The Houston, Texas born jazz pianist, composer, and arranger James Francies seemed destined for a music career from a young age. Though he came into the world in 1995 he would start his classical piano education before the end of the 20th century. A prodigy who was born with synesthesia, the ability to hear music as different colors, he absorbed the various musical threads popular in Houston, and led his own jazz trio while still a teenager. He studied music at the High School for Performing and Visual Arts in his hometown, before scholarships allowed him to attend New York’s New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music. He quickly began gigging with and playing on records by notable figures like Jeff Watts, Pat Metheny, Chance the Rapper, and Questlove. Don Was signed him to the celebrated jazz label Blue Note, and they released Flight, his debut as a bandleader, in 2018. The album featured musicians like drummer Jeremy Dutton, saxophonist Chris Potter, and bassist Burniss Travis II. As if to underline his remarkable talent, Francies wrote 11 of the album’s 12 songs.
