Morgan James

Lancaster Roots & Blues RETURNS - Friday, Saturday & Sunday, Sept 27, 28 & 29

Morgan James

A phenomenal talent whose feel for classic soul music is bone deep… 

This woman is on fire.” –  The New York Times

One voice is all it takes. The right vocalist can make you fall in love at first listen, elicit tears, or bring you back to a different era altogether. A microphone and a stage remain the only necessities. That holds true for New York-based soul singer and songwriter Morgan James.

On her sophomore album, Reckless Abandon, James casts an unbreakable spell with a powerhouse voice and a soulful poise. Freedom and expansion are the threads that bind the collection of 12 original, co-penned tracks with writers from LA to NYC to Nashville and in between. The result is an fusion of pop, funk, and R&B with a classic approach.

James delivers an impassioned performance that showcases her virtuosic vocal range that spans from sultry to spontaneous and controlled, effortlessly. From The Juilliard School to Broadway, by way of a beaten soul-searching path, Morgan made leading appearances in Berry Gordy’s Motown: The Musical, Godspell, and more. Regardless of genre, James delivers passion and technical prowess that is rivaled by few.

Reckless Abandon is the follow-up to James’ debut album, Hunter and Morgan James Live (Epic Records). She can also be heard on countless theatre and concept soundtracks. James shines in adopting a diverse range of musical ideas to recreate them with her own identity and flare. Her rendition of Prince’s “Call My Name” was the last cover to be personally approved by Prince before his death. The track garnered success as it reached Top 15 on Billboard Magazine’s Urban AC chart, while The Wall Street Journal called Hunter “A superb new album.”

Since Hunter’s release, Morgan’s music videos have accumulated more than 75 million views (and climbing). Achieving viral acclaim while appearing in several videos with Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox, Morgan also joined the collective on globe spanning tours through the US, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.  As a solo artist, Morgan has performed at such notable venues as the Hollywood Bowl, Montreal Jazz Festival, Carnegie Hall and The Kennedy Center.   She continues to wow audiences the world over through electric live performances with her touring band.