Judson’s songs feel right at home alongside the Great American Songbook, yet they are unmistakably his own.
Persimmon Road Productions
Gary Matsumoto – piano; Max Haymer – Hammond B3 & Fender Rhodes; Tim Sonnefeld – bass; Mike Gurrola, Dan Lutz, Charles Glenn – drums; Charles Ruggiero — percussion; Leddie Garcia – trumpet; Michael Campagna, Aaron Janik, Dan Fornero, Dave Richards, Mike Cordone – alto saxophone; Bob Sheppard, Anton Sushev – tenor saxophone; Bob Reynolds, Doug Webb -Jason Fabus – baritone saxophone; Erik Hughes, Ryan Dragon, Joshua Brown, Todd Eames – trombone; Eliza James, Olga Ivanenko, Laurann Woods, Lily Honigberg – violin; Jennifer Wu, Troy Everett – viola
James Judson may be a new name to most jazz listeners. After releasing a Christmas EP last year, Songs of My Dreams arrives as his first full-length jazz album, landing with a confidence that suggests anything but a tentative debut. Drawing on the language of the Great American Songbook while relying mostly on his own writing, the album feels like an extension of that tradition. Comparisons to Sinatra will come up—there’s a shared ease in the phrasing and an occasional breathiness—but Judson’s voice carries more density and less projection, occupying a warmer, more intimate register.
Judson’s relationship with music started early. He was already singing at five and fully expected it to be his life. Growing up in Boulder, Colorado, he played wherever he could and wrote songs before stepping away to build a construction business and raise a family. A few years ago, encouraged by a close friend, he returned to music. He co-produced the album with Grammy winner Tim Sonnefeld and surrounded himself with an orchestra that sounds every bit as refined and responsive as those on the classic Sinatra records.
Judson’s compositions often sound like long-lost standards. On “Is There a Chance,” the orchestra wraps around him gracefully, with piano and drums chiming in lightly. His phrasing is the real hook—relaxed, cool, and always moving forward.
The album’s two standards work in contrast. “The Shadow of Your Smile” leans into mood, with a somber opening and details that slowly come into focus—a muted trumpet, piano lines that follow Judson’s emotional pull, a vocal that stretches time and uses vibrato sparingly. “All of Me” lightens the mood, with Laura Cole’s higher register set against Judson’s darker tone, their phrasing playing off each other until the voices come together at the end.
Judson shows his lighter side on “Stars Past the Milky Way,” where the playful, almost childlike lyrics bring a sense of charm. Lines about dancing on the moon and drifting through the galaxy sound sincere because Judson sells them with a grin in his voice.
Romance sits at the center of the album, especially on “My Imagination” and “Kiss Me.” On “My Imagination,” Judson takes his time with the lyric, letting the words land just right, while a late-night sax drifts in beside him. “Kiss Me” pulls in even closer, resting on gentle piano and strings as Judson sculpts each word until it feels just right.
When the album needs a lift, Judson delivers it, backed by an orchestra brimming with character. “Can’t Put a Price on Love” swings easily, with different voices in the orchestra stepping out and then slipping back into the sound. “The Wonderful Night Before” stays upbeat and bright, Judson singing in a higher range as the band stays right with him. “Eternal Love” might be the best example of his rhythmic control—slowing a phrase to a near standstill, then snapping right back into the groove without ever losing the thread.
Songs of My Dreams makes a strong case for James Judson as both a terrific singer and a songwriter who knows this music. After decades away, he returns sounding completely at ease, backed by an orchestra that plays with personality and real authority. Judson’s songs feel right at home alongside the Great American Songbook, yet they are unmistakably his own.
