James Quinlan is a Brooklyn-based bassist, arranger, producer, and composer. The Miami-native is equally versatile with the acoustic bass, electric bass, and synth bass and in many musical styles like jazz, rock, disco, global folk, indie, and classical.
James’ love of music comes from a passion for diversity. It is what’s reflected in an exciting collection of artists he’s performed with on and off stage — creating disco folk with Sammy Rae, hasidic psych soul with Zusha, Thai/Swedish electronic with Sirintip, Venezuelan pop-art with Migguel Anggelo, indie-Broadway with Grace McLean, Haitian roots-jazz with Jowee Omicil, Macedonian disco-funk with Vladimir Cetkar, classical and contemporary with the United Nations Symphony Orchestra, folk songwriting with Natalie York and Rachel Angel, Nigerian R&B with Mary Akpa, Bermudan broadway with Tsilala, surf rock with Gold Dust Lounge, blues broadway with Lisa St. Louis and many others.
This love of culture has brought him to 23 countries and 6 continents and into performances at Carnegie Hall and Joe’s Pub in New York, Tchaikovsky Hall in Moscow, Nefertiti in Gothenburg, the Black Cat and Blue Whale in California, Wonderfruit Fest in Thailand, Carifesta in Haiti, Festa Jazz ahead in Rio de Janeiro, and even outside the Palmer Station in Antarctica. He has been a part of projects recorded at the Bunker, Warner Brothers Studio, Flux Studios, and the Cutting Room, to name a few.
Through his versatility, hard work, and a hunger for cultural exploration, James is poised as one of the premier bassists and music creators in the New York and global music scene.
Discography
Bassist
Let’s Throw a Party (2021)
Sammy Rae & The Friends
Bass
Éxito (2020)
Keren Abreu
Bass
Hodu Lashem (2020)
Zusha
Bass
Gold Dust Lounge (2019)
Gold Dust Lounge
Bass
Going Home (2019)
Vladimir Cetkar
Bass
The Good Life (2018)
Sammy Rae
Bass
Haven’t You Heard (2018)
Star the Moonlight
Bass
The Burning Wolf (2018)
Babylon Tom
Bass
Night Falls Fast (2017)
Evan Nachimson
Bass
Vehicles Opposing (2017)
Newcomers Club
Bass
Skin on Mine (2017)
Teena May
Bass
Ghosts (2016)
Natalie York
Bass
Simple Changes (2015)
David Rothschild
Bass
Naked (2014)
Jowee Omicil
Bass
Promises (2014)
Natalie York
Bass
Writing, Production & Collaboration
Parker House Sessions (2021)
Josh McLemore
Production, Mixing, Bass, Aux Guitar, Aux Piano, Drum Programming
Black Hair (2021)
Mirto, Daz, Jus10
Production, Mixing, Bass
Wildflower EP (2020)
Blair Baldwin
Bass, Auxiliary Guitar, Arrangement
Denim Jacket (2019)
Sammy Rae
Bass, Arrangement
Balloons (2019)
Tsilala
Bass, Keys, Production, Arrangement
Not Enough (2018)
Rachel Angel
Bass, Lap Steel Guitar, Production, Mixing
Cloud Hatch (2016)
Carbon Mirage
Bass, Composer, Production
The Peak (2016)
Carbon Mirage
Bass, Production, Arrangement
Lost Sunset (2014)
Gold Dust Lounge
Bass, Composer
Artist services
Music Direction // booking assistant
Sammy Rae • Sirintip • Star the Moonlight
web design
The Rhythm Foundation
Sammy Rae & The Friends
The North Beach Bandshell
Cycle Brooklyn
Sirintip
Videos
Sammy Rae & the Friends
Talk it Up // Live @ the Sinclair, 2020
The Good Life // Live @ Rockwood Musichall, 2018
The Box // Live @ Sofar São Paulo, 2019
International Artists
Blue Skies // Lollise @ BAM Records, 2020
Inmigrantes // Migguel Anggelo @ Joe’s Pub, 2017
CPC // Super Yamba Band @ Acme Studios, 2017
Wait for It // United Nations Chamber music society, 2020
Don’t Give Up // Live @ Youtube Space 2017
Emperor of the Sun // Live @ Wonderfruit Festival 2018
Tuv Ta’am, Hodu Lashem, and Basi Legani // Zusha, recorded live in Brooklyn, 2020
Photos
Header photo by Nitcha Fame // Additional photos by Avraham Edery, Pavel Korbut, and Eric Silvergold // High quality photos available on request