I was driving home after a very long day. The remnants of work still lingered in my already preoccupied mind, and I desperately needed relaxation. It was one of those moments where I wanted to hear music, but words would just be too much. So, I turned to the radio hoping to find some harmonious chord that would whisk me away from the traffic I’d suddenly found myself in, but after finding commercials on every station, I could only release a frustrated sigh. Would nothing accommodate my desperation?

Just then, I remembered a CD I’d recently received for a review. So, I popped it in and almost instantly, catchy melodies, smooth grooves and masterful musical arrangements filled my ears and literally spoke to my need for escape. What did it all say? “I Feel Ya!”

Interlude: The Beginning

Soul… The dictionary describes it as the principle of life, feeling, thought and action in humans. Others define it as a spiritual disembodiment or a deeply felt emotion, as conveyed or expressed by someone. But to Ron James, the word soul means only one thing—music.

It was the sound, the scent and the scenario of a crowded Brooklyn street that started it all. “My parents knew I was in love with music before I did,” admits James. As he was told by his mother, he, then age 1 ½, was walking with her through a sea of street vendors who played music to sell CDs. Instinctively, Ron snatched his hand away from his mother’s grasp and began to dance about freely and joyfully. In that moment it became clear that music was in his soul. But in growing up, Ron’s melody of life began to play without musical accompaniment.

A Capella

As a child, Ron did very little to pursue music.  Though his mother was a singer and his family had somewhat of a musical foundation, he didn’t begin formal training until he went to college. There, he found that the alto saxophone was his muse; his true love, and for only one semester of tutelage, he developed his natural gifting and the idea of music quickly became a serious passion. Amazingly, it only took 3-months to make up for years of stagnation, but even still, the journey wasn’t over.

As we all experience, we sometimes find ourselves caught up in the course of life, pursuing everything but our dreams and passions. The same was true for Ron James. Upon graduating, he sought to establish himself as a business professional; however, his instinct to be more artistic led him to culinary arts. “I was already in a good job, I was making money, but I needed to be more creative,” he retorts - and creative he became.
Culinary arts, though it seemed very distant from the idea of music, served a different purpose in Ron’s life… it was literally “food for the soul.” Recipes, tastes and unique flavors developed an unexpected foundation for his passion of music. It surprisingly became the perfect segue that fine tuned his chord of destiny and kept it from becoming a fading lullaby.

Over time, Ron began playing music on the side, but eventually the need for greater expression took over, and in 2003, he quit his day job and stepped out on faith. With naysayers breathing down his back and the uncertainty of funny money, Ron had to rely on God to see him through. “Faith became a part of my life,” he confesses, and it was then that he allowed God to be the conductor of his symphony.

A Tempo: In Time, All Things Work Together

There is an old adage that proclaims, “Everything happens for a reason.” It suggests that whatever we did in the past, wherever we have worked, whatever or whoever we’ve involved ourselves with– it all ties into our individual destinies. As for Ron, his gift of culinary arts became the backdrop of “cooking” music.
“Cooking is not just recipes; it is technique,” he professes, “Once you have the techniques, you’ll know what flavors to put together,” and that’s exactly how he makes his music. “I always tell people that there is no distinctive difference between making music and making food. As it is with cooking, I’ll know what I want it to ‘taste’ like. So, I get all the ingredients together—those ingredients being my drummer, my bass and my keyboard player—and have them to ‘season’ the melody.” He continues, “Those seasonings that you put here and there bring together a finished product,” and that finished product is serving up quite a dish!

I Feel Ya 

The journey to now for Ron James has finally paid off. In 2007, he released his first project, I Feel Ya, an establishing debut that has already been deemed a noteworthy collection of musical genius. There are a few traceable influences in his technique, like David Sanborn, Bob James and Joe Sample, but every note, every chord, every melody and every track title has been spiritually inspired. “My music is who I am. It’s not just something I do. It is something that engulfs my whole spirit,” states James, “I play what feels good to me.”
I Feel Ya is an assortment of fine, instrumental jazz. Though it is Christian-based, the soul of the music accommodates all and literally speaks to people of different backgrounds and walks of life. When listening to his project, one would find that Ron James has a definable style that masterfully creates the perfect lyric—minus the words. It’s fresh, it’s conversational… it’s an inspiring work of art.

There are many tracked flavors on this album: the zest of the title track “I Feel Ya”, the gusto of “Time”, the sweetness of “Lullaby”, and the aroma of “Morning Sunset” all make up a savory musical experience. Ron’s favorite is “One of Those Days” because it was the song that delivered him from his lowest point.

The Soundtrack of a Legacy

Today, the music soul of Ron James has emerged as a burgeoning success and has allowed him to live out his destiny. Now an active, purposed musician, with his hand in a variety of involvements, he can be seen regularly at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church (Bishop Eddie L. Long), where he serves as a lead musician, and as a part of Solid State, a conglomeration of professional musicians who have played for and recorded with the likes of Donnie McClurkin and The Anointed Pace Sisters. In addition to that, James is a part of F.L.O.W, which stands for Following the Leading of the Wind. It is a partnership and band of instrumentalists who play at various conferences and is under the direction of Kevin Bond, celebrated producer and musician.

These days, Ron’s success has turned his biggest naysayers into his greatest cheerleaders! In keeping with the momentum, this year, Ron will release two more projects – one of familiar Christian/Gospel songs and a Christmas album. In years to come, his desire is to work with people who he holds in high esteem. His wish list includes George Duke, Bob James, Joe Sample, Take 6, Yolanda Adams and Barbara Streisand, just to name a few. Also, Ron endeavors to start a music mentorship program for kids.

Ron James does not consider himself a pioneer, “I haven’t been in this business as long as other people have,” he states, “I’m still trying to find my way.” With that said, Ron’s only option is the best option, and that is to deliver his music the way God gives it to him. Humbly he states, “I just have something to bring to the table… I’m just a servant of the music.”

Story by Candace Ledbetter for Vertical Fix^TM

Story by Vertical Fix^TM is an online magazine and internet radio experience created to empower readers while giving listeners a 24/7, constantly evolving stream of soulful grooves anchored by lyrical content that is honest and inspiring. www.verticalfix.com.

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