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Nehemia "Skip" James
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Highly
emotive, often strange, James was one of a half-dozen virtuosos of Delta blues. He stood
out from other artists not only because of his skill, but because of his courage in
pursuing his creative vision when it went contrary to popular taste. With dark themes and
sophisticated finger-picking, James helped redefine what could be done with three-chord
music. Added to that was his superior vocal phrasing and wild piano playing. Whether
because of religious background or personal hardships, his music usually reflected a dire
outlook on life. One writer said it always seemed like night when Skippy sang the blues.
The son of a minister, James for a while tried to find
his life purpose preaching and singing in a choir, but he eventually returned to secular
music. He finally gave up music altogether for a number of years. Re-discovered at age 62
during the mid-1960s blues revival, James was supporting himself at the time by working as
a field hand; an astonishing waste of talent.
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James |
Unlike a lot of other Delta bluesmen, James' abilities were not
lopsided in favor of either singing or picking. He was equally adept at both. James'
recorded performances are clean and solid. Just above the subtle ka-thunk of his rhythm
you can hear the nicely shaped counterpoint of his fingerpicking. His balanced blues
delivery is a lost art. If you were raised on Eddie Van Halen, this kind of guitar music
won't mean much to you. The songs are built on the give-and-take between storytelling and
playing instead of on heavy rhythm and melodic hooks.
Although he is best known for songs like "Devil
Got My Woman" and "Hard Time Killing Floor," equally powerful is a strange
song on the "Devil Got My Woman" CD called "Sick Bed Blues." Singing
in an eerie falsetto, James produces something frightening; something that verges on
Middle Eastern melodic style. It isn't the kind of blues music typically packaged for mass
consumption, but it is one of Skippy's most compelling statements. Implied in his
musicianship is a declaration of human dignity and artistic ambition despite the openly
antagonistic culture of his era.
Thanks to
John M. and Keith Purtell for their help in developing
this web devoted to Skip James. |