Belting out the Blues and the R&B is something that James Nixon has known how to do for quite a while and now with his latest release, "Live In Europe", we all get yet another chance to listen to this Singer, Songwriter, and Guitarist in full live action.

James Nixon is no stranger to the Blues and R&B scene, as he has been plying his trade for over 50 years, initially starting out as a teenager playing in bands around West Nashville. Throughout his career he played quite a few genres, including Gospel,  Soul, and Rock N Roll. Besides presently doing shows either Solo, Duo, or with a Full Band, he continues to promote blues via doing Educational Shows in 8 of the Southeastern States. His dedication to teaching the Blues has won him theKeeping the Blues Alive (KBA) Award from The Blues Foundation.

His latest release brings all his fans a inviting taste of what James Nixon is like Live.

"Live In Europe" consists of 11 Tracks and was produced by Fred James, the same producer that just did, Charles Walker "Soul Stirring Thing" for Blue Label/SPV. Of the 11 Tracks, James Nixon shows us his immense writing skills by solely writing all but 2 Tracks, and co-writing 1 Track with Billy Cox. Billy Cox can best be remembered for his time he was the Bassist with Jimi Hendrix.

Besides the amazing vocals of James Nixon, one must also remember that he is an extraodinary Guitarist, something that he showcases brilliantly on "Live In Europe". In fact it was said, and I quote, "In the early and mid 1960s the three most prominent Blues guitarists in Nashville were Johnny Jones, Jimi Hendrix and JAMES NIXON". If that doesn't give you an idea of how good of a Musician Nixon is, nothing will.

Throughout "Live In Europe", you will here James Nixon at his very best, playing and singing and vocalizing with the audience, in his own unique way and sound. Nixon likes to sing about his woman, lost and found and on this release we can surely feel his pain and he conveys his message loud and clear through his wonderful lyrics. "Live In Europe", contains a really good mix of Slow Soulful Tracks and Get Up and Boogie R&B and Blues Tracks. Beyond his vocals, he magically weaves his Guitar through the Tracks, giving us all an idea of what the term, "The Real Deal Means".

Joining James Nixon on "Live In Europe", are Fred James (Rhythm Guitar/ Slide Guitar/Background Vocals), Jeff Davies (Bass), Billy Earheart (Organ), and Brian Owings (Drums).

James Nixon "Live In Europe" is a mighty fine release and shows us all how good a legend form the past can still draw us in to his music in the present.

For fans of Blues and R&B, sung right and played right, I highly recommend this Album.

Review By John Vermilyea (Blues Underground Network)

Other Reviews And Info

Have you ever seen that TV commercial where a guy is seated at his computer, and he reaches the “end” of the internet? Impossibly, he has seen it all, and there’s no more websites to visit. Sometimes, that is how I feel when it comes to Blues artists; it would be impossible to reach the end where there are no more artists, living or deceased, that have escaped my attention. Perhaps, a more realistic goal would be reaching the 25% level.

With James “Nick” Nixon, I am one step closer to the “end” as I have now encountered this great, veteran singer, songwriter, guitarist, and band leader. A Nashville TN native, Nixon had his biggest success in the late 1990s with the Gospel single “Stand Up.” Nixon always keeps more than one iron in the fire by continuing his work in R&B and Blues, often finding himself supporting artists in the studio when not recording his own CDs.

“Live in Europe,” for a live CD, is an exceptionally well recorded and entertaining set. With Nixon on lead vocals, lead guitar, and acoustic slide guitar, it was recorded in Utrecht, Holland while on tour in 2001. “This session shows James at his peak,” according to the liner notes by Nashville’s Fred James, producer, rhythm guitar, slide guitar, and background vocals. The rhythm section is from The Amazing Rhythm Aces: Billy Earheart – organ, Jeff Davis – bass, Bryan Owings – drums. In addition, singer Mary-Ann Brandon adds background vocals. All songs are Nixon originals with “The Best in Town” by Nixon and Billy Cox (later Jimi Hendrix’s bassist). The only cover is a moving rendition of Curtis Mayfield’s “People Get ready” served up as the night’s encore.

“The Best in Town” will get aired first on our Friends of the Blues Radio Show. It’s a real-deal Blues shuffle reminiscent of Jimmy Reed’s “Baby What You Want Me To Do” and has a great mid-song slide guitar solo by Fred James.

A true live showman, Nixon shares interesting insights with the audience, and he and the band vary the tempos and rhythms never getting in a rut. The show opener “Trying to Hold On” is a party starter that had to bring smiles to audience members as they realize their ticket money has been well invested.

“Please Come Back to Me” finds Nixon peeling off some single note guitar runs that perfectly punctuate the message. James and Earheart are locked into a perfect underlying rhythm guitar and organ duet. “Sundown Blues” is a slower Blues with Nixon pouring out gut wrenching, heart breaking vocals.

Before it’s over, Nixon takes us to the “Church House” with a rousing performance of his hit, “Stand Up” and an equally great “People Get Ready.”

If you are like me in that James Nixon has, until now, flown under your radar, this CD is more than a great introduction. It is a thoroughly entertaining live set.

Reviewer James "Skyy Dobro" Walker is a noted Blues writer, DJ, Master of Ceremonies, and longtime Blues Blast Magazine contributor. His weekly radio show "Friends of the Blues" can be heard Saturdays 8 pm - Midnight on WKCC 91.1 FM and at www.wkccradio.org in Kankakee, IL.

About James Nixon

A velvet-voiced blues/R&B entertainer, Nixon was a Chess recording artist in the 1970's. In 2001 he released his acclaimed album, No End To The Blues, on the Black Magic label. The title cut was co-written with Elvis' discoverer/guitarist and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member Scotty Moore, a Nixon friend.

In the gospel world, Nixon released a CD entitled Me, Myself and The Lord, which was named "best gospel album of 1998" by Mark Weber, editor of Behind the Scenes, a New York radio and recording industry newsletter. Nick has also produced albums by many of the greats in the gospel genre, including the world-famous (and Grammy winning) Fairfield Four.

Nick has been the recipient of the Keeping the Blues Alive (KBA) 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 on blues and R&B yearly; covering 8 states in the Southeastern USA. For more information on his educational programs please visit www.americanrootsmusic.org.

In 2004 Nixon 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 Nashville.

In July 2005 he released a new album of original blues songs, Back Down South, on the Buncy Records label.

Additional Biographical Info

Blue Label/SPV has announced the release of James Nixon's "Live in Europe" on September 14, 2010.
Singer, songwriter, guitarist James Nixon is probably best known to the greater music listening public as a Gospel artist, but his career has been all over the musical map. A Nashville, Tennessee native, he comes from a musical family and sang Gospel Music as a child.

As a teenager he got bitten by the R&B bug and picked up bass and then guitar, playing in semi pro bands around west Nashville in the 1950s. At age twenty he began singing Gospel Music professionally and would return to the genre off and on throughout his career.

By the late 1950s Rock & Roll was looming large and James got into it like any other young musician at the time, first time out with an amateur group called the "Bear Lairs". He then formed "King JAMES and the Sceptres" in the mid 1960s, and the band's mix of Soul Music and Rock & Roll soon became extremely popular throughout the mid South.

By the late sixties JAMES had gone all the way into the Southern Soul Music scene with his group "NTS Limited". This band featured bassist Billy Cox, fresh from "Johnny Jones & The Imperial 7" and soon to be called to Woodstock to work with Jimi Hendrix. It was a high powered horn driven band and by this time JAMES was really coming into his own as both a singer and guitarist. In the early and mid 1960s the three most prominent Blues guitarists in Nashville were Johnny Jones, Jimi Hendrix and JAMES NIXON. All three guitarists at one time or another worked with the Jefferson Street group "The King Casuals". Jimi went on to become the most important guitarist of his generation, and Johnny and JAMES stayed in Nashville doing studio work. When Billy Cox went with Hendrix, NTS Limited disbanded and JAMES replaced Johnny Jones in The Imperial 7 (Jones had left to tour with Bobby "Blue" Bland). He still works with the group, though they have since shortened their name to "The Imperials".

In the early 1970s JAMES got serious about his song-writing, fell in with Nashville's heavy hitters and was signed to Chess Records in Chicago, though he recorded in Nashville with Charlie Daniels producing. The association produced no hits and JAMES continued with his session work and performing regionally with The Imperials. He also tried his hand at record production, overseeing the Fairfield Four's "Dig A Little Deeper" album in 1979. He gave music lessons on the side and made a recording with legendary disc jockey Hoss Allen, Elvis guitarist Scotty Moore, Billy Cox and Johnny Jones, entitled "Over 50 Blues". It was a novelty song, but it got airplay in the southern states and sold a few records. By this time JAMES had decided to get more serious about his Gospel Music career and signed with Ted Jarrett's T-Jaye record label in the mid 1990s. He recorded two albums for the company and had a sizable hit with the single "Stand Up" late in the decade. He never left R&B entirely though, continuing his work with the Imperials and doing studio work with artists like Mac Gayden (Nirvava Blues 1996) and Richard Julian (Smash Palace 1998), among others.

The 1990s saw a big resurgence in Nashville Blues and Soul Music, with legendary artists like Earl Gaines, Roscoe Shelton, Charles Walker, Al Garner, Johnny Jones and Marion James all making comebacks. JAMES wanted a piece of that pie and signed with Black Magic Records in 2000. The label released the album "No End To The Blues" the following year to great critical acclaim. This led to a European tour and the live recording from late 2001 contained herein. It was recorded at the Blues Estafette festival in The Netherlands and features the rhythm section from The Amazing Rhythm Aces as well as singer Mary-Ann Brandon. This session shows JAMES at his peak. A little Blues, a little Gospel, and a whole lotta Soul. These days JAMES is a board member of the Blues Foundation and received the prestigious "Keeping The Blues Alive" award from that organization in 2000. He is currently working as a solo artist and with The Imperials and shows no sign of slowing down.

AntiMusic.com http://www.antimusic.com/news/10/aug/25James_Nixon_Live_in_Europe_in_September.shtml

http://nicknixon.com/