"James Leva is the Richard Thompson of American traditional music."
-Peter Thompson, host of "Bluegrass Signal", KALW radio, San Francisco(Thanks for the photo by: Jeremy Leadbetter
all rights reserved).
We are really happy to include James Leva on our artist page. A multi-instrumentalist, James plays a Bourgeois Mahogany Dreadnought. He is also a world class fiddler and songwriter.
Our friendly Bourgeois historian and friend, David Gansz, forwarded me the note that accompanied James Leva's guitar wherein Dana describes the guitar as a: " Luthier series Mahogany D, tortoiseshell, diamond volute, ebony fretboard, Vintage brown sunburst, from deep mahogany brown to honey. Mahogany bluegrass guitars don't get any better than this one. Though the top is sitka, it has the big open response, but focused sound, of a Red Spruce top. This is one of the best bluegrass guitars I have made."
James's most recent release for Copper Creek Records, entitled "Memory Theatre", is an incredible collaboration between him and Irish guitarist John Doyle. His new band, called Memory Theatre after the recording, includes Rose Sinclair on banjo and accordian and Gary Wright on guitar. The three musicians share a background in traditional mountain and country music as well as an affinity for other musical traditions ranging from Cajun and Zydeco to various African styles.
As Memory Theatre they combine original material with an exploration of the African and Celtic roots of Appalachian music. Memory Theatre's fiddle tunes and high lonesome harmonies are set to a variety of ferocious grooves, creating music that is both ancient and contemporary, respectful of tradition, yet excitingly innovative.
From 1997 to 2000, James released three recordings, two on the Rounder label, with the duet Jones and Leva. The recordings, which featured mostly original material, won wide critical acclaim.
James is also known for the music he made with the Free Will Savages, a band Spin critic Rene Crist dubbed "Appalachian World Beat" and Jerry Douglas described as "The perfect marriage between Ralph Stanley and the Sex Pistols".
Click here to learn more about James Leva.
"[Memory Theatre].. is not wholly old-time, nor is it wholly Celtic, as each style stays true to itself, but a complimentary contrast of the two that creates a new form. [...] This is an enchanting, hypnotic album and a great example of the creative things that can be done within the traditional framework."
-Bluegrass Unlimited
Page last updated: June14, 2003
