Oliver James entertains you with mostly original Americana Reflective Rock that is family friendly and sophisticated for adults who love their roots. Soon to release their 3rd studio album, Oliver James is celebrated in San Diego and is often ranked #1 on Reverbnation in the Americana category. For an electron press kit: (link hidden). The songs seem familiar, thoughtful and fun as the band keeps your crowd warm with personality, humor and hospitality. We look forward to making your occasion one of a kind!
Be the first to review Oliver James
Price Range: $1000 and up, Ability to travel
Gig Length: 45 - 180 minutes
Languages: English
It's Oliver James! This original band is highly ranked on Reverbnation in American Rock as they are known for quality original material that sounds familiar, inspiring and suitable for adult tastes. Some covers are mixed in and can be requested in advance of your event. Highly professional, friendly and classy!
Elegantly emotive singer-songwriter Oliver James experienced a music career rebirth one day while sitting in a business meeting with his mind adrift. At the time, creating music was an outlet safely tucked away in his past, but a nagging lyric in his head was too good to resist.
Seven years later, and three albums in, his acclaimed second-act career proves it’s good for the soul to give into temptation. The result of his brave decision to return to music is a body of work brimming with bare truths and soulful reflection.
“I’m not a pessimist, but I’m not an optimist. I’m interested in darker themes and exposing hypocrisies. There’s strength and positivity in diving deep,” the La Jolla, California-based artist says.
His upcoming third album out on Wire & Wood Recordings LTD. marks a new era for Oliver. Not only does it offer up a fresh installment of his well-crafted, meticulously performed pop-rock with a few rockin’ surprises. It also comes in the wake of Oliver finding his dream band, and finally pursuing a consistent and steady itinerary of live dates with a dedicated and impassioned unit of virtuosic musicians.
Oliver pens sophisticated pop-rock with majestic arrangements, serve-the-song instrumentation, cinematic textures, and earnestly poetic lyrics. His exquisite aesthetic has attracted an impressive array of musicians and industry all-stars. Oliver has had the pleasure of working with David Letterman’s Late Night Gospel Choir; two-time Grammy-winning mixing engineer Trina Shoemaker (Iggy Pop, Queens Of The Stone Age) at the Magic Shop in NYC (Coldplay, Norah Jones); mastering genius Greg Calbi (Bob Dylan, Nick Cave) at the famed Sterling Sound; and producer, mixing and mastering engineer, Alan Sanderson (Elton John, Rolling Stones, and Weezer) at Pacific Beat Studios.
His inspirational single, “Keep Breathing,” from his debut album, Chasing The Sun, has amassed over 10,000 radio spins to date. The track is a soldier’s song, and proceeds from its sales have been donated to veteran support organizations. In addition, and from the same album, the song “The More You Love, The More You Live” was acknowledged as “Best Pop/Rock Song” for the month of November 2016 by The Akademia.
Crucial to Oliver’s creativity has been his trusted collaborator, keyboardist and pianist, Brett Levine with whom over decades of working together, he’s developed a telepathic and sympathetic synergy.
“Brett is ego free, and adds a creative spark and acerbic wit to the music. His touch also gives the songs textural refinement,” Oliver says. Today, in addition to Brett, and Oliver’s guitar and lead vocal rolls, the Oliver James musical family includes Paul Backes, bass and vocals; John Cartmill, guitar and vocals; and Rick Slinkard, drums and vocals.
Oliver’s journey in music began with this father’s imposing hi-fi and several Beatles albums. By 8, he was strumming away on a throwaway drugstore guitar. The evolution continued with a high school cover band, and, while in college, a band that specialized in originals. From there, Oliver fearlessly pursued a career in music until he found himself in San Francisco dispirited, broke, and burnt out. Oliver then made the difficult decision to give up the ghost and enter the 9-5 “real job” grind.
Job prospects later took Oliver to New York City where he met his wife, laid down roots and started a family. A few years into his east coast life, he answered a “guitarist wanted” ad and got the gig. The band didn’t last, but it was there where he forged a deep connection with the band’s keyboardist, Brett Levine.
Oliver has issued two albums with Brett, Chasing The Sun (2012) and What Have We Learned (2016) on Wire & Wood Recordings LTD, and the two are currently putting finishing touches on the yet untitled third Oliver James album. Between his debut and sophomore albums, Oliver relocated to San Diego. Brett still lives east, and now works remotely with Oliver via file sharing.
Among many album highlights, select standouts in the pair of releases include “Giving Chase To The Sun” and “Before He Turned The Gun On Himself,” from his debut, Chasing The Sun, and “Desperate Surrender Broken” and “The More You Love The More You Live” from Oliver’s sophomore album, What Have We Learned.
The poignant and poetically self-reflective “Giving Chase To The Sun” boasts soulfully sweet vocals, rich harmony vocals, rustic acoustic guitars, and dreamy atmospheric lap steel guitar flourishes. The haunting “Before He Turned The Gun On Himself” is as gorgeous as sorrow gets, replete with elegiac strings, gospel vocals, and Oliver’s tenderly wear vocal as if he’s testifying as a spectral presence in a doomed narrative. The enlightening “The More You Love, The More You Live” is goose-bump inducing track that evokes the emotive anthemics of Coldplay and U2. The exquisitely soaring pop-rock of “Desperate Surrender Broken” offers lay-down-your-arms-and-surrender-to-me redemption with dynamic touches like teardrop slide guitar melodies and a Motown-y horn section.
Recently, Oliver issued a reimagined version of Leonard Cohen’s “Lover Lover Lover” with female vocals. The track reignited his creative fire, resulting in Oliver James’ third album. A sneak peek at the upcoming album reveals the arena rocker “Ribbons Of Gold,” the closest thing to a love song Oliver has written; the brooding but imaginatively arranged “Fistfuls Of Water,” boasting a dazzling surprise ending; and the heart-on-the-sleeve “Holding My Breath” which posits and grapples with some profound questions.
Despite awards and working with some of the industry’s finest engineers and musicians, what’s been the most meaningful aspect of Oliver’s career reboot is the deep connections he has forged with fans. Oliver says in conclusion: “I’ve received emails of people wanting to use my songs for weddings, funerals, and even an ice skating performance. That the music touches so many people is so validating to me.”
Oliver James is happy to to work with your existing sound and lighting engineer. If your don't have a PA and lights we can factor that into the bid.
6 vocal mics with boom stands
4 direct boxes
5 cabinet mics
4 drum mics and 2 overheads
3-4 stage monitors
The size of the PA will be according to your requirements
Sound and lighting engineer
As Oliver James is an original material band, All of the songs are available from our albums with a few covers. If you have a favorite cover we can usually provide that for your gig given a little planning. For more info please see (link hidden)
Elegantly emotive singer-songwriter Oliver James experienced a music career rebirth one day while sitting in a business meeting with his mind adrift. At the time, creating music was an outlet safely tucked away in his past, but a nagging lyric in his head was too good to resist.
Seven years later, and three albums in, his acclaimed second-act career proves it’s good for the soul to give into temptation. The result of his brave decision to return to music is a body of work brimming with bare truths and soulful reflection.
“I’m not a pessimist, but I’m not an optimist. I’m interested in darker themes and exposing hypocrisies. There’s strength and positivity in diving deep,” the La Jolla, California-based artist says.
His upcoming third album out on Wire & Wood Recordings LTD. marks a new era for Oliver. Not only does it offer up a fresh installment of his well-crafted, meticulously performed pop-rock with a few rockin’ surprises. It also comes in the wake of Oliver finding his dream band, and finally pursuing a consistent and steady itinerary of live dates with a dedicated and impassioned unit of virtuosic musicians.
Oliver pens sophisticated pop-rock with majestic arrangements, serve-the-song instrumentation, cinematic textures, and earnestly poetic lyrics. His exquisite aesthetic has attracted an impressive array of musicians and industry all-stars. Oliver has had the pleasure of working with David Letterman’s Late Night Gospel Choir; two-time Grammy-winning mixing engineer Trina Shoemaker (Iggy Pop, Queens Of The Stone Age) at the Magic Shop in NYC (Coldplay, Norah Jones); mastering genius Greg Calbi (Bob Dylan, Nick Cave) at the famed Sterling Sound; and producer, mixing and mastering engineer, Alan Sanderson (Elton John, Rolling Stones, and Weezer) at Pacific Beat Studios.
His inspirational single, “Keep Breathing,” from his debut album, Chasing The Sun, has amassed over 10,000 radio spins to date. The track is a soldier’s song, and proceeds from its sales have been donated to veteran support organizations. In addition, and from the same album, the song “The More You Love, The More You Live” was acknowledged as “Best Pop/Rock Song” for the month of November 2016 by The Akademia.
Crucial to Oliver’s creativity has been his trusted collaborator, keyboardist and pianist, Brett Levine with whom over decades of working together, he’s developed a telepathic and sympathetic synergy.
“Brett is ego free, and adds a creative spark and acerbic wit to the music. His touch also gives the songs textural refinement,” Oliver says. Today, in addition to Brett, and Oliver’s guitar and lead vocal rolls, the Oliver James musical family includes Paul Backes, bass and vocals; John Cartmill, guitar and vocals; and Rick Slinkard, drums and vocals.
Oliver’s journey in music began with this father’s imposing hi-fi and several Beatles albums. By 8, he was strumming away on a throwaway drugstore guitar. The evolution continued with a high school cover band, and, while in college, a band that specialized in originals. From there, Oliver fearlessly pursued a career in music until he found himself in San Francisco dispirited, broke, and burnt out. Oliver then made the difficult decision to give up the ghost and enter the 9-5 “real job” grind.
Job prospects later took Oliver to New York City where he met his wife, laid down roots and started a family. A few years into his east coast life, he answered a “guitarist wanted” ad and got the gig. The band didn’t last, but it was there where he forged a deep connection with the band’s keyboardist, Brett Levine.
Oliver has issued two albums with Brett, Chasing The Sun (2012) and What Have We Learned (2016) on Wire & Wood Recordings LTD, and the two are currently putting finishing touches on the yet untitled third Oliver James album. Between his debut and sophomore albums, Oliver relocated to San Diego. Brett still lives east, and now works remotely with Oliver via file sharing.
Among many album highlights, select standouts in the pair of releases include “Giving Chase To The Sun” and “Before He Turned The Gun On Himself,” from his debut, Chasing The Sun, and “Desperate Surrender Broken” and “The More You Love The More You Live” from Oliver’s sophomore album, What Have We Learned.
The poignant and poetically self-reflective “Giving Chase To The Sun” boasts soulfully sweet vocals, rich harmony vocals, rustic acoustic guitars, and dreamy atmospheric lap steel guitar flourishes. The haunting “Before He Turned The Gun On Himself” is as gorgeous as sorrow gets, replete with elegiac strings, gospel vocals, and Oliver’s tenderly wear vocal as if he’s testifying as a spectral presence in a doomed narrative. The enlightening “The More You Love, The More You Live” is goose-bump inducing track that evokes the emotive anthemics of Coldplay and U2. The exquisitely soaring pop-rock of “Desperate Surrender Broken” offers lay-down-your-arms-and-surrender-to-me redemption with dynamic touches like teardrop slide guitar melodies and a Motown-y horn section.
Recently, Oliver issued a reimagined version of Leonard Cohen’s “Lover Lover Lover” with female vocals. The track reignited his creative fire, resulting in Oliver James’ third album. A sneak peek at the upcoming album reveals the arena rocker “Ribbons Of Gold,” the closest thing to a love song Oliver has written; the brooding but imaginatively arranged “Fistfuls Of Water,” boasting a dazzling surprise ending; and the heart-on-the-sleeve “Holding My Breath” which posits and grapples with some profound questions.
Despite awards and working with some of the industry’s finest engineers and musicians, what’s been the most meaningful aspect of Oliver’s career reboot is the deep connections he has forged with fans. Oliver says in conclusion: “I’ve received emails of people wanting to use my songs for weddings, funerals, and even an ice skating performance. That the music touches so many people is so validating to me.”
In addition to PA and lighting: 6 vocal mics on boom stands, Lead Gtr amp can be mic'd amp or direct out, Lead singer's Gtr has 2 separate Gtr amps each needs a mic. Bass amp needs a mic, Keyboard amp and can be mic'd or direct, 4 drum mics, 2 overhead m
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