It’s been a while since I posted something. Actually, this past August and September, much of my attention was focused on some medical matters. Back in March, when it became was apparent, that there would be no summer gigs, I scheduled hospital appointments to correct a situation that I had for a time put on the back burner, on the assumption that Covid-19 would be in retreat in NYC. Fortunately, I calculated correctly. And fortunately, I was able to took care of something that needed to be done. Everything health-wise now is A-Okay.

We are now, unfortunately, in the midst of the resurgence of the pandemic outbreak in parts of this country and Europe. Also, there is the national election that occurred November 3, which currently have many people on pins and needles. As we navigate through this period of the “present normal”, we must continue to be aware and informed.

I did have a great time the day after the election. I was interviewed by Candice Reyes of the Jazz Exchange. We talked about music performance and education, mentorship, and politics. Candice who is also a vocalist along with her husband Abel Mireles, saxophonist, has been doing some really great things in the jazz community. You can learn more about what the Jazz Exchange does here. If you missed or wish to see the interview, you can view it here.

I will be featured in an on-demand concert courtesy of Klavier Hall NYC in December. Alto Saxophonist Ed Jackson will join me in sonic creations and vibrations. Stay tuned!

Blessings to you all!

July 2020

James Weidman Birthday Concert
Live Stream by Soapbox Gallery

I sincerely hope that you can join me in a special live-stream performance Thursday, July 23. I am looking forward in sharing some solo piano music with you as I embark on yet another journey around the sun.

Thu, July 23, 2020
7:00 PM – 8:00 PM EDT
For more info

Celebrate Mother's Day with Me on Friday!

Hello my friends. I trust that everyone is managing as best as they can in these unprecedented times. I have an announcement about my first streaming event but first I feel move to state the obvious. All of us have been affected in some shape or form by this pandemic. Some us have lost loved ones and colleagues. The music community certainly has been adversely affected in this way. Way too many artists have taken their last breath recently. And then there is the gig effect.

We who perform in venues, the presenters that present and the audiences who come to listen have had something dear to them suddenly and completely halt. Our life habits are being transformed for the first time since 9/11. This time the change going forward is bound to be of a more radical sort.

In the midst of cancelled gigs and tours, I have been fortunate to have some teaching obligations when the shutdown began. The current online spring semester at William Paterson is now winding down. Two months ago, I had no idea what a zoom meeting was. Then suddenly, I had to figure how to transition from hands-on classroom classes to shelter-in-place online zooming. My way of conducting private piano lessons had to be altered. To my surprise, I had a defective webcam on my computer. Things fortunately were resolved with a new webcam. I have to say that my students really have been great and engaged.

Now let's move to my upcoming performance announcement. For a number of years, I have been presenting concerts in person for the patrons at the East Meadow Library in Long Island. Due to the pandemic, in-person performances are suspended as we maintain our social distance to stop the spread of the virus. I do miss being up close and personal. But there is a silver lining. Because of live streaming, it now is possible for music lovers all over the world to be an audience to what would have previously been only a local event. To be a part of this event, all you have to do is register at the East Meadow Library website. The Cabaret and Cocktails (you bring the cocktails) concert will feature many familiar tunes from the 20th Century Songbook. I should add that non-alcoholic cocktails are allowed.

Date: Friday May 8
Time: 7:00 PM

How to register:
Please register at the East Meadow Library event page. When you get to the web page, scroll down to Friday May 8 and just click on my program in the Events Calendar and click on the green button to register. A link for streaming will be sent to you on the morning of the program. will be sent to you on the morning of the program.

March 2019

Blowing currently outside my window is a gusty wind as I am stringing some words together for a long overdue newsletter to you. A high wind warning in NYC is in effect. The March winds in 21st century fashion have started a few days early, it seems.

Despite the seeming increasing strange weather patterns we experience in this moment in time, I look forward to the arrival of March. Amid the machinations of the lions and the Ides, there is much music to be made.

My loyal followers may know that for last three years I have had a monthly trio residency at The Top of the Standard, 6:30 -9:30. Last year, I launched a new trio, Rhythm Keepers with guitar and bass. My old friend Marvin Horne is the guitarist and John Menegon is the bassist. We celebrate the instrument format first made popular by Nat Cole. As the name suggest, we emphasis exploring music while creating a good feeling through rhythm. I do not by the way plan to commemorate Nat by me singing, although I have my I eye on preparing one vocal. We will see. This year 2019, by the way is Nat “King” Cole's centennial. Even though, we have been playing a lot on the top floor, keep a look out. We are coming to a basement room soon near you. While the March date at the Top of the Standard for the Rhythm Keepers is yet to be set, I will be appearing there every Monday in March, playing solo piano from 6:30-9:30. I am looking forward in playing all kind of fun stuff. My sets will include originals, standards, and some old school pop tunes.

The Aperturistic Trio with Harvie S and Allan Mednard will perform on March 16 at the Jazz Loft located in Stony Brook, NY. In 2017, I played organ there with trombonist Ray Anderson. One notable thing about the loft is that it is a museum. I was knocked out by the Milt Hinton Room. It is a recreation of his actual living room along with some of his cameras and a lot of other cool stuff.

I am also looking forward to concerts in California with the Joe Lovano Nonet and a performance with trombonist Art Baron and Friends group. Art who was with Duke is always laying some neat Ellingtonia vignettes on me. Saxophonist Ricky Ford is on the gig. I think it was last year when Ricky played the beautiful “Portrait of the Bean” from the album Duke Ellington Meets Coleman Hawkins. It was magical!

I am proud to announce that my Inner Circle Music album "Spiritual Impressions" was selected best top 10 albums of 2018 by both Cadence Magazine and Jay Hunter's blog! You can purchase your personal your copy at CD Baby, iTunes or any of your preferred sites. If you don't have a CD player feel free to put me on your playlist if streaming is your thing.

As I ready for my upcoming performances, I have been reflecting on the treatment of some of my compositions. I have been personally listening a bit to my various albums on Spotify in shuffle mode. Listening to them in that way brought back special memories of all the great musicians that were on all the various dates with me. I enjoyed how they all expertly contributed to make the music come alive.

That's all for now. When April arrives, I promise to shower you with the news from the 4th month.

July 2018

I am pleased to announce some special performances and presentations in the NYC area this month.

On Friday July 6, I will be at Trumpets Jazz Club with a recently inaugurated trio, the Rhythm Keepers featuring guitarist Marvin Horne and bassist Belden Bullock. Marvin Horne most notably performed with Elvin Jones for several years. Belden most notably performed with Abdullah Ibraham. Our mission is to collectively explore our concept of musical rhythm and groove. Trumpets is located at 6 Depot Square at the corner of Walnut Street Montclair, NJ (973) 744-2600

On Monday July 16, I will be the featured performer with the Jazz Workshop Faculty Quintet at the Shea Center of the Performing Arts at William Paterson University. I will be joined with David Demsey, tenor sax, Timothy Newman, bass trombone, Marcus McLaurine, bass and Winard Harper, drums. The William Paterson Summer Jazz program celebrating it's 25th year. During the day throughout that week, high school students will be studying with us next others and learning about this art-form.

On Friday July 20, I will make my monthly appearance at the Top of the Standard with Harvie S, bass and Willie Martinez, drums.

May 2018

I am happy to inform you of my May performances in the NYC area. First, The Steve Williams/James Weidman Qtet will present The Music of Clifford Jordan. The date is Friday May 18 and Saturday May 19 at Manhattan's new jazz spot, The 75 Club NYC, 75 Murray St, between Church and West Broadway. The band will also feature Anthony Nelson, tenor sax and Andy McKee, bass.

The very next day Spiritual Impressions will perform selections from the newly released and critically acclaimed Inner Circle Music release. The ensemble will include Ruth Naomi Floyd, vocals, Anthony Nelson, reeds, Belden Bullock, bass and Vince Ector, drums. Here is the review from the current issue of JazzTimes

Spiritual Impressions finds journeyman pianist James Weidman wading through the deep waters, alternately troubled and joyful, of African-American spirituals. He imbues these gems with driving grooves, some intriguing reharmonizations and bracing solos. All serve to freshen up enduring pieces that remain deeply meaningful to so many.

Weidman, best known as a sideman with the likes of Cassandra Wilson, Joe Lovano and the late Abbey Lincoln and Kevin Mahogany, makes a superb match with gospel-rooted singer Ruth Naomi Floyd, for whom the pianist has produced and arranged several recordings. She's a natural, embodying the spirituals' simultaneous reference to spiritual bliss and the struggles associated with slavery and its aftermath.

The opening track, “Didn't My Lord Deliver Daniel,” begins with sticky Caribbean-tinted rhythms provided by bassist Harvie S and drummer Vince Ector, as Floyd relates the Old Testament tale of Daniel in the lion's den. The tune later shifts to earthy acoustic swing, for improvisations by Weidman and saxophonist Anthony Nelson. A similarly syncopated groove undergirds “Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho,” which winds its way into Nelson's urgent tenor turn.

“Deep River” unfolds as a stately stroll, topped with Nelson's flute incantations, before shifting to laidback swing that feeds extended solos by Weidman and Nelson. Weidman's own brief “Prelude to Freedom (Troubled Waters),” with Nelson on soprano saxophone, abuts a lightly funky “Wade in the Water.” On the sparse “No Hiding Place,” Weidman's weaving melodica lines spar with Nelson's tenor bursts over lean rhythm-section moves. Weidman demonstrates his prowess as a composer on “African Spirals,” all hypnotic groove and slow-twisting melodies, and effectively caps the moving set of music with an unaccompanied “Walk Together, Children.” -- Phillip Booth

A newly inaugurated trio, the Rhythm Keepers will appear at my monthly stomping ground, The Top of the Standard on Saturday, May 26. Joining me will be guitarist Marvin Horne and Essiet Essiet on bass. We will explore together our personal concept the classic trio format of piano, guitar and bass.

And last but not least, on Thursday, May 31, I will hook up with my longtime associate Marty Ehrlich and will be helping him celebrate his next trip around the sun with the Philosophy of a Groove Quartet at the Stone now located at the Glass Box Theater at 55 W. 13th St. near 6th Avenue. In the band is Jerome Harris, bass and Cedric Easton, drums.

That takes us to the end of the month and the end of this installment of my story. Peace and Blessings!

January 2018

My latest album, “Spiritual Impressions” (Inner Circle Music) will be released in February. The work is a re-imagining of the iconic Negro Spirituals performed in various impressionistic moods and grooves. I am grateful for the wondrous contributions from the beautiful musicians that lent their special voices and creativity to this special project: Ruth Naomi Floyd, voice, Anthony Nelson, tenor, soprano saxophones, bass clarinet and flute, Harvie S, acoustic and electric bass, Vince Ector, drums, djembe, sangba.

Early Reviews:
"Weidman offers solid ideas on how to make old traditional material contemporary. Ruth Naomi Floyd rich vocals help breath new air into old music. Floyd is one of Philadelphia's gems. A fresh jazz interpretation."
- Robert Rusch, Cadence Magazine

"There's a lot going on here in this piano vet's latest. Feeling not quite like cocktail jazz or after-hours jazz, once you get into it, you hear this really is a set of spirituals that have been taken out the back door of the church to where the party is going on. Blowing the dust off of tunes that picked up the dust traveling on the Underground Railroad, this is a dandy ear opener that'll make you think as well as listen."
- Chris Spector, Midwest Record

"Weidman and his ensemble pay tribute to a difficult time in American history on "Spiritual Impressions." The group makes the songs sound contemporary without forgetting about their original purpose."
- Dodie Gould Miller, Lemonwire

You can listen to sample clips and pre-order “Spiritual Impressions” here.

In celebration of Black History Month and the recording release, The Spiritual Impressions Ensemble will be performing a series of concerts throughout the area.