 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| James Hurley |
Press & Reviews
Interview
At what age did you get into music? I started playing at around eight years old. Started with (of all things) accordion. Some guy was going door-to-door trying to sell accordion lessons. My mother decided that since my older brother was already getting guitar lessons and my younger brother was too small to pick one up, I was the logical candidate…that only lasted until I saw The Beatles on Ed Sullivan….THEN I wanted to be Ringo!....drums were of course out of the question, so they paid my brother a dollar-an-hour to teach me guitar instead.
2. Do you play any of your own instruments? Yes, I play guitar during my live shows and just about anything with frets on it when recording. I especially enjoy recording bass. It’s such a key factor in composition….you can change the entire direction of a song with the selection of a single note.
3. Do you write any of your own songs? Yes, everything I perform. If so, where do you get most of your inspiration? Boy, that’s a tough one to answer in a brief forum like this! I’d have to say Life itself is the inspiration. The things I experience personally, and my take on the things we experience collectively as a society and as a species. All of it shows up in what I write. And so it covers a wide range of that experience both lyrically, and stylistically.
4. How would you describe the type of music you produce? My music was recently described as "Americana, on the rocks…with a twist". That’s about as close as anyone’s ever come in describing it in a single phrase. Who are some of your influences? Early influences came from across the board…Louis Armstrong was so incredibly musical, The Beatles’ of course, the songwriting was impeccable, Jimmy Page was a big deal to me…not just for his playing, his arranging on those Zeppelin records was amazing. Other influences included Hank Williams Sr. and Merle Haggard…the storytelling in their lyrics always captured my imagination. I’m sure you get the idea.
5. Name some of your most memorable performances, Last year I played a show in a 1300 year old barn in England that had been converted to a world class performance venue on my birthday. There I was, full house, lights shining down, audience completely silent and listening intently as the clock hit midnight…I remember thinking "yeah, this is it, this what it’s all about" also name some places you would love to perform at. Madison Square Gardens – sold out – I’m the headliner!
6. Who are the members of your band? How long have you been together? Friends, just met? What's your story? These days I perform solo.
7. What are some things you can say about your fan base? Like the music I write, my fans cross the spectrum. There doesn’t seem to be any particular age group, they range in age from teens, to people in their 80’s, but they do seem to share certain qualities in a general sense. They tend to be people that look deeper than the surface. They also seem to be pretty positive people. When I talk to folks at shows they’re generally aware of the world around them and many are trying to affect it in a positive way….they also have excellent taste in music! ;^)
8. What are some goals you have set for your future with music? We all have our dreams, but in the short term I think the current trend is good and I hope it continues. I’ve been receiving more notice from the media, my fanbase has been growing at a steady rate, and I’m playing for larger audiences in both public and private settings.
9. What are the names of your records, are you currently working on anything at the moment? I have two solo albums available at the moment. The first one is simply called "James Hurley". It’s a collection of electric and acoustic demo’s and sketches that I never really intended to release for sale. I did a short run initially after people kept buying up the ones I was burning for myself. Then THOSE sold out and I did another run…that’s happened five or six times now. The second one is called "The Sun and the Moon". It’s a completely acoustic album (with the exception of a single electric guitar chord) that I recorded in 31 very intense days. I’m proud of both the writing and the arrangements, and some fantastic players played on it and brought something very special to it.
I’m now recording both my third and fourth albums simultaneously. I didn’t mean to do it this way but with all the time I spend on the road I ended up with a backlog of songs that I couldn’t get recorded fast enough. So now I take the hard drive with me and use studios all along the way.
10. What is this show in SLO coming up going to be like? What can we expect? People will come in and see one guy, holding a guitar. They’ll hear me play a song and maybe think "Okay, he’s some kind of blues-jazz guy." And then maybe they’ll stay for a couple more songs and begin to realize that it isn’t quite that simple after all, and the musical territory we’re covering is really, really wide….and then….
11. Have you performed in San Luis Obispo before? What does SLO mean to you? Yes I have. I’ve played several coffeehouses there and I played a house concert there last year that was a delight. SLO has this vibrant, diverse, creative atmosphere that makes me feel like there’s cool future waiting right outside the door.
12. What in a nutshell does music mean to you? Everything.
============================================
Press
==============================================
minor7th magazine
"The Sun and the Moon" is a musical delight in every way. James Hurley owns a rare combination of talents - pop songwriting that is intelligent in its eloquence of lyrics and chordal changes, oh-so-silky vocals and harmonies, an unpretentious jazz-like virtuosity on acoustic guitar, and the guts to lay those talents bare with a very austere production. Like Stephen Bishop's, Hurley's style is up-beat and catchy, but very genuine. Fans of Brian Wilson's "SMiLE" will love the ethereal vocal coda at the end of "In My Dreams." "Whisper" is reminiscent of Kenny Rankin's Brasilian balladry. There's even a Sgt. Pepperish and playful use of tuba on "London Bridge," disclosing a strong Beatles influence that seems ubiquitous to his generation of songwriters © Alan Fark
===============================================
Indie-Music.com
It's refreshing to come across an artist now and then who knows how to strip it down without making it dull. While listening to James Hurley's music, the words that kept coming up in my notes were "simple" and "warm." Yes, he gets experimental at times, mixing in clarinet and cello on "One Fine Day" and conga drums throughout the CD. We also get a tuba on the playful, dancing folk tale "London Bridge," mixed in with the whimsical lyrics. Why not? It works. And it works without sounding cluttered or overshadowing Hurley's smooth, welcoming vocals.
I liked each song on this CD. The title track is, again, a warm and simple folk song, this one a celestial romance born of stargazing. I turned into an agent as the CD progressed, listing artists I would ask to cover these tracks. I can hear Clapton taking on "One Man Woman," and Harry Connick Jr. is all over "Whisper." Other tracks, though, are just for Hurley, perfectly suited to his laid-back yet enveloping sound. "In My Dreams," with the lush acoustic arrangment and gentle harmonies, is a good example.
Hurley's a romantic softie, and the lyrics of "Whisper" show this side of him mixed with his penchant for the Zen:
I sometimes wish I were a wiser man
so I could disregard it when
some sentimental memory comes to mind.
But predictably, I give up the struggle willingly
when my heart hears you whisper softly in the night.
Listen to this CD while enjoying a meal of bread, cheese, and wine under a starry sky. Unplug the phone. Read some Thoreau. Not only will you have found a much-needed respite, you'll have a new favorite in your CD collection.
By Jennifer Layton
===============================================
Singing Songwriter Magazine
James Hurley’s new CD release, The Sun and the Moon, has just become my top pick for a feel-good-take-my-troubles-away album. This is acoustic-based Adult Contemporary music that has definite Blues and Jazz flavors with a little Folk and Rock thrown in for good measure.
Track pick: “One Fine Day” - the perfect song about being glad to be alive.
Check him out http://www.jameshurleymusic.com
by Kenny Hart
===================================================
Artists
Severin Browne 3/1/07
Friday March 2 at 8pm, James Hurley will be our guest on the First Friday Show at Kulak’s Woodshed. James is a real joy to listen to and to watch. He very casually does some phenomenal things on guitar while singing his truly original and melodically courageous songs. If you haven’t seen him yet, drop by or tune in to the webcast.
Jim Hurley - violinist with Linda Ronstadt and many others.....and no relation!
James-
I listened to your album, and I think it's fantastic. You use the jazz vocabulary and adventurous harmony, and weave all these exotic elements right into the fabric of your songs, rather than adding them as ornamentation. Great songs; nice production, too- like a shaker chair, integral, elegant, strong, honest. A big shot producer could have fluffed them up, added sizzle and shine, and turned them into extravaganzas. Glad to hear them the way you laid them down. Salute!
================================================
Fans
================================================
Wow, I love your guitar playing, how you can carry a song on its own with just guitar and your soft, soulful vocals, that's the measure of a real musician!
Being a Brit, I just had to listen to London Bridge, ha! Love One Man Woman too - some Chet Atkins in there!
All good wishes for greater things to come in 2007!
Kelvin
==============
I love The Sun and the Moon. The melody, the lyric, the sound of your voice and vocal delivery. Made me smile.The ending to London Bridge made me laugh out loud, thank you for a splendid story and a wonderful song. Bravo!Your guitar is you in musical terms. And the music is pure joy..David K. - L.A.
Your music is fantastic! You've got all of the elements down: Excellent guitar player, slick voice and lyrics. A real craftsman! Doug W. - Los angeles
==============
I'm absolutely loving London Bridge! That's gonna be my "Clear-the-hangover" song at uni! It sounds like Paul Simon, if he were a bit happier!
Liam U.K.
=============
Ian D - Scotland
=============
Andy H. - U.K.
==============
==============
The fave for me is, "London Bridge, " and the tuba works brilliantly, however, "Take Me Away, " is also a lovely song with a slight Simon and Garfunkel feel to it in places. I do request that you put some more lyrics up though as some of the lyrics in, "Take Me Away, " are superb and I would really like to be able to read, "London Bridge, " as well as just listening.
All the best to you. Hope you come to England soon.
Sion
=================
|
| |