Samuel James

Blues Soloist Samuel James to Perform in Canajoharie 

On Saturday, October 3 at 7:00, the blues singer and guitarist Samuel
James will present a concert at the Arkell Museum and Canajoharie
Library, 2 Erie Blvd. in Canajoharie.  The performance, a part of the
Canajoharie Concert Series, is funded, in part, by the New York State
Council on the Arts. 

Samuel James is a performer of stunningly singular talent. A master of
fingerstyle, slide, banjo, harmonica, and piano, this phenom is not yet
out of his twenties. With musical influences ranging from Skip James and
Sonny Terry to Gus Cannon and Charley Patton, such understanding of
pre-war blues is rarely embodied in the music of one person. Samuel
explains “Pre-war blues is much more intimate for me . . . much like a
conversation. I’m not really drawn to anything contemporary because it’s
not nearly as engaging.” 

Clearly the historical torch is being passed to him from today’s elder
masters and yesterday’s originators. Does that make him authentic? Let
the listener decide if that is even the question. Samuel James is the
most relevant young blues artist to come our way in quite some time. 

Tickets for the performance in Canajoharie, which are $7.00 for adults
and $3.50 for children 10 – 17 by advance sale, are available by calling
the Arkell Museum at Canajoharie at (518)673-2314.  Tickets at the door
will be $8.00 for adults and $4.00 for children.