One year after the world lost James Casey to colon cancer at the age of 40, the beloved saxophonist’s debut solo EP, The Kauai Project, will be available in full for the first time ever via streaming services and on limited-edition vinyl from Relix Marketplace.
Casey recorded the project in the midst of the COVID pandemic during a 16-month stay on the Hawaiian island of Kauai and released three of the album’s four tracks as single before stepping back from performing and promotion due to his health. The first single to drop, “New Bloom”, earned critical praise including a place on NPR‘s Best Songs of 2023 list and was followed by “E.J.B.M.” and “Outside”.
The fourth song, “This Place”, will drop on the one-year anniversary of Casey’s passing, August 28th, 2024. The previously unreleased track features members of Casey’s experimental fusion supergroup Animus Rexx—Randy Runyon, Reuben Cainer, BIGYUKI, and Justin Tyson—who finished it in his absence (with Louis Cato on drums).
“I am beyond grateful to honor James’ life with the culmination of a project that meant so much to him,” said James’ widow Ayla Casey, who helped bring the project to fruition. “James did not want his absence to weigh on us—please join me in celebrating the love and joy his music continues to cultivate.”
The Kauai Project is available to pre-order on vinyl, with copies limited to 500. Pre-orders are expected to ship around September 16th. Visit Relix Marketplace or James Casey’s website for more details.
James Casey died of colon cancer in 2023 following a two-year battle that he was bravely open about with fans and the public. The prolific saxophonist and Trey Anastasio Band member was an outspoken advocate for colon cancer prevention and made it his mission to help spread awareness about the disease.
“The thing about colon cancer is it is preventable. It is 100% preventable if you catch it early enough,” he said during a TV appearance on TODAY in 2023. “If just one person doesn’t have to go through what I’m going through, then it’s all worth it,” he added in a documentary about The Kauai Project and his battle with cancer.
Casey worked with a number of organizations dedicated to raising cancer awareness and was an ally of The Colorectal Cancer Alliance, who created a memorial fund in Casey’s honor. You can donate to the fund here.
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