James Maurice Hurt Jr is an American jazz pianist who initially trained as a drummer. In the late 1990s, Hurt joined Sherman Irby's quartet at Smalls Jazz Club in New York City. He contributed to albums by Antonio Hart (Here I Stand), Abbey Lincoln (Wholly Earth), and Russell Gunn throughout the 1990s. His debut album, Dark Grooves – Mystical Rhythms, was released on Blue Note Records in 1999 and received critical acclaim for its experimental yet accessible sound. Hurt has collaborated with various artists including Elizabeth Kontomanou, Graham Haynes, DJ Logic, Adam Rudolph, Donald Edwards, Stacy Dillard, and Rudresh Mahanthappa.
