Morgan James
The Bur Oak 2262 Winnebago St., Madison, Wisconsin 53704
John Blausey
Morgan James
Following up on the 2020 album Memphis Magnetic, Memphis soul singer Morgan James is back with her first holiday album, A Very Magnetic Christmas. Her Madison concert features her own classic, soulful take on holiday favorites such as “O Holy Night” and “White Christmas,” as well as originals co-written with her husband, collaborator, and arranger Doug Wamble. The promising singer's show of snowy soul is bound to warm hearts and get audiences singing along to “Back Door Santa” and “Merry Christmas Baby.”
press release: Seated Show. $15adv $20DOS / $45 VIP.
media release: Soul singer Morgan James album A Very Magnetic Christmas is due out November 5. Called “the most promising young vocalist to come along so far this century” by The Wall Street Journal, James cemented her passion for classic soul in her 2020 album Memphis Magnetic. And like Memphis Magnetic, A Very Magnetic Christmas, was recorded live to analog tape at Memphis Magnetic Recording in Tennessee and features several legendary Memphis studio musicians.
The resulting ten tracks combine James’ soulful take on classics like “O Holy Night,” and “White Christmas;” re-imagined favorites like Clarence Carter’s spicy “Back Door Santa,” and Otis Redding/Lou Rawls’ “Merry Christmas Baby”; and three originals, co-written by James and her husband/collaborator/arranger Doug Wamble. A full tracklist is below. James recorded the full album in front of a live studio audience.
“I’ve waited several years to put forth a holiday album,” said James, “and on these tracks, Doug and the musicians and I have captured the essence of the holidays with the energy of a live show. Like on Memphis Magnetic, our guiding force throughout the process was ‘What would Aretha do? What would Otis do?’ And by channeling my personal experiences and holiday traditions, we’ve landed on what Christmas sounds like to me.”
James will take A Very Magnetic Christmas on the road with tour dates kicking off November 26 in Washington, DC and running through December 22 in Atlanta, GA. On New Year’s Eve, James will join the Asheville Symphony and vocalist Erica Gabriel for New Year’s Eve Queens of Soul to perform works by Adele, Whitney Houston, Marvin Gaye, and more. Full tour dates are listed below.
A classical music alumna from The Juilliard School who performed in the original companies of five Broadway productions, James, who grew up on Nina Simone and Donny Hathaway and who found a mentor in Berry Gordy, Jr., discovered her purest musical passion in classic soul music. American Songwriter said of 2020’s Memphis Magnetic, “James captivates and demands your attention, belting out classic, anthemic soul,” and UK R&B/soul magazine Echoes called it “quite simply, a wonderful soul album.”
Connect with Morgan James:
http://www.morganjamesonline.
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