The Artist Says - Samuel James

Note to the reader: "The Artist Says..." aims to be a semi-regular feature wherein an artist shares their thoughts about the Portland Music Scene, or perhaps other topics if they're feeling particularly fiery.

Additional note: We're aiming to have the artist write these themselves, but in this case I spoke with Samuel James via cellular telephone. Consider this a paraphrased version of his thoughts.

I think it's fair to say the Portland scene adores Samuel James. His style, singularity, energy, dedication and prolific touring have made him a staple of the environment.

With all the work that he's put in, it is probably no surprise that he's keen on Portland. There's a reason for his devotion: He loves it.

As part of Samuel's staggering musical output, he puts in a fair number of miles on the road, touring and showcasing his music. Playing in a genre that's largely ignored by the rest of the music-listening world, blues players he meets will often ask, "What's the blues scene like in Portland?"

Sam's answer is "There isn't." There's a music scene, he says, but it sort of just encompasses all genres. There are little enclaves of metal, hip-hop and indie. But there's no genre in Portland with enough acts that it warrants its own scene. Metal fans show up and hip-hop shows show up at indie acts show up at blue grass performances show up at metal thrashers. It's incestuous, it's tight, it's diverse but it's basically just one scene.

James exercises this diversity, flexes its musical muscles. Take a look at his CD release party, for example. He had acts of every stripe, from Computer at Sea's bent electronics, to Ladylamb's powerful acoustic guitar to Sontiago's time-signature-changing rap-song to electric guitars and full bands and single person acts and it was all kicked off with a dancing burlesque act!

"There's nowhere else this could've happened," Sam beams, "Except maybe Austin or Memphis." Even then, he adds, it'd be stretching it to pull it together.

An interesting note: Beale Street in Memphis, a juggernaut in the Blues scene from the 1870s into the 1960s - in fact, it was declared by Congress to be the "Home of the Blues" - is predominantly a hip-hop scene. Sam's sliding stompers were welcomed with cries of "Good to have some blues back on Beale Street!"

And as far as Austin goes, Sam's prediction for the next big musical scene out of Texas is a place called Denton. He describes it as being like Portland, but if it had only one street.

Samuel James, a unique act himself, loves this city for its tight singularity. For its unique diversity. For its incestuous talent.

Samuel James loves the Portland scene.

Posted by Krister