Colin James: Chasing The Sun Review
Colin James has been making music for over forty years. Born in Regina, Canada as Colin Munn, his rise to prominence has a made for TV script. Stevie Ray Vaughan was performing in Colin’s hometown in 1984 when the scheduled opening band was a no-show, Colin and members of a local band cobbled together a set of blues covers to fill the void. Vaughan was so impressed he invited the young guitarist to join him for the encore and then to become a permanent opener on the tour. Rumor has it that Vaughan suggested the ‘James’ stage name as the PA announcements of Colin’s surname came across sounding more like ‘Mud’ than Munn. In 1987 James was recognized as the “Most Promising Artist” by CASBY (Canadian Artists Selected By You). In 1988 his first self-titled album was the fastest-selling album in Canadian history and the follow-up album Sudden Stop would produce the hit “Just Came Back,” which reached number 3 on the U.S. radio charts and earned him the Juno Award for “Single of the Year.” The ’90s would see Colin James and the Little Big Band help usher in the swing revival with albums in 1993, 1998, and later in 2006. When James wasn’t working on the Little Big Band project, he continued to release rock, blues, and acoustic albums. The album National Steel would win the 1998 Juno award for Best Blues Album. James would start collecting the first of 31 Maple Blues Awards in 1997.
Fast forward to 2016 with the album Blue Highways spending 10 weeks at No. 1 on the Roots Music Report’s (RMR) Blues Chart. Miles To Go released in 2018 would debut on the Billboard Blues Charts and hold a position on the RMR Blues Chart for 24 weeks. Miles To Go would win the 2019 Juno award for Blues Album of the Year. 2021’s Open Road would win the same award in 2022.
Chasing The Sun has quite the run of excellence to perpetuate. Long time friend, collaborator and producer of five previous Colin James albums, Colin Linden would help ensure that the momentum would not only continue but gain traction. Linden, an accomplished guitarist in his own right, would help bring in some hefty names to contribute to the project. Lucinda Williams, Darryl Jones (bass) and Charley Drayton (drums), who have backed Miles Davis and The Rolling Stones, plus harmonica legend Charlie Musselwhite and gospel greats Ann and Regina McCrary. Stevie Ray Vaughan and Joe Bonamassa keyboardist Reese Wynans also makes a cameo on the album.
The album consists of seven originals and four covers and released shortly after James’ 60th birthday in August. It was produced in Linden’s Pinhead Studios in Nashville. Linden would also contribute guitar, bass, and dobro on the album. The originals were authored by James along with longtime contributor Tom Wilson (Blackie and the Rodeo Kings), the MacDonald Brothers (The Trews) and a host of others with many of the writing sessions taking place in Wilson’s home.
The album opens with “Protection,” a Lucinda Williams cover in which she also trades vocals with James on an upbeat motivational song about rising above the distractions and drama that take away from the best things in life. ‘I need protection from the enemy of love (righteousness, good, and kindness).’ “I’m Still Alive” with a classic B.B. King riff, Colin reminds that as long he’s still standing his musical passion will be ‘Still Alive.’ James adds in a little bluesy swing to compliment of Musselwhite’s harp on a lively cover of Linden’s “Devilment.” A mellow ballad “Crystal Ball” tells of how in times of trouble we lose context and if we could only see how things eventually turnout things wouldn’t be so bad. The mellow mood continues with “How It Feels To Be Loved” only it’s not a fortune telling orb that provides solace but that one person that truly loves you. With a sound reminiscent of Seals and Crofts, “Star Studded Sky” tells of fixing a troubled love and journeying back to those magical days of uplifting euphoria. “Too Far Gone” flips the script with some nice organ work and backing vocals and looks at coming to terms that some broken relationships don’t need mending. “In My Own Dream,” a Paul Butterfield cover, follows a similar theme with more acoustic based personal reflection. “Open Your Mind” brings a message about leaving trouble and sorrow behind by keeping an open mind with some nice haunting slide work. The rocker on this album, “This Song Kills Hate” is a modern protest song against the divisiveness perpetuated by the media. James and Musselwhite take us to a lazy front porch day with some classic acoustic and harmonica on John Hammond’s “Come To Find Out.”
While it remains to be seen if Chasing The Sun receives the same recognition of its predecessors, it certainly delivers a mature well-polished sound with heady lyrics and good life advice themes. You can listen to it on repeat, shuffle, repeat and shuffle, it’s a solid delivery through and through.
The Review: 8/10
Can’t Miss Tracks
– Protection
– Open Your Mind
– Come To Find Out
– This Song Kills Hate
– Star Studded Sky
The Big Hit
– Protection