Hello all, just wanted to pop an update to you all.
The new year isn’t so new anymore and I’m pushing the miles good and hard whilst travelling the length and breadth of the UK. Performing my one man show at a diverse range of venues nationwide whilst entertaining such varied audiences is simply a pleasure – although sleeping in the car some nights is less ‘glam’ 🙂
My tour dates are regularly updated at http://www.warrenjamesmusic.com – they’re filling incredibly and will continue to do so be sure to visit regularly – alternatively you can join me on facebook where it’s a lot more social and easier to keep in touch.
http://www.facebook.com/warrenjamesskifflestar
Tomorrow night I’m performing at Huntingdon Hall in Worcester, a wonderful venue, lots of character and history so if you live or know of anyone near by then come along – remember that you can call the box office and get in for just £5 if quote the discount code “Turbo5” otherwise it’s £15 – spread the word folks.
Having received a second review for my performance at Salford’s Lowry last month I thought I would share it with you as it’s lovely and rare to get such kind remarks, it really makes you feel like all of your hard work is worth it – thanks for your support and hope to see you on the road.
Warren James – The Skiffle Sessions
Resident in the Midlands but originally hailing from the Delta Blues not so hotspot of Warrington, Warren James would appear to be an unlikely champion of that particular musical genre. But thanks to exposure to his grandparents’ tastes in music, here he is entertaining the Lowry audience with a selection of hot blues, country and folk, heading back to the early days of the music. Billed as a skiffle show, James is at great pains to point out that the term skiffle relates not just to comedy songs about dustmen but to a whole area of DIY blues music stretching back a century to the Deep South of America and the culture of slaves before being picked up in a commercial sense.
Leading a three piece band with young guitarist Tom Wright, Steve Barr on a very battered double bass and James himself playing guitar, banjo, and a bass drum (his drummer, he tells us, called in sick this morning), his show is a brief education in the history of American folk music. Drawing heavily on the music of Lead Belly and Woody Guthrie, the first half of the set goes right back to the beginning of the genre with a sharp, clear, bluesy sound, only usually heard these days under the heavy crackle of old vinyl.
The trio make a very tight band of fine musicians and James’ English midlands speaking accent is replaced with such an authentic sounding American twang to reconstruct the songs, it’s easy to forget his own roots. After the interval, the more commercial and better known sounds of the genre come to the fore, with songs like Black Betty and Worried Man Blues as well as a frantic, tongue in cheek version of Lonnie Donegan’s Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavour? all helping to bring the evening to a very satisfactory conclusion.
All through the show, it’s evident that Warren James is a man in love with folk and blues music and the culture behind it, and this shines through in his performance. A performance that would have even people with no experience of this music, clapping and singing along to this pleasantly entertaining evening of Americana.
Reviewed Iain Sykes on 26th January 2014 – Public Reviews.com
Warren James 