Returning to the qathet region for the first time since his last show here in 2010, Canadian Music Hall of Fame member Colin James will be playing at Evergreen Theatre in Powell River Recreation Complex on November 10.
The Saskatchewan-born musician is perhaps best known for his 1988 self-titled debut album featuring hit songs, “Voodoo Thing” and “Five Long Years.” However, his 2016 album Blue Highways brought James to number one on the Roots Music Report’s Blues Chart. More recently, his 2019 release Miles To Go earned him the Juno Award for Blues Album of the Year.
On November 5, James releases his 20th studio album, Open Road, and his band is back on the road for the Blues Trio Tour of BC and Alberta (originally scheduled for spring of 2020).
After working on the album for two-and-a-half years, the seven-time Juno award winner is beyond excited to be on the road again. But, it’s been a challenge getting back into the swing of things.
“It’s the enormity of the amount of work that started after two years of doing nothing,” said James. “You know, apart from just trying to survive and keep the business afloat.”
After months of delays due to the pandemic, he said this project is finally coming to fruition with the album release and his tour starting up.
“As exciting as it is to get going, it’s a bit of anxiety, too, because you’ve been home with your dogs, and now it’s like, oh my god, I gotta go out and actually play these songs again,” he added with a laugh. “The worst thing about this whole thing is to not play for two whole years with the kind of intensity that we do live; it’s just so strange.”
For the upcoming shows, he has two musicians playing with him, including fellow Canadian and Juno-winning instrumentalist Steve Marriner playing harmonica and doubling on other instruments. Joining them from Austin, Texas, is Anders Drerup, a competitor on The Voice, season 18.
James said playing with Marriner and Drerup as a trio will be a fun experience. There’s more opportunity to talk between songs, chatting up the crowd, explaining where a song was written or where the inspiration came from.
“Both of these guys playing with me are pretty freakin’ awesome musicians,” added James. “So I can’t wait to start rehearsals and get this ready.”
Into the new year, James said they would likely tour most of Canada before heading off to Los Angeles to begin a 19-show tour with Buddy Guy in March.
“It’s exciting,” he added. “I’m finally starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.”
James said making Open Road was frustrating at times. Everything took much longer than normal. He engineered much of the album remotely with a London-based producer and wasn’t always able to fly in his band members.
“Usually you go in, you do your bed tracks in a week with the band,” said James. “They go home. I go home, take a breath, come back to the studio, and I do three weeks solid with the producer side by side. And that’s how you get a record done. Not over months and months over the phone. So it was just challenging.”
He said his last three records were more traditional blues, and this album is a bit more Americana. There are four or five more contemporary songs on Open Road where he wanted to show listeners he was growing and trying some new stuff.
One of the songs on the album, which James describes as a “Chuck Berry rocker,” called “Leave this House”, was written back in 1991.
Another track, “Raging River”, is about a dream and features a heavy slide-guitar feel without being bluesy, and a testament to his musical range and dynamic style.
Over the years, this concept of the road has been a common theme across James’ music. He said it’s about following the road ahead and being ready for the turns. When something wasn’t working musically, he tried something new.
“It’s my 20th record, and to be able to have a chance to show different sides of what you do over the years, to not just do the same thing every time, is a privilege for sure.”
Open Road is available to order online at Stony Plain Records. Here is a full list of concert dates and tickets for his upcoming tour.
