James Howard: Guitar and Vocals
Jeff Tolbert: Bass
David Close: Keyboards
Andrew Rishikoff: Drums
Influences
Robert Johnson, Elvis Presley, BB King, Bob Dylan, The Beatles, Freddie King, Albert King, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Santana, Jimmy Page, Led Zeppelin, Richie Blackmore, Robin Trower, David Gilmour, Neil Schon, Pat Travers, Michael Schenker, Eddie Van Halen, Steve Morse, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Larry Carlton, Pat Metheny, Joe Pass
A transplant to Seattle from San Francisco California, James Howard is a stunning, talented and soulful singer and guitarist. A natural on the guitar, Howard blends the blues with inspiration from jazz, Latin and rock. With an entertaining mix of songs including a number of original
compositions, Howard and his band communicate with their audience the intensity of the blues and the fiery emotion of Howard's guitar work. The band has been playing a monthly showcase at the award winning Highway 99 Blues Club in Seattle for nearly a year, and the crowds have continued to build. A sought after session musician as well, Howard has lent his talents to numerous projects both in Seattle and California.
LA Based Music Connection Magazine says of Howard, “If you combined the guitar styles of Stevie Ray Vaughn and Jimi Hendrix you would produce the likes of James Howard. A guitarist extraordinaire, he mixes the intensity of Stevie Ray with the passion of Hendrix and plays some of the meanest blues this side of the Mississippi”… “He takes his phenomenal blues to places others have not, making the music his own. He has what it takes to bring the blues up to the next level and most definitely deserves attention from the A&R community.”
Recently "The James Howard Band" performed live for 75,000 listeners on KZOK Radio’s Bob Rivers show. Mixing passionate psychedelic electric guitar with inspirational themes, James is a life-long professional musician who has opened concerts for Robin Trower, John Waite, and UFO.
San Francisco Bay Area native James Howard showed an early talent for the guitar when as a teenager he was an in demand lead guitar player in local gigging bands. Inspired by the rock and pop music that he was hearing on the radio, James searched out the roots of this music in blues, jazz, folk, Latin and R&B and he explored all those styles.
At the age of 15 he played his first gig as a professional guitarist at a bar in Clearlake California. The bandleader glued a fake moustache onto James’ upper lip, adding a few years to his look.
Throughout The 1980’s James toured and recorded with a string of rock bands honing his style and developing his sound. In the 90’s he fronted his own band, culminating in the 1998 release of “electric rain” on Laughing Man Records. Electric Rain received some great reviews comparing James and his music to Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, The Beatles, Stevie Ray Vaughn, John Lennon, and Danny Gatton among others. James continued to tour with his four piece band wowing audiences with a dynamic and powerful live show. The follow up CD "Mayan Mystery" was released in 2003.
After this period of serious dedication to his work, James took a break from performing and retreated to Mt Shasta where he had a profound mystical experience infusing him with fresh inspiration and a newfound authenticity.
James Howard has recently released his third CD “Celebrate Life” featuring 11 original songs and an electric guitar instrumental version of "Amazing Grace". Summer of 2009 has James performing at “The University District Street Fair”, “The Taste of Tacoma” “The Highway 99 Blues Club”, “The Columbia City Theater” as well as some dates with kelle Bradley and Tiger Zane.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7HV-I63als
Hey! Thank you for supporting my music. Check out my web site at www.vanessathompson.net and my music videos at www.youtube.com. One of my youtube videos is below for you to hear. If you like it, feel free to put it on your page and share it with your friends. There are also some banners on my page if you want to use them on your page. If you have Facebook, please add me. Some are putting me in their top friends. The support is really appreciated. Hope you liked the cover on Hollywood Celebrity Magazine. If you like my music, please add it to your play list for others to hear. Thank you :)
My new music video to my song "Heartbreakin Game" should be coming out in the near future. There is also a fanpop page for me that has been set up. If you get a chance visit it at http://lnk.ms/0zvbC . You can also sign up to follow me on twitter at www.twitter.com/vanessathompson :)
Hey,
We posted some new recordings so check them out when you get a minute!
Also please sign our new guestbook and include a picture & comment if you'd like.
James it is absolutely magical down here. I managed to convince a club promotor to let me sit in with this jazz session tonight in Copacabana it will be so fun! See you in 09
James! I am sorry man I'm leaving for Brazil on the 13th and can't make your release party :( I can't wait to hear your newest expression of musical brilliance
