Elana James

Album Review

Elana James may be the fiddler and singer's first solo album, but James is no novice. Formerly one-third of the Western swing revival trio the Hot Club of Cowtown and later a prominent sidewoman in Bob Dylan's touring band, James has instrumental chops galore. If anything, the big surprise on Elana James is that James largely downplays her well-known violin prowess in favor of showcasing her swell vocals. Possessing a strong, clear voice that moves easily from flirty to sultry and back, James keeps her vocals at the forefront of the songs, with the delicate "Eva's Waltz" and the jaunty "Silver Bells" (not the Christmas standard) the only instrumentals out of the baker's dozen tunes. Sticking mostly to the jazzier end of Western swing, James fronts a small combo with mandolin (courtesy of the great Johnny Gimble, who also plays, quite literally, second fiddle throughout), stand-up bass, old-fashioned rhythm guitar, minimal percussion and occasional swinging clarinet parts. Evenly split between James originals and standards including a terrific pair of Duke Ellington tunes, Dylan's "One More Night" and the traditional folk tune "Goodbye Liza Jane," Elana James is a hugely enjoyable piece of modern Western swing that's respectful of the jazz and country traditions while being faithful to neither.