Customer Reviews

Songs Famed for Sorrow and Joy

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Samuel James is a great, young Bluesman. He isn't quite at the level of Alvin Youngblood Hart and Corey Harris, the two greatest players alive today, but still has a lot to bring to the table. What he lacks in guitar-playing ability he makes for with his great story-telling quality and his voice. He is an extremely original lyricist. "Love & Mumbly Peg" and "Baby-Doll" are extremely enjoyable. James is a real throwback to the Country Bluesmen of yesteryear and is under thirty years of age, to the best of my knowledge. He can be easily contacted on MySpace. He's definitely an artist to watch; we'll be able to see him progress and become one of the true greats some day. "The Sad Ballad of Ol' Willie Chan" sounds like nothing else the Blues has ever produced. At his best, he is a mixture of Bob Dylan and Furry Lewis.

The public is just starting to become acquainted with Sam James, an extraordinarily talented young blues musician who vigorously upholds the old traditions, while spinning his own stories of hard - sometimes strange - times. His music is engaging, his lyrics and the narrative he is creating intelligent, challenging and amusing. He is a peerless live performer. Hear him now; if you have the opportunity to see him in person, don't think twice.

I've owned this CD for quite some time now having purchased it at the CD release party for it.
Mr. James is an amazing performer and a brilliant storyteller. Big Black Ben, One-Eyed Katie, and The Sad Ballad Of Ol' Willie Chan aren't just songs but almost fables, stories that make us laugh at and ponder the prejudices that lie just beneath the surface of humanity (or sometimes right on the surface).
A recording can't do him justice. See him live sometime and you'll see what I mean.

I seen him in Skowhegan Maine a couple months ago opening for Johnny Winters Band. Too be honest, I could not make out the lyrics very well in concert, but his playing blew me away. When I got home I went on Amazon and bought this album. I bought one from him that night too (he signed it and it is suppose to make it sound even better).
He was the hit of the night and his lyrics and playing ARE GREAT!

What an incredible performer! We first saw Samuel play last year in New Hampshire and he just blew us away. "Songs Famed for Sorrow and Joy" is a very exciting first album. Every song is his own. Buy the album and then check his schedule on his MySpace page and go see him!