Biography
James Colah is an experienced, professional Keyboard player/producer/arranger/composer with a credible and impressive history of achievement in the music industry spanning over 4 decades.
James has worked for small production companies in the media, and larger national corporations including the BBC. Alongside this he worked with a range of high profile international professionals including: Edwin Starr, Ballet Rambert Dance Company, Virgin Recording, Sheena Easton, Haysi Fantaysi, Pendragon and EMI.
James has continued to develop as both a musician and musical producer.
The Early Years: He joined forces with his identical triplet brothers to form the band: The Colah’s, aged only 12 years old. The young talent was instantly appreciated by music moguls as the Colah’s were performing on a regular basis for charity and local gigs. By the age of 17, the Colah’s, with a track record of consistently impeccable and highly rated gigs and a firm fan base, began their first tour in Europe – while still at school but having time off allowed by their very understanding headmaster! Following on from this, the Colah’s wrote and produced the Rock Ballet ‘Fire Sermon’ which was subsequently performed by the Ballet Rambert Dance Company with excerpts being filmed for Thames Television Studios.
Upon leaving school, James and his identical triplet brothers turned professional and reached the semi finals of the Young Jazz Musicians of the Year competition, along with an accolade of other competitions which included: Vitavox Live Sound Award and EMI. James then decided to take a year out of working with his brothers and joined the classic soul group, ‘The Foundations’ touring throughout Europe and UK.
Next the Colah’s were signed up by SONY /CBS Records with a two year contract. The band released the record ‘Hesitation’ which entered the UK top 100 charts. With the band becoming increasingly interested in the production side of music, they co-wrote the hit single ‘It’s Not Fair’ with Edwin Starr. After the Colah’s disbanded, James came into his own, utilizing his experience he decided to set out as a freelance session musician. This resulted in a constant stream of gigs and recording sessions flooding in.
James spent 6 months working with Chrysalis Recording Artistes: ‘The Adventures’ and toured the USA and Canada supporting internationally acclaimed band: ‘Tears for Fears’. He then joined the progressive rock band: ‘Pendragon’ for a UK national tour. This was followed up by a further 6 months work with Virgin Recording Artistes ‘Frazier Chorus’ where he completed two UK tours.
The time was right to start up his own recording studio where he composed, programmed and produced songwriters and musicians from beginners to successful artists. He is known particularly for his arrangement and composition skills and building songwriters tracks up from just a melody line. He produces to a professional standard and many of his productions have been professionally released. He also published some of his studio work through his contract with Zomba. His philosophy for his collaborators is ‘ As long as you have a tune you can hum, I can make something great happen!”
James co-wrote and performed the title music for the BBC’s, ‘Terry Wogan’s Friday Night Show’ and was featured in the prestigious, ‘Keyboard Player’ magazine.
Since starting up his own studio, James has co-written, arranged, performed, produced and recorded songs for well over 1000 Artists. This has included a significant number of professional liaisons, including: writing, arranging, producing and performing songs for many signed recording artists including Touchwood (Chrysalis) recording artist – Kay Samuels. Singles released on Seal Records and songs with Dee Majek, released on PWT records. Further to this sessions have been completed for top producers including Gus Dudgeon who produced Elton John and Nicky Graham who produced Bros, The Nolan’s and the Colah’s. Recordings have also been done with David and Carrie Grant of Fame Academy.
Over the years he has developed a vast library of compositions suitable for theme tunes, jingles and film/incidental music, specializing in soul/pop/dance music.
James has also done a large number of residency gigs which include: Empire Ballroom Leicester Square, Club de Luxe Dean Street, Toppers Hostess Club Soho, II Carretto Restaurant Streatham. He was the Musical Director of the band, ‘Station to Station’ performing throughout the UK.
Videos, TV and Media:
‘The Colah’s’ for Sony records. Sheena Easton, Haysi Fantaysi, The Rhona Cameron show, for BBC 2 The Consumer Magazine Advert, for Sky and Channel 5. The Colah Triplets have done many photo shoots, including: Handspring Treo mobile phones.
‘The life of the Colah Triplets’ will be acknowledged in a feature article in the ‘Daily Mail’ newspaper!
James continues to maintain his standard of excellence by developing as a musician/composer/producer and has steered his talents into the genre of ‘ Smooth Jazz ‘.
He’s currently working on his first solo smooth jazz album release and to date has released 13 highly successful singles:
YES! – James Colah
Costa Rican Girl – James Colah
Trippin On Your Smile – The James Colah Project
Take Me Higher – The James Colah Project
Come with me – The James Colah Project
To be with you – The James Colah Project
Touched by the light – The James Colah Project
Better Days – The James Colah Project
Cha Cha Chiwawa – The Parlett-Colah project
Ocean Tide – The Parlett-Colah Project
Moment in Time – The Parlett-Colah Project
Blissful – The Parlett-Colah Project
Luna Stars – The Bobi-Colah Project
His smooth jazz and Soul music has enjoyed rave reviews and is on the playlists of hundreds of International radio stations around the world including the BBC, Jazz FM, Jimi King’s Sky.fm , smoothjazz.com and JazzNet247.com, to name a few. He has been a featured artist on many radio stations and websites around the world resulting in him doing many radio interviews, jingle productions and voice-over id’s.
In April 2012, James was invited to perform as a special guest at the worlds #1 Smooth Jazz venue Spaghettini’s, Seal Beach, CA, USA.
James was honored by winning the 2011 Coffee Talk Jazz Radio – International Songwriter Award.
‘Could It Be’ from ‘The James Colah Project’ has been voted ‘Soul Track Of The Year’ by the legendary soul DJ Mike Shaft (BBC Manchester)
James Colah is honored to be known as The UK’s #1 independent Smooth Jazz artist!
YES! -James Colah, reached #1 in the 96.9 The Oasis Chart – #1 in the Radio Indie Alliance – Jazz Juice Radio Chart.
Costa Rican Girl – James Colah, reached #1 in the 96.9 The Oasis chart – #2 in the cdbaby Latin Jazz chart – #5 in the cdbaby Smooth Jazz chart – #9 in the cdbaby Instrumental chart – #10 in the cdbaby Jazz chart – #18 in the Radio indie international Network chart – #12 in the Soulbeat Radio Soul chart and #14 in The Moth FM chart.
Cha Cha Chiwawa – The Parlett-Colah Project, reached #1 in the KjazzRadio UK chart – #1 in the 96.9 The Oasis radio chart – #1 in the cdbaby Latin Chart – #1 in the cdbaby Smooth Jazz Chart – #1 in the cdbaby Instrumental Chart – #1 in the cdbaby Latin-Cha Cha Chart and #4 in the cdbaby Jazz chart .
Take Me Higher – The James Colah Project reached #1 in the cdbaby Smooth Jazz Chart – #1 in the cdbaby Jazz Funk Chart – #1 in the cdbaby Jazz Chart- #1 in the Kjazz Radio UK Chart.
Luna Stars – The Bobi-Colah Project, reached #1 in the cdbaby Contemporary Jazz Chart and #1 in the cdbaby Ambient Chart
Come with me – The James Colah Project, reached #1 in the cdbaby Lounge Chart – #2 in the cdbaby Smooth Jazz Chart – #4 in the cdbaby Instrumental Chart and #7 in the cdbaby Jazz Chart
Touched By The Light – The James Colah Project reached #1 in the 96.9 The Oasis radio chart
Better Days – The James Colah Project, reached #4 in the KjazzRadio UK chart
Trippin On Your Smile – The James Colah Project, reached #1 in The Oasis 96.9 radio Chart – #1 in the KjazzRadio UK Chart – #1 in The Moth.FM Radio Chart
Ocean Tide – The Parlett-Colah Project has made history for being the only song on the KJAZZ Radio UK ‘Top 10’ to have remained on the listener voted chart for over 6 months of which 6 weeks were at #1. Ocean Tide is a global hit as voted by the KJAZZ Radio UK global audience.
James has also teamed up again with Dee Majek to create a Jazz Funk/Soul/R&B project called KEJAM with huge success. 16 highly successful singles have been released to date and ALL the music was composed, performed, produced, mixed and mastered solely by James Colah in his studio with Dee Majek acting as Executive Producer.
Dystopia – Kejam Feat: James Colah reached #1 in the cdbaby Jazz Funk chart and #7 in the cdbaby Jazz-Jazz Piano Chart.
Radian – Kejam Feat: James Colah reached #4 in the cdbaby Jazz Funk chart.
Kejam Theme (Lorain) Feat: Lisa Taylor reached #1 in the City Radio 94.7 FM Macedonia Urban Grooves Chart – #3 in the UK Soul Chart and #14 in the Web FM Radio Chart
HI 5 (Taking Me Higher) Kejam Feat: Lisa Taylor reached #14 in the Web FM Radio Chart
Can You Feel The Love – Kejam Feat: Lisa Taylor reached #4 in the City Radio 94.7 FM Macedonia Urban Grooves Chart – #9 in the DJ Sly Colourful Radio Chart and #9 in the Sweet Rhythms – Solar Radio Chart
The Kejam – Triple Treat Summer Jam EP reached #1 in the UK Soul Chart – #1 in the DJ Sly, Soul and Reggae Colourful Radio Chart – #2 in the City Radio 94.7 FM Macedonia Urban Grooves Chart – #2 in the 22tracks.com Chart and #2 in the Sweet Rhythms – Solar Radio Chart
My Only Love – Kejam Feat: Lisa Taylor reached #2 in the Sweet Rhythms – Solar Radio Chart and #2 in the numberonemusic.com Chart
This Love Is Magic – Kejam Feat: Chanel reached #2 in the Sweet Rhythms – Solar Radio Chart – #2 in the numberonemusic.com Chart and #2 in the City Radio 94.7 FM Macedonia Urban Grooves Chart
Looking Back At Love – Kejam Feat: Lamenga Kafi reached #1 in the City Radio 94.7 FM Macedonia Urban Grooves Chart
My Love – Kejam Feat: Cleveland Jones reached #1 in the Groovefinder’s World Chart – #1 in the KjazzRadio UK Chart – #1 in the Smooth 97 The Oasis Chart – #10 in the Sweet Rhythms – Solar Radio Chart and #16 in the DJ Sly – Colourful Radio Chart
2 Can Play – Kejam Feat: Terry Harris reached #1 in the UK Soul Chart – #6 in the Soundcloud R&B Top 100 Chart
Start All Over – Kejam Feat: Terry Harris reached #1 in the UK Soul Chart
Back Together – Kejam Feat: Derek Pierre reached #9 in The UK Soul Chart
Let it Go – Kejam Feat: Juanita Wynn reached #2 in The UK Soul Charts
When It Rains – Kejam Feat: Cleveland Jones reached #1 in the Top Indie Records – Internet Broadcasters Alliance
Hold You Down – Kejam Feat: Chanel reached #1 in the UK Soul Chart – #5 DJ Sly, Colourful Radio Chart
Fly Free – Kejam Feat: Cleveland Jones reached #13 in the City Radio 94.7 FM Macedonia Urban Grooves Chart
‘Radian’ is also on the #1 hit compilation album, ‘In Soul We trust 2’ and ‘Entropy’ is on the, ‘Sweet Summer Soul 2014’ compilation album.
Kejam – Diamonds Ft: Terry Harris is featured on the Expansion Luxury Soul 2016 album!
Kejam voted best Band/Group/Project in the Colourful Radio Sly’s 2015 Awards!
The Kejam album was released in Japan (August 2016) on the P-Vine Records label and entered at #39 in the iTunes R&B instore chart.
James Colah also co-wrote and produced a song for Robin MacGregor called, ‘A Love Like This’ which reached #1 in the cdbaby Pop – Synth/ Pop chart – #1 in the Smooth 97 The Oasis Chart- #1 in the Kjazz Radio UK Chart – #2 in the cdbaby Moods – Brooding Chart – #4 in the cdbaby Pop/Rock Chart
Suicidal Clown – Alex Clowes – reached #1 in the cdbaby Rock – Psychedelic Chart – #1 in the cdbaby Pop – British Pop Chart
Something Beautiful – Helena Greber – reached #1 in cdbaby Electronic – Pop Crossover Chart.
James Colah is very proud to have also reached #1 in the world and #1 in the National chart ranking on Reverbnation for his category of music, and #6 in the world chart ranking for all genres of music!
He was extremely honored and proud to be asked by the exceptional Grammy Nominated soul/jazz singer Maysa Leak to be featured in her worldwide advertising campaign for her men’s fragrance called, ‘Unforgettable – Man.’
James Colah was a ‘Contributing Artist’ at ‘The 2020 TEG International Jazz Festival.’
Website: http://www.jamescolahproductions.com
http://www.facebook.com/jamescolahproductionsgb
https://www.instagram.com/jamescolah
http://twitter.com/JamesColah
YouTube Channel http://www.youtube.com/user/JamesColah/videos