Paul James – May/June 2007
Who: Paul James
Where: Toronto
What: blues man group
Contact: www.pauljamesband.com; paul@pauljamesband.com
Paul James gets invited onstage sometimes by Bob Dylan, his friend since 1986 when the enigmatic legend unexpectedly asked to guest with him at the Nag’s Head North, but the Toronto-based roots/blues guitarist and singer is just as content entertaining in clubs, at festivals, colleges, and private functions. He’s Canada’s Dick Clark of the blues guitar, never aging, and playing with as much enthusiasm as he did in the seventies. Along the way, he has performed with Bo Diddley, John Hammond, Lightnin’ Hopkins, Spencer Davis, Sunnyland Slim, and released a series of albums independently, often paying tribute to the artists whose songs he covers in his marathon sets, such as Willie Dixon, The Rolling Stones, Chuck Berry, and, of course, Dylan. His newest album, Lost In The Blues, contains 14 originals, all in that same bluesy, early rock ‘n’ roll vein. From the trippy-tongued jitterbug swing of “Boogie Woogie Baby†and so-titled “Jitterbug Swing,†to the strange milk cow lament “Bull Calf Blues†and Spanish-flavoured love song “Rosie,†James is so embedded in the tradition his originals can stand up to the classics.
He is backed on the recording by Gary Gray (piano, organ), Henry DeClemente (drums) and Alec Fraser (bass). James, who plays all guitars, harmonica, and percussion, co-produced the album with Fraser at Liquid Sound. Fraser engineered.
