Steve James
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James website
With his new album "Fast
Texas", Steve James pays tribute to the state that has been his home for
over 25 years. The Texas experience is chronicled in James' original
songs-from the animated title track to the brooding "Freestone County
Blues". Also included are adaptations of songs by Lone Star roots
regents like Hop Wilson, Milton Brown and Little Hat Jones.
To get his characteristic bare bones production values realized,
Steve once again enlisted the help of some of Austin's best recording and
mastering engineers, and used a small arsenal of acoustic and resophonic
instruments (including a new custom-made 12 string guitar). "Best
instrumental and vocal sounds I've gotten in the studio to date." opines
James; whose guitar, slide guitar, mandolin, banjo and vocals are augmented
on selected tracks by the sonorous string-work of Del Rey, the sinewy steel
and Dobro of Cindy Cashdollar, and the soulful voices of Ruthie Foster and
Cyd Cassone. Enjoy "Fast Texas"...and take your time doing it.
Since the release of his
"Boom Chang" CD in the summer of 2000, Steve James has toured the
US coast to coast with side trips to Mexico and Canada for festival dates,
and three tours of Europe, which took him from the UK to Hungary and from
Scandinavia to Italy and most recently, a month long tour in Australia. In
June of 2001, he was heard on over 450 radio stations worldwide when he
appeared on "A Prairie Home Companion" in Minneapolis, MN.
Acoustic Guitar/String Letter
Press published "Inside blues Guitar", Steve's second book from
them, along with several articles and lessons. "Learn to Play Blues
Mandolin", featuring Steve with guitar support from john Sebastian, was
added to the Homespun Tapes catalog alongside his previous guitar video. In
addition, Steve taught at numerous guitar clinics and music camps including
The Swannanoa Gathering Guitar week, Jorma Kaukonen's Fur Peace Ranch, the
Centrum country blues and Heritage Week…and as host of his own guitar program
at the Kerrville Folk Festival. Austin Texas even gave Steve his own
"official Steve James day".
Steve James' guitar, slide
guitar, mandolin and banjo were heard - live and in the studio - in support
of artists as various as Kevin Russell of The Gourds and Howard Armstrong,
senior inventor of Afro-American string band music. Steve appeared on
compilations including the Grammy nominated "Preachin' the Blues… The
Music of Mississippi Fred McDowell" (for which Steve also wrote the
liner notes). His own retrospective CD, "Not For Highway Use… Austin
Sessions 1988-95" is also now available from his website.
Steve's
tour calendar for the coming year already includes multiple tours of Europe
and North America and another West Coast tour with stage and studio duet
partner Del Rey. The duo played to packed houses in Texas and on the West
coast during spring/summer of 2002 and has recently recorded a 9-song
(do-it-yourself) CD entitled "Twins", featuring a blend of classic
and original tunes with guitar, slide guitar, uke and mandolin aplenty.
 Click
the album cover to listen to song samples from,
purchase a copy of and learn more about
Fast Texas from Steve James
 Click
the album cover to listen to song samples from,
purchase a copy of and learn more about
Boom Chang from Steve James
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