Boney James - A Simple Man

Boney James marks his 20th studio album with A Simple Man, a warm, pared-back 2026 set from the saxophonist, with its vinyl edition on the way.

After more than three decades of multi-platinum success, James decided that less was more. He produced the record himself, and the guiding idea was clarity: strip away anything extraneous and let the essential elements speak. The title began as a song before it grew into a philosophy for both his music and his life, and that spirit runs through every arrangement, with R&B at the core and jazz tradition never far away. He even picks up the flute along the way.

Ledisi lends her rich, soulful voice to I Belong to You, the lead single, and trumpeter Marquis Hill adds sparkling color to Morocco. Storybook brings in guitar great Larry Carlton for a breezy groove with a Steely Dan tilt, while a reimagined In a Sentimental Mood sets the Duke Ellington standard over a deep, D'Angelo-inspired pocket that feels both reverent and fresh.

It's a mature, unhurried listen built for late evenings, the kind of record that reveals more with every spin. On wax, James' saxophone tone feels especially close and intimate, as if he were playing in the next room.