It seems trite to refer to Samuel James’s CD-release show as a coronation, but the evidence supports it: the concert sold out on an unusually busy Saturday night in Portland; there were at least three photographers with big cameras on hand; a dozen of Sam’s muses joined him in performances of blues and gospel standards, clearly deferent to the appeal he’s granted their scene; his father handed down the crown with a celebratory instrumental duet; heck, the clouds literally parted after a day of nasty rain just as his set began.
And as befits a coronation, the concert promoted both James’s artistry and his personality. He let Blind Billy Blake’s bellowing chortle steal the show in the gospel “You’re Gonna Need Somebody on Your Bond,” made elegant harmonies with Joe Fletcher of Wrong Reasons on “Cold Water,” and continued his rowdy, funny, jawdropping games of epic one-upmanship (guitar twirling, hat stealing) with Meantone and his “Knock Knock.” Most hilariously, he let a hooligan in a black Yosemite Sam beard named Railroad Wil sing a song about kidnapping and killing children, at which point James quipped something like, “Blues songs aren’t about killing kids, they’re about killing women.”
The night was a testament to James’s charm and ever-increasing skill. So much about his act has become (even) better over the past two years: he’s more confident, his vocals are more dynamic, he knows how to keep a long set fresh, and he’s still overwhelmingly humble and generous. The show climaxed with James’s twelve special guests joining him onstage for another standard, “How Long, How Long Blues,” an inspired, “We Are the World” kind of moment in Portland music lore. It ended in hoots, bows, everything but a crown, which is probably for the best: it wouldn’t look as cool as his hats do.
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