Tag Archives: samuel james

Kitty Critic is a series in which Portland musicians perform for their fan’s cats

According to its website, “Kitty Critic is an internet series in which musicians from Portland, Maine perform in their fan’s homes for their fan’s cats.” Maine appears in all caps so no one is confused into thinking we have anything with filthy Portland, Oregon. It goes on to explain that “the series is designed to bring […]

Maine, Thankfully: Samuel James: Songwriter, Storyteller, Raconteur

Samuel James is an artist and all around raconteur based in Portland, Maine. He is a seasoned and celebrated blues musician—touring around has taken him all over the planet. His writing about race has been featured in the Phoenix and he recently told a story up growing up in foster homes on the popular radio program […]

10 observations, revelations, and bits of wisdom for this blustery Sunday morning

I am working on a handful of substantial blog posts this weekend, so I am cheating a bit by offering here some of my favorite observations, revelations, bits of wisdom and other literary / journalistic ephemera that I came across or rediscovered in the past year or so. This collection feels perfectly suited for this […]

Talking the Zimmerman trial and “making things about race” with Samuel James

The following exchange is extracted from a conversation I had with Samuel James about the social media response to the Zimmerman case. I reached out to Sam because so much of the commentary I had seen online, particularly from within my immediate circles, sounded very much as if it was written by and for white […]

Interview: Samuel James, Part I [Videoport and Portland]

Samuel James is a well-respected, world-traveled, Portland-based Bluesman who was nominated for a Blues Music Award in 2010. I recently talked with James, who I have known since we were both scrappy mall rats, about the release of And for the Dark Road Ahead, his upcoming album. We ended up talking at great length about […]

Portlanders on Portlanders No. 1 (feat. Sontiago, Kurt Baker, Knaughty Sarah and More)

In which I ask five Portlanders about some of their other favorite Portlanders. This time around I asked five local rock stars which Portland musicians they have been listening to lately. Sonya Tomlinson (Sontiago) Samuel James continues to be a lasting favorite. He puts on a solid and interactive live performance while simultaneously entertaining with […]

45 Characters, Famous and/or Infamous, That Make Portland an Exponentially More Intriguing Place

“I think part of the charm of Portland is that we’re all kind of famous. Like, maybe the only city outside of LA where everyone is a celeb.” — Rebecca Minnick Norm the Barber Norm the Barman Norman the Glassy-Eyed Pervert Heavy Metal Cyclist Herb Adams High-Stepping Bob Spencer Albee Samuel James’ sideburns The Whistler […]