Darrin James

James has a narrative songwriting style that often portrays vivid characters and the struggles of life. His songs are full of tragic heroes and flawed characters and unique takes on classic archetypes like the murder ballad. His albums often deal with topical themes such as war and violence and include many social critiques of political and religious issues, reflecting the influence of serious songwriters like Leonard Cohen, Bob Marley, Johnny Cash, and Fela Kuti, who swing big with the philosophical aspects of their songwriting. As Darrin James Band, he has released three critically praised albums of original songs: “Thrones of Gold” (2006), “The Lovely Ugly Truth” (2009), and “Strange Storm” (2016).  His music has found its way into TV and film, including Discovery Channel's Deadliest Catch and the 2019 film Peel, starring Emile Hirsch. In 2018 James provided the soundtrack to the documentary film, Meet Me at the Lindell, The Story of America's First Sports Bar, which premiered at Detroit's Freep Film Festival and aired on PBS.

James also draws inspiration from jazz artists like Miles Davis and Charles Mingus and incorporates improvisation into his albums and performances. With his gravelly voice and soulful playing, he often channels singers like Tom Waits and Dr. John, whose songwriting keeps a foot in the jazz world. In 2018, he released the first album of his instrumental jazz-funk project, Disaster Relief. Through the project, he intended to provide an escape from all the negativity and seriousness of the political climate of the time. In 2021, James collaborated with Detroit's "Queen of the Blues," Thornetta Davis, writing and producing a two-song release, “How I Feel,” which bridges Disaster Relief's funk with Thornetta's bluesy soul swagger and a fair dose of social commentary.  It was nominated for two Detroit Music Awards. In 2021, James released a second Disaster Relief album titled “Back into It.” 

His upcoming album, due out later this year, gravitates away from the political and social themes, instead encapsulating a more personal ethos. The intimate heart-on-your-sleeve directness expresses honest feelings and universal threads of love and loss, grief and happiness, contentment and anxiety, synonymous with the human experience. With James’ diverse musical background and ability to tackle complex themes, his soulful and thought-provoking music encourages listeners to reflect on important issues and arouse positive change.