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Skinning a cat with Joshua James

By Kyle Reisz

Joshua James might be relatively new to Columbus, but this transplant has wasted no time digging in and becoming an integral part of the local music scene. James, who made his way to the capital city just over a year ago, pens and performs his own brand of folk pop for audiences, but is also helping other local musicians to get in front of a crowd at one of south Columbus' best cultural refuges, Hal & Al's.

"The last time I put a show together there, I just happened to be talking to the guy who does the booking, who then introduced me to the owner, who asked me to get involved in the bar's music presence," James said.

Through further discussion, the two decided to create a monthly forum that will feature artists who play original music.

"It's a little scary to get up on stage and only play your own stuff, because in random bars, a lot of people are just looking for stuff they already know, but they are really interested in treating original song writers well," said James.

He is calling the event "Skin a Cat," emphasizing the diversity in local music. Though it's still in the planning process, he is already beginning to recruit artists.

"I don't want to just focus on people who just play the type of music I play, or just solo singers and songwriters, but I definitely want to attract people and showcase folks who are writing original music, and it will be in the vein of more rootsy material," James said.

James' own catalog of songs, while also in the rootsy vein, ranges from ballads to real foot-stompers and just about everything in between.

"I kind of steal my sound from somewhere in the 1950s, when folk and blues and country started coming together to make the beginnings of pop rock," said James.

James released his first EP, "Kisses and Honeycomb," in 2009, a sampling of which can be had at his Myspace page, along with some live recordings. On "Counting Miles," James' voice comes through smooth as he croons about his travels and lovers from coast to coast. The guitar work is simple-but-effective, and falls in perfect step with his twangy vocals. A demo version of "Misfits" showcases James' vintage country side and clever lyrical stylings. Here, his voice is grittier and deeper as he plucks away at the strings on the acoustic guitar.

While James is excited about heading back into the studio to lay down some new tracks for his next album, the stage is where he feels most at home.

"I think playing live, the songs come across with a little more immediacy than any of the stuff I've ever recoded," James said. "I really thrive on being able to connect with people standing in front of me and even people in the back of the room."

It's that type of connection that inspires James and keeps him coming back to the stage night after night.

"For me, the thing that keeps me playing out and, honestly, the thing that I love most, is when I can get someone to smile at the sardonic sense of humor in my writing. That means someone's paying attention," James said with laugh.

Originally Published: May 19, 2010

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