MARKUS JAMES
SNWMF 2007
Markus James is originally from
Virginia and the DC area, where his first
musical memory, from the age of four, is of an
old, blind blues singer he saw many times
playing on a sidewalk. He first encountered West
African stringed music at the Smithsonian
Folklife Festival when he was mesmerized by the
Gambian Kora player and singer, Alhaji Bai Konte.
Markus settled in Northern California, writing
and recording in rock and R&B styles while also
pursuing his interests in African, Indian, and
Gamelan music. He travelled in West Africa and
also Haiti, studying traditional ensemble
drumming, before first visiting Mali in 1994,
when he made his way to the village of Niafounke
to meet the legendary “Malian Bluesman”, Ali
Farka Toure. It was then that Markus first
recorded original, Blues-based songs with
Wassoulou musician Solo Sidibe, which became the
"where you wanna be" album, released 6 years
later. He has produced several programs for
PRI's Afropop Worldwide, notably "Ali Farka
Toure: Live From Niafounke". Markus has returned
to Mali many times, where he has written and
recorded blues-influenced music with traditional
Malian musicians, notably his 2002 release "nightbird",
and 2005’s album and film “Timbuktoubab”, which
have been warmly received by critics in the US
and Europe. He has performed at the Festival In
The Desert, near Timbuktu, in 2003, 2004, and
2006.
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Markus’ collaborations in
Timbuktu with Hamma Sankare (Calabash player on Ali Farka
Toure's tours and albums), Hassi Sare (master of the
one-stringed Njarka violin), and Solo Sidibe (who plays the
Kamele N'Goni, the hunter's harp of the Wassoulou people) are
the subject of the documentary film and CD / DVD "Timbuktoubab".
The film has been presented by 3 Film Festivals, broadcast
frequently on national satellite channel Link TV (Direct TV and
Dish networks), and on many PBS stations. The album spent 10
weeks on the CMJ New World radio top 20 chart, reflecting the
programming tastes of over 200 music hosts.
Markus’ release of “Calabash Blues”, includes tributes to
Blues legends Skip James and Howlin Wolf; each song features the
traditional sound and rhythms of the calabash, recorded at the
source of the ancient roots of Blues music. Calabash Blues spent
17 weeks in the top 20 of the Roots Blues airplay chart, with
tracks featured on the nationally syndicated House of Blues
Radio Hour, Blues Deluxe, and the BBC’s True Blues.
For 2008,
Markus James will be returning to SNWMF on the heels of his
newest release "Snakeskin Violin". The 16 tracks featured
on this album trace James' roots, having been recorded in Mali,
Mississippi and right here in Northern California.
Markus
James Links:
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