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Official Site: www.colinjames.com
iSound Site: www.isound.com/colin_james_official
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Colin James is back in the spotlight. With the release of his tenth album Limelight – a stunning blend of soul, rhythm and roots – Colin is striking a chord with fans old . . . and new.
“I've found something musically that I like more than anything, and that's soul,” Co |
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Colin James is back in the spotlight. With the release of his tenth album Limelight – a stunning blend of soul, rhythm and roots – Colin is striking a chord with fans old . . . and new.
“I've found something musically that I like more than anything, and that's soul,” Colin says. “It doesn't have to be soul music in the traditional sense, but soulful. I'm looking for more than just a hook. I want something that has emotional energy, a bit of a yearning to it. It's the kind of sound that almost anyone can appreciate.”
With a career that spans blues, rock, big band and r&b, Colin is recognized as a guitar virtuoso and a musician of the highest integrity. His self-titled debut for Virgin America created a global buzz and quickly went multi-platinum in Canada. After more than a million records sold and six Juno awards, Colin James just keeps getting better and better.
“It's funny, but I'm starting to love singing now more than almost anything. I love to play guitar too. But I'm starting to feel that I'm singing better than I've ever sung. I enjoy it more, and I don't think about it the way that I used to.”
Limelight is Colin's first album for MapleMusic Recordings. The album is packed with 14 tracks, from carefully chosen covers like Van Morrison's classic “Into The Mystic” and Bob Dylan's “Watchin' The River Flow,” to selection of soulful originals like “Far Away Like a Radio” and “Better Way to Heaven,” which showcase Colin's development as a singer and a songwriter.
“We aren't following some magic formula. It isn't, ‘here's the hit song, here's some filler, here's another hit.' I'm really trying to put everything into every song, and have each song stand on its own merits. I also wanted to make a record that was listenable, even at lower volumes. Something that could fill a room every once in a while, without pounding. Of course, there are some songs that really rock out - I can't help myself - but there is a lot of stuff that is much more mellow and introspective.”
Limelight is produced by Colin Linden, whose credits include work with Bruce Cockburn and The Band. The two Colins have been friends since they were teenagers, when the prodigies shared stages along Canada's folk festival circuit, and teamed up eight years ago for the Juno Award winning album National Steel .
“Colin and I have known each other a long time, so when we get together there is a lot of trust there. Not only is he a great player and songwriter in his own right, he knows every stage of what I've done, from rock to blues to the Little Big Band stuff. Colin knows where I come from, and instinctively understood where I wanted to go with Limelight .”
The new album features a cast of supporting players whose work encompasses a who's who of rock and soul. Drummer Jim Keltner has worked with everyone from Dylan (he played on the original recording of “Watching the River Flow”) and the Stones, to Eric Clapton and Ry Cooder. Bassist Reggie McBride includes Aretha Franklin, Van Morrison, James Brown and Stevie Wonder in his resume, while Hutch Hutchinson, best-know as Bonnie Raitt's bassist, has spent time with the Neville Brothers, Elton John, Al Green, and B.B. King.
The first single “Far Away Like a Radio,” is a collaboration between Colin, Craig Northey of the Odds and Strippers' Union, and Tom Wilson, Colin Linden's Blackie and the Rodeo Kings band mate. With a catchy, gospel-inspired groove, the song has quickly secured a spot on rock radio playlists.
“On My Way Back To You” is another stand out track. Co-written with frequent collaborator Craig Northey, it might just be Colin's favourite original on the album.
“It started off as just a simple love song, and grew from there. We went from singing about a relationship to something even bigger, a kind of meditation on the human spirit. It's also virtually a live take. On the lead vocal, I probably changed two words: that's it.”
Limelight finds Colin writing again with Jeff Trott, whose work with Sheryl Crow has produced such memorable hits as “Every Day Is A Winding Road” and “Soak Up the Sun.” Jeff and Colin teamed up for two fan favourites on Traveller , “You and Whose Army” and “Skydiving.” The new song is the haunting gem “Speakeasy,” one of the finest crafted songs of Colin's career.
Colin has already road-tested a number of the new songs on his recent European tour. He'll play select dates across Canada before a national tour that includes Toronto's venerable Massey Hall, in February, 2006.
“I've been touring with a small horn section: trumpet and sax. It's a dream for me. It gives me a lot of flexibility. I can bop into a couple of Little Big Band songs, then go back into a soul number; the horns even sound great in some of my old rock stuff. It's really kind of unifying the phases of my career.”
With a new album, a new tour and a new sense of artistic discovery, Colin James is ready to step into the limelight again . . . to build on his reputation as a dazzling performer and musician whose talent continues to shine. |
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