Album Notes

Nicholas James is a guitarist, and a songwriter perpetually on the move. From the Funk/Rock inspired original songs of his early recordings through the powerful Psychedelic Blues/Rock created during his years touring the Midwest to the modern approach of his current work as a solo artist, Nicholas’ creative playing and writing continually lead him and his listeners into new territory.

Born in Milwaukee, WI. as a child Nicholas was introduced to the sounds of Motown, the Beatles, and Elvis. Rhythm instruments (specifically guitar, bass, drums and piano) fascinated him. At age 9, his Mother brought home a classical guitar. “I tried taking lessons but wanted to play electric (guitar) so I gave up pretty fast.“- N. James The itch never left and by 7th grade, he finally “plugged in”. From the moment he plucked out the first few notes, he had fallen in love.
Nicholas was already singing and playing in public before he was old enough to drive. As a teenager, the riffs, licks and chords he learned from listening to his idols, soon evolved into his own music. In the early 1990s Nicholas and a few of his high school buddies formed a band, and mostly performed Nicholas’ material. In this group Nicholas experienced many of his musical firsts; from becoming comfortable performing in front of people, to recording in a studio, and dealing with the business of the industry. It was truly the beginning of his musical education.

In 1999 while attending the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music, Nicholas’ “real” education came on weekends, as he hit the road with growing confidence and increasing frequency, developing his signature melodic solos and dynamic range in order to grab and hold the attention of noisy bar crowds. From 1999-2004 His band, “Little Jimmy and the Blackbirds” was a local favorite. They played dive bars, clubs, and major music venues throughout the Midwest. From the yearly Harley rallies to opening up for James Brown and Al Green at Milwaukee’s Summerfest, the unique chemistry between the three band-mates allowed for some powerful live moments. With “the Blackbirds” Nicholas entered the studio. Together they produced three CDs containing Nicholas’ material. This was a time of experimentation and education. Nicholas had the opportunity to watch and talk with many different national performers who furthered his understanding of music and the music biz.

In the spring of 2001, Nicholas temporarily relocated to Paris, France. Playing and hanging out with European musicians had a profound effect on his style and playing, not to mention his overall outlook on the world. In the past 6 years, he’s been back to Paris several times, traveled to Holland, Spain, and Switzerland. “The coolest thing about playing with musicians from other countries is seeing firsthand how music truly is a universal language.”-N. James

Nicholas’ career has been full of surprises and he's no stranger to change, both sudden and slow. In 2003, Nicholas moved to NYC. He’s been sticking to the tenets of blues and soul on the New York City front lines since. Here he continues to move forward in his heartfelt quest for a unique approach to writing and playing modern soul music. -Unknown