REVIEW: Colin James shows effortless blues-rock mastery in Edmonton
It’s been more than 30 years since Colin James made his debut – and he still remains a musical mainstay in Canada with his ability to blend gritty blues with hook-happy mainstream rock. It’s a schtick that’s worked well enough for him to pack the Jubilee Auditorium with 2,700 faithful fans on Thursday night.
When the 54-year-old blues rocker strutted down the aisle to the stage during the opening boogie instrumental to kick off the set, it was obvious he can still deliver blues by the bushel. Gone is the baby face with the Teddy-boy haircut that used to charm his female fans, replaced by a more sculpted visage crowned with a salt-and-pepper flat top. Despite frequent criticism over his status as a legitimate blues performer, given that his riffs are more reminiscent of ZZ Top than Otis Rush (a blues legend that James keeps tapping for inspiration), the Regina guitarist showed he still had the chops. Leads continue to be effortless, and the onstage moves still speak more to adrenaline than contrivance, to keep even the most mildly dedicated patron paying attention.
James still makes no bones about his meat-and-potatoes approach to music. There were no gimmicky sets, only risers to support his seven-piece backup outfit that included local saxophonist Dave Babcock. While he dedicated roughly a third of his 90-minute set to his 19th and latest release, the cover-heavy One More Mile, he made sure none of his selections would trip up the momentum he built up over the evening. Newer songs like 40 Light Years Away, one of two originals on the new album, blended well with Freedom, an earlier piece he’d recorded with Mavis Staples.
It would be far too easy for a veteran guitarist to get jaded by mailing in renditions of works by Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters and Robert Johnson, and fortunately, James showed no signs of letting himself off that easily. He peppered the fretboard with licks that enabled him to own those covers, just like the originals he’s best known for. One showstopper included a solo acoustic rendition of the traditional One Kind Favor, made famous by Bob Dylan, which quieted fans into a state of rapt fascination.
Other highlights included frequent riff-trading with longtime guitarist Chris Caddell, although most of the audience saved their energy for those hits that continue to be staples of classic rock. The loudest cheer of the night went to the transition between the introductory porch-style strumming and the chord-slamming guts of Just Came Back. They were also on their feet for the set closer, James’s treatment of the Otis Rush descant Keep On Loving.
James will never be able to walk away from those hits churned out during his more nascent years. But keeping the critics silent by sticking to the standard blues playbook while adding his own oomph might be the key to his durability, decades after his salad days.
