John James (guitarist)

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John James
James on stage in Greenwich, England, 1982
James on stage in Greenwich, England, 1982
Background information
Born1947 (age 73–74)
Lampeter, Wales
GenresFolk, pop, rock, jazz, blues
Occupation(s)Musician
InstrumentsGuitar
Years active1968–present
LabelsTransatlantic, Kicking Mule
Websitejohnjamesguitarist.com

John James is known, primarily, as a solo acoustic fingerstyle guitarist, composer and entertainer. His popular appeal is attributed to his ability to entertain with musicianship and humour, a blend of presentation and performance that has brought the art of the fingerstyle guitar, from the dedicated guitar fans to the appeal of a wider audience.

Biography[]

Early days.. Born and raised in the hills of West Wales the first live music John heard was in the chapel. Congregational hymn singing with an emphasis on harmony. When he bought his first record ( Little Richard's Tutti Frutti/Long Tall Sally ) at 10 years old, he was already two years into classical piano study. After dabbling with different musical instruments including the drums and chromatic harmonica,by his 12th birthday,the piano was forsaken for the guitar.

First public performance was in a skiffle cum rock'n roll group at the local Cymru Groes youth club. The following year the beat group Dave and the Diamonds, was formed which became the Roadrunners. In 1965 JJ moved to Aberystwyth & joined the Xenons, playing a more pop based repertoire. Playing lead guitar, his on-stage gear was first a Futurama guitar into a Watkins Dominator amp and Watkins Copycat echo combination later upgrading to a Burns Jazz solid & Vox Supertwin amp. But in 1966 fingerstyle was taking over with the help of the studies of Sor & BMG Magazine,the electric gear was replaced by a Levin Goliath (LN-26). A dreadnought shaped guitar with maple back and sides. In 1967 with a head full of such diverse guitar sounds as Seqovia,Lonnie Johnson,Charlie Byrd,Django Reinhardt,Ida Presti,Wes Montgomery,Hank Marvin and Duane Eddy, John James left for London.

Arriving in London in the Spring of 1967 JJ did the rounds of the city's folk clubs playing floor spots with an acoustic guitar. Then various gigs at prominent venues such as Middle Earth (Round House) opening for Led Zepplin & Blue Cheer (billed as the loudest band in the world ...at the time). The Klooks Kleek club, opening for Junior's Eyes, Brian Auger's Trinity (Julie Driscoll). Then through a friendship with John Martyn, JJ was taken up by the Sandy Glennon Agency. Other artistes on Sandy's books at the time, included Cliff Aungier, Gerry Lockran, Hamish Imlach, Alex Campbell,John Martyn,Sandy Denny,Johnny Silvo & Diz Disley. JJ joined the prestigious roster and started running round the folk clubs and colleges of Britain. One of the rites of passage for musicians at the time was recording a session for John Peel's BBC Radio programme Nightride, John James was on the show in 1969. First solo acoustic guitar recordings were made in Bob Hall's front room in S.London,and released on the Saydisc label on the compilation album Blues like Showers of Rain. (amongst others featured were Joanne Kelly,Dave Kelly,Francis McGillivray and Mike Cooper.)

A contract with Transatlantic records followed. Transatlantic was a high profile independent label with the Pentangle, Gordon Giltrap, Billy Connolly, Gerry Rafferty, Paul Brady, Ralph McTell, Steve Tilston & Mr Fox amongst the acts on the label. However the first tracks by John James that Transatlantic released was on the Contemporary Guitar Sampler. A budget album that also featured Bert Jansch,John Renbourn, Gordon Giltrap and Mike Rogers. JJ's track And the Dog was Sleeping in the Corner was recorded at Bill Leader's house in N.London. JJ's first solo release was the album “Morning brings the Light” and followed by “John James ” both albums made up of mostly own songs and guitar instrumentals.

At the end of 1970 John James left London to live in Cornwall and join the Famous Jug Band, replacing Clive Palmer. Clive after his short time with the Incredible String Band had formed the Famous Jug Band with Jill Johnson, Henry the Jug (Mick Barlett) and Pete Berryman. The gig was short lived but resulted in Pete and John making an album of acoustic guitar instrumentals. The repertoire of which consisted mostly of compositions by John & Pete .The musical arrangements were of true duets, each guitar having a musical part making up the whole rather than a lead gtr and rhythm guitar format. This is heard to good effect on tracks such as Conquistador and Kicking up the Dust. The album which was recorded in Sound Techniques,Chelsea & produced by Stefan Grossman was released on Transatlantic & entitled Sky in my Pie. Transatlantic were eager to have a guitar duo album to follow in the footsteps of the Jansch/Renbourn release of 1966 . Sky in my Pie was one of the first albums to be advertised in a Sunday paper colour supplement ,due to the PR whizz Mick McDonagh. It has since been re-issued twice. In Spring 2012 Pete & John recorded videos of some of the tracks off Sky In my Pie. These are posted on YouTube.

Video's

In 1974 through Transatlantic and Polyvideo (Leeds) John James presented the first guitar instruction video, playing a guitar made by John Bailey, borrowed from Bert Jansch. The guitar is now with Richard Barrett in Cornwall.The project was shot on film, then transferred to video,but due to the high expenses of such an exercise at the time Transatlantic got cold feet and put it on the back burner,where it stayed. A booklet to accompany the video was produced, First Steps in Folk Guitar,with a guitar notation system devised by Bob Bater, a journalist from Bristol, entitled Unitab. JJ had to wait for technology to develop and eventually a new guitar instruction video was recorded and released by Virgin Vision in the Music Makers series presented by Jools Holland.

1974

Recordings made at Chipping Norton Studios in 1974 with Danny Thompson bass & Jim Cuomo saxophone/clarinet and featuring mostly JJ's compositions were not released.But further sessions at Chipping Norton produced the guitar instrumental album Head in The Clouds released in 1975. This featured three tracks with John Renbourn,Wormwood Tangle, Stranger in The World and Georgemass Junction. These were the first recordings of John Renbourn and John James together. JJ played a Levin Goliath & JR a Gibson J50. The album won Melody Maker Album of the Month in the folk category.

In 1976 John James & John Renbourn collaborated again on JJ's album Guitar Jump (working title) released on Kicking Mule Records as Descriptive Guitar Instrumentals .The three tracks were New Nothing ,Guitar Jump and From the Bridge . JJ played a Fylde Oberon & JR a Guild D55. Also on this record were a couple of tracks with American guitarist Duck Baker making his UK recording debut. The album was recorded at Livingston Studios, N.London. Engineer Nic Kinsey was at the controls. His skill and expertise as a sound engineer was immense, and many musicians gained valuable knowledge working with Nic. Livingston Studios named after it's founder was originally conceived as a dubbing studio for film music and Ray Kinsey worked there. Ray was Nic's father, later under Nic's guidance the studio changed direction & became a mecca for the production of acoustic music.

The album Descriptive Guitar Instrumentals won Best Contemporary Instrumental Album 1977 ( Acoustic News) This followed John James guesting on Renbourn's album The Hermit. Duetting on the early music pieces A Toye and Lord Willoughby's Welcome Home, also recorded with Nic Kinsey at Livingston. JJ's next release was again on Kicking Mule Records (a label put together by Ed Denson and Stefan Grossman) Live in Concert album recorded over 3 nights at Studio Theatre, The Round House in London. The Stranglers were on in the main auditorium at the same time. Chris Billings( the multi talented Chris Billings) joined JJ on the Round House stage. playing guitar parts formerly recorded by John Renbourn & Pete Berryman, Through the Kicking Mule guitar shows JJ met New Yorker Happy Traum . It sparked a touring partnership and enduring friendship.

USA tours

Through the association with Happy Traum and Homespun Tapes. JJ toured the USA several times during the late 70's and early 80's. Though mostly playing venues on the East Coast such as The Other End, NY., Joyous Lake,Woodstock. Passim's, Boston and on the West Coast, McCabes,Santa Monica,LA . The Catalyst, Santa Cruz. Freight & Salvage, San Francisco etc. In association with Kicking Mule records JJ also toured in the USA with Bert Jansch & Martin Jenkins.

1981 saw the release of the album With a Suitcase Shaped like that on 12th Street records featuring a repertoire of international guitar music from South America & Europe including arrangements of harp tune's from Wales. The next year John formed Stoptime Recordings in partnership with Paul Perlin. The first album release was Flamenco Horizons featuring flamenco guitarist Marcos. This album was recorded at Dave Pegg's Woodworm studios in Oxfordshire.

In 1984 JJ was in Woodworm Studios again to record the album Acoustica Eclectica . From these sessions with Chris Billings (bass, flute vocals) and Dick Heckstall-Smith (saxophone) the band 3 Space was born. The album also had two tracks with Pete Berryman- Rain on the Window and Dangling, the first time the two guitarists had recorded together since Sky in my Pie (1971)

After opening for blues legends such as Mississippi Fred McDowell, Doctor Ross, John Lee Hooker along the way, a highlight came in 1981 when John toured the UK with Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee. It was the final tour for the duo in the Britain.


Selected Discography[]

  • Morning Brings the Light (Transatlantic, 1970)
  • John James (Transatlantic, 1971)
  • Sky in My Pie (Transatlantic, 1972)
  • Head in the Clouds (Transatlantic, 1975)
  • Descriptive Guitar Instrumentals (Kicking Mule, 1976)
  • Live in Concert (Kicking Mule, 1978)
  • With a Suitcase Shaped Like That (12th Street Records, 1981)
  • Acoustia Eclectica (Stoptime, 1984)
  • Guitar Music (Stoptime, 1988)
  • Carolina Shout (Stoptime 1989) with Eddie Walker
  • Side Steppin' (Stoptime 1993) with Eddie Walker
  • Guitar Greats: John James (Stoptime, 2009)
  • Cafe Vienna (Stoptime 2013)
  • John James (BGO 2017) CD reissue of Transatlantic LP's.

Bibliography[]

  • Advanced Fingerpicking Guitar, Ragtime and More! (2004). Homespun Tapes (CDJAMRG99).
  • Jools Holland's Music Makers - The Guitar With John James DVD (2001). Beckmann Visual Publishing.
  • Grossman, Stefan (Ed.) Contemporary Fingerpicking Guitar Workshop (Almo Publications, 1981).
  • Grossman, Stefan (Ed.) Fingerpicking Guitar Solos (Chappell Music Ltd., 1979)

References[]

External links[]

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