Jim James relishes the joy of singing in his new video for “Set It To Song,” the first single from his upcoming collaboration with composer/conductor Teddy Abrams and the Louisville Orchestra, The Order of Nature, set for release on October 18 via Decca Gold. Watch the video HERE.
WATCH "SET IT TO A SONG"
In this video directed by acclaimed Spanish artist Silvia Grav, Jim James, bathed in stained-glass light, sings to an audience that finds themselves moved to dance by the spirit of song. A roomful of dancers led by renowned choreographer and dancer Genna Moroni, move quirkily and gracefully, as James slips slyly between them, dancing.
Says Jim James about this song, “I just wanted to sing about singing and how it feels so good to sing and just have music in your life. The whole (suite) is pretty serious so I just wanted to have a beautifully lighthearted moment.”
Teddy Abrams, who arranged James’ songs for orchestra for the record, said of the single, “I loved working on this setting, which combines a kind of French cafe style ...and several sections that are directly inspired by the great symphonist Johannes Brahms. I use a wide variety of shifting instrumental colors and percussion effects to heighten Jim’s darkness/daylight lyrics.”
The video highlights these lyrics as well, playing with the light of the stained-glass, oscillating between church-like and night-club.
Recently, Jim James and Teddy Abrams performed the full song cycle The Order of Nature at the Kennedy Center with the National Symphony Orchestra. NPR’s All Songs Considered featured the “magical collaboration” on the podcast, and Bob Boilen wrote of the performance it was “a positive and wonderful new work.” Consequence of Sound said of this song “it has the pace of a My Morning Jacket ballad with classical instrumentation and cinematic delivery…it’s a surprisingly moving number, even though it feels sunny around the corners, especially when James repeats, “Oh, it feels good just to sing.”
Most recently, the innovative tandem announced additional select performance dates that will feature local orchestras. Those dates will include Benaroya Hall in Seattle, WA with the Seattle Symphony on May 12, 2020, and Boettcher Concert Hall in Denver, CO with the Colorado Symphony on May 15, 2020.
2020 DATES
MAY
12 – Seattle, WA – Benaroya Hall w/the Seattle Symphony
15 – Denver, CO – w/the Colorado Symphony
The Order of Nature debuted April 6-7, 2018 as part of the Louisville Orchestra’s annual Festival of American Music. The second night’s performance was recorded and is what you hear on this forthcoming album, recorded in one take, no overdubs.
