody on the planet. And mainly by the hip hop fraternity: it's been said, on more than one occasion, that hip hop owes a massive debt of gratitude to this most unlikely outlier. His numerically sequenced albums One, Two, Three & BJ4 released between 1974 and 1977 have been mined mercilessly.
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But it's this song that he's probably still best known for. Here's a quite beautiful pared back arrangement of the theme from Taxi.
Bob James - Angela
I am beginning to doubt your denials
ReplyDeleteErnie, Ernie, Ernie. What can I say? Wait till I come out with my rebuttals.
DeleteOne of my favourite ever theme tunes. Just makes me nostalgic for decades gone by when I hear it.
ReplyDeleteI know exactly what you mean, Alyson. I never tire of it. I don't tend to use the word wistful but I fear I may have to deploy it when it comes to Taxi.
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