La Vie en Bleu
Paul James Band
CD – Canadian - 2003-08-01

CD Review by
Karla Ingleton-Darocas - www.Darocas.com -  Spain

It doesn't matter if it is deep blues, ragtime, swing, rolling rock, walking blues, electric blues or folk rock that gets you moving and grooving, it can all be found on the latest CD by Canadian party legend, Paul James. In tribute to his long standing fans and friends, Paul James and his band have put together an assembly of requested songs. Now, is this smart marketing or loyalty, in either case, the songs are musically faultless while the production is clear and crisp.

Paul James has carved a niche that has reached the hearts of many music lovers throughout the globe. Even his number one fan, fellow musician Bob Dylan, is paid homage on this new CD.

Without spoiling the surprise of this CD, let me say that it features all of Paul’s super-sonic vocals that express and accentuate the themes of all the songs. If he is singing about pain, you can expect to hear some groans. If he is singing about sex, you can expect to hear some groans. However, it is exactly those entertaining qualities, yells, shouts, groans and whispers, which add to the frenzy and excitement of the songs. Of course, Paul James has a vocal inflection that can’t be compared to anyone either. His voice is as unique a trademark as his guitar style. Picking and sliding his way through a variety of themes ranging from poverty to death, sex to loneliness, women to alienation – Paul’s guitar wildly or gently sparks the mood. 

As I stated, the musicianship is flawless, as it should be after performing together as a solid band for over 25 years. How many bands can state that? Gary Gray has always managed to dazzle on the keys, while Brian Kipping could melt butter on the bass. Hard-hitting action has always backboned this band thanks to Adrian Vecchiola. On this CD, a couple of the jazzier / raggier tunes feature Sarah McElcheran on trumpet and Jim Bish on saxaphones.

Alec Fraser of Toronto, who over the years has developed a sharp ear for the blues and hence knows how to stage its delivery with a sharp punch without loosing the raw energy, did the engineering of this CD. The tracks flow with the intuitive arrangement benched on what the listener would want to hear in the course of a night.

Again, without tossing the baby out with the bathwater, I would like to mention some of the new tracks scripted by Paul James. I am sure that one of them must be a tribute to his fiancé – Rosie? The others are about sex… that is all I am going to say. You will have to find out more for yourself!