"Jim's songs are so good, when I'm done listening, I need a cigarette" - MICHELLE BRANCH
"Jim is one of those rare artists who can play several instruments more than competently, has a great sense of melody, and can write a real sweet lyric.... I resent that!" - JILL SOBULE
Jim Boggia met Ted Kelly and John Dowling during the summer of 2007 when he had just completed producing recent American idol finalist Constantine's latest CD...The conversation led to the annual WorldSpace Sessions@Abbey Road and we found that Jim not only was a brilliant solo artist but he has a knowledge and appreciation of the Beatles and their time recording at Abbey Road. An invitation was extended and Jim had his pick of the historic instruments and equipment for his session, including The Challen Piano that tarted as Lennon's practice piano and was used by Paul and John on mny of the Beatles most memorable hits. During Jim's session you will also hear the "Mrs. mills piano and the mics used by Jim were the same mics used by Lennon for recording penny lane and many of the band's hits.... Jim Boggia gave one of the most memorable performance of the last three years. A real talent.
Safe In Sound could be the title of Philadelphia-based singer-songwriter Jim Boggia’s life story, not just the name of his bluhammock music debut. As he often likes to explain to reporters, “I’ve been told that I was singing melodies before I started speaking words, and I started playing the guitar when I was five. I have no conception of a life before music.” Jim is the kind of hyper-kinetic guy who may never need an iPod because he’s already got instant recall of practically every song he’s ever heard and loved. Like a digital player permanently set in shuffle mode, he accesses riffs and rhymes with a sort of free-associative glee. At a recent acoustic gig, he managed to interpolate Paul McCartney’s “Live and Let Die” into the middle of one of his own tunes; flirt with the hook of a sappy Chicago super-hit from the seventies; ably pluck out a verse of “Don’t Cry For Me, Argentina” on the guitar; and lecture the rapt audience on the origins of “Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft.” (For the record, mysterious pop band Klaatu cut the track first, then the Carpenters turned it into a bizarre quasi-hit. Who knew?)
Jim’s unabashed love for pop music of all sorts – the cool, the classic, the corny – informs his own meticulously constructed, immediately engaging songs. But he’s more than just a facile craftsman; his songs are deeper, sometimes darker and more seriously romantic than his pop-trivia playfulness might suggest. Once you’ve finished admiring his vintage- sounding arrangements, you can start appreciating the very contemporary emotions he’s describing. Like his friend and occasional collaborator Aimee Mann, with whom he co-wrote the opening track “Shine,” Jim’s an exceptionally smart songwriter with an eye and ear for affecting details. Jim's recent Safe in Sound CD includes Guest appearances by Aimee Mann on 'Where's the Party?', Jill Sobule on 'Made Me So Happy', Wayne Kramer (MC5) on 'Underground' and Emitt Rhodes on 'Let Me Believe (Evan's Lament)'.. Jim Co-wrote 'Glory' for multi-platinum recording artist Jaci Velasquez, which went on to become a number 1 Billboard hit. Toured with Grammy Award winning artist Michelle Branch, appeared with and/or collaborated with Aimee Mann, Jill Sobule, Michael Penn, Duncan Sheik, Carly Simon, Amanda Marshall, Juliana Hatfield, and Bernadette Peters