Alfred James rocks the classics

By Cory Anotado
Collegian Staff
November 15, 2006

Sometimes a band comes along that makes you stop and stare for whatever reason. Maybe it’s their members, their shtick or their style, something about them gathers stares. The Alfred James Band has a unique style about them that will stop you in your tracks. Their original sound and powerful performance is something that many will enjoy. Alfred James, the lead singer, is an accomplished musician with a wide variety of musical skills, none better showcased than by his accomplished cello playing.

While the cello is usually associated with classical music, James uses the instrument’s deep, resonant sound to add an amazing bed of sound to the acoustic rock his band plays. Who knew, also, that you could get an electric effect pedal for a cello?

The Alfred James Band played Backstage on Saturday night. The band started with an impromptu jazz session that had James walking around the coffee house, cello strapped to his chest. The jam session led into the band playing two songs from their only album, Lucky if Easy. A few songs in the set list required the use of the Australian didgeridoo, which James played with surprising ease, along with his cello. One song even used a mandolin. Deep, jazzy bass, electric overdriven guitar and a bongo rounded off the instrumentals played by the four-piece band.

Surprisingly mellow and certainly upbeat, the band kept the patrons of Backstage intrigued and entertained with their acoustic pop rock style. Covers of Willie Nelson, whom James said he had the honor of playing with when he was nine, and the Buena Vista Social Club came out of left field and surprised all in attendance. The strongest cover of the night was a guitar-only version of the popular Leonard Cohen song “Hallelujah.”

The intimate atmosphere allowed James to banter with the crowd, explaining the history of some of the songs, including tips such as, “If you stalk the band, we’ll probably write a song about you,” about the song “Rear View Mirror.” Anecdotes about different concert venues — “We played the City Paper’s anniversary bash and there were male models and body-painted women around, so this is a nice change of pace” — and problems with flooded equipment helped to make the performance seem even more intimate than it already was.

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by the band’s performance. Everyone at Backstage was tapping his and her toes and swaying along to the music. The unique choices in instruments added a different dimension to the music that is rarely found in acoustic rock today. If ever there was a definitive sound for the term “chill rock,” The Alfred James Band would fit that definition nicely.

The Alfred James Band will be appearing at the Grape Street Pub in Manayunk for WMMR’s Original Music series at 10 p.m. on Nov. 30.

anotadoc1@lasalle.edu