Nathan James has produced a brand-new album called Soul Count. Let’s first let Nathan explain what brought about this new direction:

“This is a collection of all original instrumentals recorded during the 2020 pandemic. Most of these compositions originated from improvised ‘live looping’ solo livestream performances.
 
The world changed in 2020 and just about everyone was affected by the change. Some of us were not so lucky while others got through it unscathed, but every soul counts as the pandemic continues. This is why I created Soul Count - a new style inspired in the moment by everything around me. Even through the uncertainty and not being unable to perform music for a living for the first time in my life, I was granted the chance to slow down and finally grasp this new artistic vision I’ve had in my head for years.

At first there was the adjustment of not having a schedule or any place I had to be for many days, weeks, and then months at a time. I couldn’t get motivated to do much creatively, but I did quickly find a way to adapt to the change by staying connected to my fans while performing online. I learned everything about live-streaming by many trials and errors. Without any restrictions or the pressure of having to hustle gigs to make it month to month, I began to live stream randomly at any time of the day or night. I began to experiment and completely not think about what I was going to play next. I had my guitars, foot percussion board, and vocals all going through a looping gadget where I could record and instantly play back any sound as I added more on top of it. I was wise to record all of my internet shows and later I’d go back to edit down 10-minute jams into 3 1/2-minute songs that make up what you hear on this album.”
 
All songs were written, recorded, mixed and mastered by Nathan James at his Sacred Cat Music studios. All guitars, octave bass, harmonica, washboard and foot percussion (including sampled drum sounds triggered on foot board) were played by James. There is also a very special guest appearance by Willis Jackson. He is the cat on track number ten.

Nathan James grew up in the small agricultural town of Fallbrook, in Northern San Diego County, California. “There wasn't a lot to do here, so you either got in trouble or found something productive to do with what you had around you!" Having supportive parents who didn't force him into college after high school allowed Nathan to go straight into the real world of a working musician. He now resides in Oceanside, about a half-hour southwest of Fallbrook, where he has his own Sacred Cat Studio, presided over by his cat, the aforementioned Willis Jackson the Cat. Many stellar recordings have emanated from this productive environment.

I have known Nathan James for about 20 years now, since he was hired by “Icepick” James Harman to replace Nathan’s childhood friend, Robby Eason, on guitar, who had decided that touring was not for him and suggested Nathan to Harman. Harman is one of my very favorite blue artists of all-time. Nathan was only 19 years old when he was hired by Harman and they did a tour which included my hometown of Des Moines, Iowa. Of course, I was there at Blues On Grand when they hit town. I was immediately impressed by his talent and poise. We became fast friends and have kept in touch ever since.

In addition to his work with Harman, Nathan has released many high-quality albums of his own, plus a couple with Ben Hernandez. (Nathan and Ben won the 2007 International Blues Challenge Solo/Duo competition.)

His first solo album came in 2003, an acoustic outing called This Road Is Mine, and which featured several guest spots by both Harman and Hernandez. I was especially impressed with not only his ability to channel legends like Tampa Red and Lonnie Johnson on guitar, but his singing struck me as particularly appealing. His voice is smooth and clear and his own and he has developed into what is one of my very favorite singers on the planet. And, oh, James Harman has flatly stated on multiple occasions that Nathan is his favorite guitar player. THAT is quite the testimonial.

2009’s I Don’t Know It, is another mostly solo effort, but with guest appearances from Harman, Troy Sandow, Marty Dodson, Carl Sonny Leyland, and Olivia Pierson.

His 2012 album, What You Make Of It, finds him in a band setting with the Rhythm Scratchers which are bassist and harmonica player Troy Sandow and drummer Marty Dodson. Harman also makes another appearance, as do the horns of Johnny Viau and Archie Thompson.

In 2014, Nathan had so much music bursting out of him, he released two albums simultaneously, the solo Hear Me Calling, and Natural Born That Way with the Rhythm Scratchers, along with the addition of Carl Sonny Leyland on piano on 7 of the 11 tracks. Additionally, Big Jon Atkinson adds rhythm guitar on 3 tracks.

Fourteen other musicians contribute to Nathan’s 2017’s What I Believe, including Dodson, Sandow, Harman, and Kim Wilson.

I have been very active on Facebook, and when the pandemic hit and social distancing/sheltering-in-place became the norm, one of the most positive developments to come out of this negative situation became the live streams by Nathan James. Expertly utilizing his ability to loop his own guitar riffs and drum/percussion beats, his live streams quickly became my favorite source for in-home entertainment.

The music that he was producing, mostly improvised on the spot, was certainly a departure from his previous mostly traditional blues work, but I absolutely fell in love with it. The guitar tones were massive, the beats and riffs interesting and catchy. What I was also impressed with is how he was able to get the drums to sound natural, as opposed to the annoying electronic, compressed thwack that you usually hear on backing tracks. The drum sounds breathe. The sound of Stephen J. Hodges’ massive bass drum sound even comes to mind at times. In addition to playing various guitars, including his home-made Wash-Tar, Nathan occasionally plays bass and harmonica.

The music that he gleaned from these live streams, and edited and mixed to create his new album, Soul Count, is unique. Yes, the primal blues is at the core, but that is just the foundation for the flights which allow him to spread his wings and explore new sonic territories and styles.

In fact, I struggle to even find any other artists’ work that is comparable to what we hear on Soul Count. The Australian one-man band of Claude Hay comes to mind, as he recorded some very fresh-sounding blues utilizing live looping as well. His 2011 release, Deep Fried Satisfied, was my introduction to Hay.

When Rick Holmstrom departed from his very traditional blues sound with his 2002 release, Hydraulic Groove, some of the music is somewhat reminiscent to what Nathan is doing on Soul Count, albeit with a band that included keyboards.

Then there are the three instrumental albums by Tyler Pedersen, that Nathan has recorded, helped produce, and also played some guitar on. There is the 2016 album, Swingin’ In Space, 2018’s Swingin’ Beyond and 2021’s Swingin’ in the Spirit. Tyler not only plays his usual instrument, the bass, but he heavily features what he calls the four guitar, a four-string lead instrument. Now a four-string lap steel guitar is featured on his latest outing. Tyler’s music is more spacey, swinging, and ethereal than the more primal, boisterous and forceful music you hear on Soul Count.

Other than those recordings, you will not hear anything else quite like Soul Count. It is clearly an early contender for my favorite album of 2021. The official release date for Soul Count was February 5th, 2021.

- Don “T-Bone” Erickson
DJ on KFMG 98.9 FM, Des Moines, Iowa’s Community Voice

Nathan has released the following three tracks as singles which can be heard and dowloaded on his Bandcamp page (https://nathanjames.bandcamp.com/):

In A Lockdown Funk
Soul Count
Drone Flight

If video is your thing, here is a YouTube video of Drone Flight:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyK6UODLgfU

In addition, Nathan put together a compilation video of some of the many highlights of his 2020 live streams, much of what ended up on Soul Count.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ln5e_DzfC4&feature=youtu.be

Nathan James Discography:

This Road Is Mine - Pacific Blues Records (2003)
Make A Change Sometime (with Ben Hernandez) - Pacific Blues Records (2005)
Hollerin’! (with Ben Hernandez) - Sacred Cat Recordings (2007)
The Carl Sonny Leyland Trio Meets Nathan James and Ben Hernandez - Sacred Cat Recordings (2007)                                                                                                                              I Don’t Know It - Sacred Cat Recordings (2009)
What You Make Of It (with the Rhythm Scratchers) - Delta Groove Music (2012)
Hear Me Calling - Sacred Cat Recordings (2014)
Natural Born That Way - Sacred Cat Recordings (2014)
A Night In Oceanside (with Chino Swingslide) - (2017)
What I Believe - Sacred Cat Recordings (2017)
Soul Count - Sacred Cat Recordings (2020)

Albums by James Harman that Nathan appears on:

Lonesome Moon Trance - Pacific Blues Records (2003)
James Harman’s Bamboo Porch Live At “Little Village” Volume One - Gulf Coast Records (2012)
Bonetime - Electro-Fi (2015)
fineprint - Electro-Fi (2018)

Plus, Nathan has appeared on numerous recordings as a guest musician, and has also served as producer on others. Some of his guest appearances, besides his work with Harman, include:

Jamie Wood
Missy Anderson
Candye Kane
Sue Palmer
Trickbag
The Mannish Boys
Big Creek Slim
Peter Nande
San Pedro Slim
James Day
Ben Powell
Chino Swingslide
Patrick Recob
Big Jon Atkinson
Kim Wilson
Al Blake
Tyler Pedersen
Billy Watson & His International Silver String Submarine Band
Bob Corritore
Blue Largo

Link to Nathan’s website, where you can purchase the downloads of any or all of the tracks:
http://www.nathandjames.com/

Link to his Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/nathandjamesmusic

I hope this generates additional interest in the stellar musical career of this very fine gentleman and human being!