James Blake’s music often sits between genres, drawing on gospel-leaning piano balladry, R&B melody, the low-end pressure of club music and the warped textures of electronic production. Bay Area audiences had a recent reminder of his range during San Francisco Ballet’s “The Blake Works,” a William Forsythe program set to the British musician’s tracks, which opened Feb. 27, at the War Memorial Opera House.
Now fans can hear Blake perform live when he brings his touring show behind his latest album, “Trying Times,” to the Greek Theatre on Thursday-Friday, June 11-12.
The classically trained pianist is known for a voice that can feel intimate even when surrounded by skeletal beats, pitch-shifted harmonies and deep bass. On “Trying Times,” Blake’s first independent studio album after departing his longtime label, Polydor Records, he leans into songs built from piano, guitar and spare rhythm tracks while retaining the anxious, atmospheric quality that has long marked his work.
Jameela Jamil (“The Good Place”), Blake’s longtime partner, is credited as executive producer and A&R on the album, with production credits on several tracks.