About

I thank you for visiting j-notes.com.

I cannot remember a time when music has not been a part of my life. I grew up in Chicago listening to my father play jazz and other good music at home. He loved Basie, Ellington, and other greats but he also loved Cat Stevens, Aretha Franklin, Roberta Flack, Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles. There was definitely musical diversity in our home.

That has carried over into my life as well. My first love is jazz but I also enjoy r&b, gospel, and house music. Much has changed since I started this jazz blog back in 2002. I have had the great good fortune of meeting a lot of great jazz artists over the years. Along the way, I have developed my skills as a photographer too! My goal is to merge my photography and my writing here in this space. That is not always an easy task as I spend much more time these days behind the camera. Not to worry for when I am out shooting my camera, I am also taking good notes that I will transcribe here later. Maybe one day even into a book.

The trumpet in the photo above is mine. I played it in junior high school until I switched to the baritone.   I will probably donate it soon as I have no plans on taking up trumpet again anytime soon but I still want to take piano lessons. I would also like to sing with a jazz trio at least once.

As always, thanks for stopping by and enjoy your music!

James Knox
Music Reviewer/Photographer/Dreamer