boiSee.com

November 26th, 2009

How about a taste of spring.

November 18th, 2009

END OF YEAR SALE

A full year of Boise’s beauty, featuring the images of David R. Day, with historic text from Todd Shallat. Order below, and click on the front or back covers to view larger. SALE-FREE SHIPPING

November 17th, 2009

This free cat is getting very expensive.

November 14th, 2009

James will be at the Jo’s Sunshine Lounge, where the Curtis meets the Freeway.

Monday Night, music starts early so you can boogie down and still get up in the morning.

Samuel James ‘ music is rich with intensity, stories, emotion and exceptional guitar work. Part Richie Havens, part Tom Waits, part Son House and part Leo Kotke, Samuel James is a songster. The Portland, Maine native was taught piano at age eight by his father (a former west coast session piano player), and has been playing music for more than 20 years since.

“It’s more than acoustic blues,” says Samuel James. He continues, “Think about the similarities between Mississippi John Hurt and Tom Waits. Both story tellers, one’s a bit more fantastical than the other, but the only real difference is time. Waits is essentially a white, updated Hurt. Now, I’m not saying I’m a black Tom Waits, but I’m not NOT saying that either.”

Apart from songwriting and storytelling comparisons, Samuel James is a performer of singular talent. A master of fingerstyle, slide, banjo, harmonica, and piano.

Simply put Samuel James is the most relevant young acoustic artist to come our way in quite some time. He has diligently steeped himself in the traditions of his elders and created his own voice that speaks with clarity and pathos to a contemporary audience.

Remarkable stories, performed remarkably. Infidelity, humor, murder and the KKK — and that’s just the opening track. The thirteen that follow boast the musically universal themes of love, violence, sex and
death in ways that will bring a tear to your eye, a smile to your face and a stomp to your foot.

“I’m following a black American tradition that includes, but not limited to blues. It’s an attempt to make permanent a larger, musical, cultural heritage.  We’re the only minority in the U.S. brought here
against our will and because of this Black America has always had a feeling of impermanence. A symptom of this impermanence is our creation and immediate disregard of these beautiful art forms like blues, jazz, hip-hop…. And just like hip-hop, these musical styles all had lifestyles that they came out of, but now the subtle details that were important for the beginning musical development within those styles are gone. To me this means that I’m not gonna write stories as though I lived then. I don’t live then. I live now.  I’m not a revivalist, I’m just continuing a tradition.”

For Rosa, Maeve and Noreen is Samuel James’ third album and second for the NorthernBlues label. It is produced by David Travers-Smith whose credits include Ani DiFranco, Harry Manx and Russell Crowe.

Both live and recorded Samuel James cherishes “the intimacy of one man screaming his heart out…a conversation between him and his audience as opposed to between band members. When I think of the best, most intimate forms of entertainment—maybe a flamenco guitar player, or a stand-up comedian, spoken word—it’s one individual. There’s a power there. You can’t listen to Son House or Skip James and tell me that an electric band can touch that.”  Based on consistent standing ovations, Samuel James clearly knows what he’s talking about.

James will be at the Jo’s Sunshine Lounge, where the Curtis meets the Freeway.

Monday Night, music starts early so you can boogie down and still get up in the morning.

November 12th, 2009

Took this Thursday. I never tire of this view.

November 11th, 2009

This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave. ~Elmer Davis

November 10th, 2009

If some asks you to Didgeridoo

Don’t!

November 8th, 2009

Had a great time teaching (and learning) at Beyond Pointing and Shooting Saturday. An interesting mix of photo experience made the class a bit of a challenge to teach. Thanks to Carl and Micheal for the input. When the class went out to the depot it was wonderful to see individual shooters really looking for great photos. Mellissa and I will be teaching this class again on the 2nd Saturday (9th) in January.

November 6th, 2009

November 3rd, 2009

The wisdom of the recently and dearly departed portrait artist Stan Burns.

Stan was one of my dads pack of friends. These men and their wives survived the battles of a world war and then went on to build the Boise we now love. Boise high grads of the early forties they made Boise what it is.

To the unenlightened, Stan Burns took pictures, protraits mostly. His image of my dad Don is one of the mental images that come to mind when I reminisce about my father. His portraits of the each of the governors line the capitol. From classmate Frank Church to my senior picture, Stan’s lens found your essence. He was a true master.

As I became an adult I was lucky enough to know Stan and wife Mary Lou as friends. His wit was sharp and dry, but he could sure make you smile. I will miss you Stan. Hope you and dad are having a cheap scotch, and you had to buy!