Los Angeles, California – August 4, 2023 – For smooth jazz saxophonist/vocalist Johnny James (Dr. J),
the hot music from his magical horn continues. On August 4, 2023, Dr. J will drop his “5-Track EP,” with
the single How Deep is Your Love featuring the late Chuck Loeb and Jeff Lorber. The ultra-beautiful pop
ballad was originally recorded in 1977 by the legendary Bee Gees. In addition to How Deep is Your Love
(with its three mixes), Dr. J will add his composition Jizay, as well as his previously released Slippin’, a
Top 10 hit in the U.K. and Canada and Top 100 in the United States.
“The Bee Gees are one of my favorite groups from the 1970s,” said Dr. J. “How Deep is Your Love is my
all-time favorite song by them and is one of the trio’s most beautiful ballads ever recorded. And hey…
how powerful is it to ask that question – How deep is your love – to someone who you are in a serious
relationship with? It’s an incredible question and ballad, and I believe the smooth jazz world will love my
rendition of the classic.”
The new single features the tasty guitar licks of smooth jazz and jazz fusionist Chuck Loeb, who passed
in July 2017. “Chuck recorded with me a little over a decade ago for my then-version of How Deep is
Your Love on my album, The Cure,” said Dr. J. “I’m honored to have the great Chuck Loeb on my
rearranged recording of the classic, thanks to the production brilliance of Jeff Loeber.”
“Jeff Lorber’s arrangements on the track give the song a fresh and vibrant sound yet maintain the beauty
of what the Bee Gees recorded more than three decades ago and what Chuck Loeb recorded with me over a decade ago,” Dr. J said, adding that he always wanted to play or record with Jeff, a jazz fusion keyboard legend. “Jeff played keyboards on the recordings while orchestrating new bass and drum flavoring. As the arranger and producer of my recording of How Deep is Your Love – Jeff nailed it.”
Dr. J’s three mixes of How Deep is Your Love will include the instrumental main mix (with Chuck and
Jeff), the vocal mix exclusively featuring singer/recording artist Darryl Tookes, and the dance mix
featuring colorful guitar rhythms by Loeb. Dr. J’s Slippin’ (Nigel Lowis Stepper’s Mix) reached No.1 for
the saxophonist in 2022 on Jazz Juice Radio in the United Kingdom and climbed smooth jazz charts in
Canada and the United States. Dr. J’s original composition Jizay is a sassy, funky instrumental dance tune
with plenty of energy and pizzazz.
Pizzazz is what Dr. J’s music is all about. In March 2022, he released the single Foolish Heart, originally
recorded by Steve Perry in 1984. Dr. J’s version features the talents of smooth jazz royalty: Paul Brown,
Norman Brown, and Greg Phillinganes. The song peaked at No. 7 on the Radio Indie Alliances Top 20
Chart, No. 8 on The U.K. Soul Chart Top 30, and is currently enjoying success on Spotify (130 -plus K
streams) and YouTube (140-plus K views).
For more information about Johnny James (Dr. J) or his new 5-Track EP, log on to
www.johnnyjamesinc.com or follow him on Facebook and Instagram. For media inquiries or to interview
Dr. J, contact Don W. Saint James at (310) 497-9566 or via email at [email protected].
