Artist:     Colin James

Album:     Miles to Go

Label:     True North Records

Release Date:     10.3.2018

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Colin James is celebrating the 30^th anniversary of his first album release with something totally different. Miles to Go is a full-throttle blues album, unlike his early work and much simpler and stripped down from his ’90s swing masterpieces with his Little Big Band. However, looking more closely, James has always played blues whenever he could. Listen to his swing albums and the blues cuts are always the standouts.

On Miles to Go, James digs down into the deep darkness, brandishing his guitar on covers of blues masters Muddy Waters, Arthur Crudup, Howlin’ Wolf, and others. His own “I Will Remain” stands as a sincere ode to BB King. Blind Willie Johnson’s “Soul of a Man” asks one of those eternal questions while the percussion pounds out a steady heartbeat and blood flows through the intertwining of Colin’s acoustic guitar and  Steve Marriner’s haunting harmonica. The music seems to answer the question.

Acoustic and electric blues mix and weave seamlessly with the help of Colin’s smooth, moody vocals, as the miles begin with an energetic “One More Mile,” reminiscent of Paul Butterfield, and end acoustically when he reaches his destination. The simple sound of a single guitar and almost doo wop harmony pinpoint the journey’s end, as friends meet to rest their feet. Miles to Go is a journey well worth the wear and tear.

—Gene Knapp