James Nixon - Live In Europe

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:24
Size: 110.8 MB
Styles: Soul/Blues
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[5:16] 1. Trying To Hold On
[3:30] 2. One More Chance With You
[4:50] 3. Please Come Back To Me
[3:43] 4. The Best In Town
[5:20] 5. Oh Baby
[5:20] 6. Sundown Blues
[3:32] 7. Tongue Tied Blues
[3:38] 8. Loves At First Sight
[3:57] 9. Baby Right Now
[4:51] 10. Stand Up
[4:22] 11. People Get Ready

James Nixon has not been an easy artist to pin down stylistically. Some people associate the veteran singer/guitarist with gospel (specifically, African-American gospel as opposed to, say, white country gospel), while others know him for blues and Southern soul. On top of that, Nixon has done country sessions as a guitarist -- which makes sense given his Nashville connection. So where does Live in Europe fit in? For the most part, this 48-minute CD (which documents a show at Blues Estafette in Utrecht, Holland in November 2001) illustrates his talents as an electric bluesman and a performer of Southern soul. Some gospel artists consider blues the music of the Devil -- at least the ones who are more fundamentalist in their thinking -- and all that folklore about Robert Johnson and other bluesmen allegedly selling their souls to Beelzebub in order to strengthen their chops has been promoted by everyone from Baptist ministers to heavy metal and hard rock headbangers. But Nixon obviously doesn't see things that way; he has had no problem thriving in both religious and secular environments. So given his history, it isn't surprising that even though the blues and Southern soul dominate Nixon's set in the Netherlands, he makes a spiritual detour on inspired performances of "Stand Up" (his biggest hit in the gospel market) and Curtis Mayfield & the Impressions' mid-'60s hit "People Get Ready" (a gem that became a civil rights anthem). And the fact that Live in Europe focuses on secular material more often than not doesn't mean that Nixon is any less convincing when he performs "Stand Up" and "People Get Ready." He shines on both the secular and the spiritual, making Live in Europe a pleasure to listen to. ~Alex Henderson

Live In Europe mc
Live In Europe zippy

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James Nixon - Back Down South

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 52:45
Size: 120.8 MB
Styles: R&B, Contemporary blues
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[5:34] 1. Back Down South
[2:31] 2. Baby Just Be You
[3:56] 3. Don't Let Love Walk Out The Door
[3:20] 4. How To Sing The Blues
[3:52] 5. Snake In The Grass
[2:49] 6. Numbers Man
[3:34] 7. I'm So In Love With You
[4:23] 8. Try Love On For Size
[3:11] 9. Till The Break Of Dawn
[3:12] 10. Close To You
[4:41] 11. Please Never Ever Leave Me Again
[3:49] 12. Baby Just Read My Mind
[3:48] 13. You're The Best Part Of The Day
[3:59] 14. What Happened To Our Love

James "Nick" Nixon is one of the foremost vocalists in the blues world today, as well as being an outstanding guitarist and bandleader. As he enters his sixth decade of performing in the music business, Nixon has been recognized worldwide for his talents. As a velvet-voiced blues/R&B entertainer, Nixon has gone from being a Chess recording artist in the '70s to his latest (2005) acclaimed recording on the Buncy label, Back Down South. This new CD follows his successful 2001 release on the Black Magic label, No End to the Blues.

Nick has been the recipient of the KBA (Keeping the Blues Alive) Award from The Blues Foundation, the highest award given in the field of blues education. Along with his partner, Shannon "Bayou" Williford, Nixon has performed an average of 60 educational shows yearly; covering 8 states in the Southeastern USA. As a long-time member of The New Imperials, an act with a forty-five year history, he has worked with many of the top performers in the world.

Nixon is something of an institution in The Music City, regularly performing for civic functions and even having sung before thousands at the Riverfront, accompanied by the Nashville Symphony. His blues duo, Nick and Bayou, is the only act to have ever sung in the chambers of the Nashville Metro Council. Always eager to give back to the music he loves, Nixon serves on the board of directors of The Blues Foundation in Memphis, Tennessee. Despite such a varied and successful career in the music business, Nixon is still remembered by many as a friend and sometime stage mate of the late, great Jimi Hendrix.

Nick befriended Hendrix and his pal (and later to be Band of Gypsies member) Billy Cox when they arrived in Nashville and became part of the legendary Jefferson Street scene in the early '60s. To this day Nick often writes and performs with the still-formidable Cox.

Nixon recently retired from Metro Parks where he was a guitar instructor for 35 years, impacting many music students. Currently, James "Nick" Nixon continues to share his gifts with the world on a daily basis. He performs solo or with a duo or trio, as well as with a full band, featuring some of the finest musicians in the Music City.

Back Down South mc
Back Down South zippy

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