Album Notes

With the majesty of Alaska as a backdrop, James Cahall's third and most technical album reflects the struggle to grow into life's ever-changing roles. A daughter's birth, a renewed project, and a soulful voyage are poignantly expressed through his dream-like and joyful melodies. Just as you think the terrain is familiar, James' music shifts and leads you to mountains you never knew existed. As you listen, feel the cold depths of a glacier paired with the lightness of an Alaskan summer wind, and be open to follow an uncharted path through your own frontiers.

With the gift of an organ at age 5, James began his lifelong musical journey. The son of a disabled mother and her care provider-turned companion, his financially meager childhood was blessed by a supportive and spiritually rich home in Ukiah, CA. “Though my family had to make difficult choices, they never sacrificed my musical education.” James’ music is greatly influenced by his early mentors and New Age artists Thomas Ganoung and Spencer Brewer as well as the Classical greats Frederic Chopin and Sergei Rachmaninoff. “I found my voice through exploring the beauty and sorrow of their timeless music and its impact on my life.”

James now enjoys surfing and disc golf, communing with nature in a way that feeds his creative impulses. Alongside a challenging yet rewarding career in Aerospace Engineering, he devotes his free time to his true passion of creating music. “Composing allows me to break free of the worries of tomorrow, and focus on the present moment.”

His three albums, The Day Before Tomorrow, Coming Home, and Uncharted, tell a story of love, confusion, and hope and have been compared to albums by New Age pianists Jim Brickman and George Winston. Through broken 10th chord progressions, the The Day Before Tomorrow’s opening song, “Superhero in the Musicbox,” conveys the universal dream of a child to make his mark on the world. In Coming Home’s “Skipping Stones,” the listener is taken on a modal journey through regrets of past transgressions and the joy that comes with moving on. A relaxing winter tribute, Coming Home’s “Embers,” evokes memories of times spent with family and friends, huddled around a warm fire. In the words of New Age Stars reviewer BT Fasmer, James’ “bright and positive melodies illustrate the happy feeling of a long-sought homecoming. He plays with the force and authority of a true master.” Uncharted's "Awakening" has been described as "an epic masterpiece that is bound to be one of the most acclaimed songs of the year."

James performs at 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica, CA. and small local venues including the Jeanie Madsen Art Gallery. His emotional collection of soul-seeking melodies serves as a foundation for his future works. Ultimately, he wants his music to be a source of strength for his audience. “Live each day as if it were your last. Cherish each moment as if it were for the first time.”