Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble, B.B. King, Bobby Bland, Otis Redding, Earth, Wind & Fire, Muddy Waters, Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Wonder, Eric Clapton, Dr. John, Harry Connick Jr., Howlin' Wolf, Buddy Guy, Chris Thomas King, Albert King, Everclear, Billy Joel, The Beatles, The Who, Booker T. & The MG's, Ben Folds, Church.
St. James Infirmary, the 4-piece band from San Antonio Texas, makes a rare flavor of music - "New
Blues." Ideas central to this frontier genre include the integration of interesting drumming
styles such as of heavy, driving rock beats, and tight, buoyant hip-hop grooves. Traditional
Blues chord progressions are greatly supplemented with innovative (though neither experimental nor
unstructured) changes.
In 2003, lead singer/pianist Jaime Ramirez and guitarist J.J. Greene met on the job at an
amusement park where both worked tech. The two began to meet together in basements, garages, and
cramped rooms where they played improvisatory music as well as blues standards, as both had love for the
soulful side of music. After taking the next step into open-mic sessions, the duo became a
regular facet of the informal music scene.
Early in 2005, a band began to emerge with the addition of James Phillips, bass player. After
having seen James play his instrument in a University choir concert, Jaime petitioned him to
consider playing with the two aspiring blues musicians. This new trio met for practice in
Jaime's garage, and James was brought to speed, learning many of the songs the original two had
mastered. The band's first appearance was at Crabby Jack's, and a last-minute drummer from
another band playing was added for the engagement that night.
The final addition to St. James Infirmary came in 2006 to replace the group's former drummer, who
had played with the group during their formative time. The new drummer was Alex De Hoyos,
long-time friend of James Phillips, and fellow University classmate and chorister of both Jaime
and James. After his exceptional audition, rehearsals came underway, and in little time Alex saw
his first experience at a downtown park, the Botanical Gardens.
The live St. James Infirmary experience is rowdy excitement resulting from honest, made-by-heart
melody. No contrivance of mechanical, soul-vacant music need ever be endured by a St. James fan
at a St. James show. Alex assures you your feet will tap, and your head will bounce. The two
guitar players, James and J.J. guarantee to bend their strings in the most raucously arciform
manner to be witnessed South of the North Pole. Jaime vows to wail such absurdly dirty vocal
melodies that he'll make "blue-notes" sound diatonic.
We like people who like the music that we like, and we like a lot of music.
Hello friends! THREAD ATLAS will be @ Tantra in San Marcos on October 30th. This is our 1st show with the new line-up and we're excited as hell! Thanks from all of us.
