Sunday Morning Blues - Samuel James (Songs Famed For Sorrow And Joy)

I couldn't find a lot of detail about Samuel James. I did find he is a musician who can trace his roots back to the 1890s, musicians all the way. An American blues guitarist, deftly playing roots, electric, and other blues - on guitar, banjo, or piano.

Samuel James

Songs Famed For Sorrow And Joy

Label: NorthernBlues Music
Released: 2008
Genre: Electric Blues, Country Blues, Talking Blues

I found Samuel's second full album rummaging through the music store, and picked it up just because of the title. This is undoubtably some awesome slide guitar. All the vocals works tell stories, in the manner or talking blues - though he sings the lines more than just talks them out. Most of them humorous stories about some very interesting characters.

All thirteen tracks are original music, the whole thing is Samuel and his guitar. No accompaniment at all, harking back to the very early blues records when it was just one artist in front of a mic. While all the vocal tracks are great, and the kind of music you want to stomp along to and dance a bit. It's the two instrumentals I keep coming back to.

Wooooooo Rosa and Runnin' From My Baby's Gun, Whilst Previously Watching Butterflies From My Front Porch. The second probably the greatest song title I have ever encountered. Samuel's slide guitar is smooth and solid. Parts of his playing remind me greatly of Leo Kottke, not a compliment you can put out there lightly. He has the same smooth style, quick picking, uptempo rhythms, and overall ability to evoke imagery with the music (the notes as much as the change ups).

If you like slide guitar, electric blues, and good old blues songs that tell some wicked stories, this album is well worth checking out. I will definitely be finding and adding more of his music to the collection in the future.