Kurt James

Infobox musical artist

|thumb|Kurt James |
Name = Kurt James
| Img_capt =
Landscape =
Background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
Birth_name =
Alias =
Born =
Died =
Origin = South Pasadena, California, U.S.A.
Instrument =
Voice_type =
Genre = Heavy metal
Jazz fusion
Occupation =
Years_active = 1985–present
Label =
Associated_acts = US Driver Stryper Neil Turbin's DeathRiders K9 Devotion
URL = [http://www.kurtjames.com]
Current_members =
Past_members =
Notable_instruments =

Kurt James (born May 26 in South Pasadena, California) is an American Heavy metal–rock guitarist and composer.

Mr. James has recorded many different styles of music over the years, including (most recently) Rockabilly, in the form of a collaboration with the Christian rockabilly band The Pioneers.

Musical career

Kurt James is a cult guitar hero who came into prominence by joining the band Steeler. It was through playing in Steeler that he developed a friendship with Yngwie J. Malmsteen. Prior to joining Steeler he developed his technique and experience by playing with a late legendary guitarist Steve Medrano from the band West Winds. He has also played with multitude of local Los Angeles bands such as Stryper, Black Sheep, Black Bart, etc.He has also appeared in the album "Dr. Mastermind" with Deen Castronovo on drums and Matt McCourt on bass and vocals.

James is also a bass player. His bass playing was featured on the album "Dangerous Madness" by Wayne Kramer from MC5 and Chad Smith from Red Hot Chili Peppers. He performed a "Jaco Tribute" with the band Mr. Gone to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the passing of the late great bassist Jaco Pastorius. He recorded in Majorca, Spain, an album named "Contra.2com" with Rafael Aguilo on drums and Toni Terrades on keyboards.

Guitar playing and styles

Mr. James has played with some of the finest and most recognized musicians in the world. At the tender age of 15 he was sharing lead guitar duties with Ted Hall, from the incredible L.A. fusion band "The Fents". At 16 he was playing in a band with the late legendary guitarist Steve Medrano, all the while continuing to perform live in his own fusion trio. His first big break came when he was asked to join the top L.A. band "Steeler", hot on the heels of the legendary Yngwie Malmsteen. Playing in Steeler after Yngwie was definitely a turning point for Kurt, he joined the band on a Sunday and the following Thursday he was headlining the Country Club in Reseda. That's where he met Mike Varney. Through his association with Steeler he was introduced to Yngwie, the two immediately became fast friends, jamming and recording together. The two were constantly building and swapping guitars, in fact the guitar featured on the cover of "Rising Force" was an amalgamation of parts from Kurt and Yngwie's favorite guitars. This particular instrument can be identified by a deep scratch in the lower cutaway. After Steeler Kurt got a call from the Christian band Stryper, Kurt played the material that eventually made it on the record "Soldiers Under Command". Around this time Kurt became friends with Paul Gilbert. They were both living in Hollywood at the time, were they would jam and hang out together. Gilbert had been playing in the band "Black Sheep" and told Kurt that they were looking for a guitarist, both guitarists are featured on the record "Trouble in the Streets". Kurt also played with Rudy Sarzo and Tommy Aldridge in the first version of "Driver", featuring vocalist Jeff Scott Soto. After his stint in Driver, Kurt formed a band with Neil Turbin called KJB or Kurt James Band after toying around with other names. The band lasted 13 months after the japanese record label influenced Kurt to break apart the band and get who they wanted to be in it. The album was produced by Allan Holdsworth but was never finished or released. After his stint in "Kurt James Band", Kurt got a call from Mike Varney, who asked Kurt to play on a record with Deen Castronovo on drums and the original singer of "The Wild Dogs", Matt McCourt. That record was called "Dr. Mastermind". Kurt went to Japan after that, and played concerts, got endorsements and did magazine interviews. Kurt also participated in the "Guitar Heros" Tour, were he was featured along with five other guitarists, including Vinnie Moore, Michaelangelo and Joey Tafolla. At that time he had his own record deal with Allan Holdsworth as producer, but the label decided the material had no "commercial potential", and decided to pull the plug on the project. After that Kurt formed the band "Only the Brave" featuring Shawn Michael Perry on vocals and Randy Bush on bass. That was a great band with some really neat original material, sounding like a cross between "Red Bone" and "Van Halen".Fact|date=August 2008 Another band Kurt fronted was called "K-9 Devotion", a trio that recorded and gigged around the Pasadena area. Always interested in fretless bass, Kurt formed the premier Jaco Pastorius tribute band "Mr. Gone" a five piece "Weather Report" style band that was very well received. In 2007 Kurt joined forces with original Anthrax vocalist Neil Turbin, playing lead guitar in his band "Deathriders". Deathriders featuring Neil Turbin who was the original vocalist of thrash pioneers Anthrax performed at Brick by Brick in San Diego, Brning Star Metal Fest in San Marcos, Thrash Against Cancer in San Francisco, Monterrey Metal Fest II in Mexico and played at the Sweden Rock Festival in 2006. Currently Kurt is fronting the band "Los Lucky Boys" and also plays in the Christian rockabilly band "The Pioneers".

Discography

Albums

- align=center
align=left|"Steeler""Metal Generation"||2007 ||align=left|Featured on three tracks .|
- align=center
align=left|"Beyond this life"||2005 ||align=left|Recorded in Spain |
- align=center
align=left|"Fire from Within"||2005 ||align=left|Recorded in Spain] .|
- align=center
align=left|"Mystic Planet"||2006||align=left|third in the Recorded in Spain trilogy.|
- align=center
align=left
- align=center

Other album appearances

- align=center
align=left|"Neil TurbinThreatcon Delta"|| [2006] ||align=left|Feat. ex. Anthrax vocalist [Neil Turbin] 2003|
align=left|"Dangerous Madness"||1997||align=left|Wayne Kramer with Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer [Chad Smith] |

External links

* [http://www.kurtjames.com Official Site] .