photo credit: Kirsten Mohan
Quotes
Austin Chronicle:
“The specific excitement of his performances ought to be enough to convince anyone that there is something real, something unfeigned, something vital in the hands and throat of a master like James.”
Scottish Herald:
“The old masters clearly passed on the secret of achieving the blues musicians goal of ‘oneness’-that state of grace where voice, hands, guitar, bottleneck and feet coalesce and the fingers finish phrases the voice begins or vice-versa”.
Gavin Report/Americana Picks:
“…had me hopping from the first four bars”
Dirty Linen:
“Flawless fingerpicking and slide guitar paired with an idiosyncratic style and an exuberant performance persona make James come on like a full band.”
Sing Out:
“James has a rare gift for using traditional forms with complete naturalness…”
Blues & Rhythm (UK):
“Since Ry Cooder moved into film music…Steve James has achieved the best balance between skill, humor and eclecticism”
Blues Access:
“James pulls off riffs that no one this side of Mississippi John Hurt or prime Leo Kottke has committed to tape in years”.
Washington Post:
It says alot about James’ gift as a musician and storyteller that his own songs possess much of the same charm of the same charm of the older songs he performs”.
Houston Chronicle:
“…an underground legend”