I'm on my way to perform this Friday September 2 at a club called FACES in Sacramento, CA.
I'm in here somewhere...??? I think they listed me as "Jesse James???" Looks like they got a lot of stuff going on.
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/189425
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
BARBRA STREISAND CD RELEASE PARTY
I was not in good voice. Damn. My voice is always good these days but this particular night I didn't have the power or clarity I normally have.
This night was a record release party for Barbra Streisand's newest album. There were a lot of incredible singers there. Some of them visiting LA from NYC's Broadway. All of the singers were hitting it out of the ball park.
Musical Mondays takes place every Monday in West Hollywood at Club 11. The guys there are great there. Ryan O'Conner & Scott Nevins run this night.
My friend Gary DeVaughn recorded this on my iPhone. My hair looks weird in this video like I'm bald or something...but I'm not.
My friend Gary DeVaughn recorded this on my iPhone. My hair looks weird in this video like I'm bald or something...but I'm not.
Friday, August 26, 2011
Thursday, August 18, 2011
SUMMER SUN CONCERT SERIES...CANCELED!
CANCELED!
Sorry but I have decided to cancel the SUMMER SUN CONCERT SERIES due to scheduling problems.
No hard feelings towards The Palms. I think the facility was very nice and has a great potential for something in the future. But we were unable to keep the show time consistent therefore making it too hard to promote it properly and it was too confusing to my fans.
My sincere apologies.
Coming soon CASITA del CAMPO date around September 9, 10 or 11.
JIMMY JAMES
Sorry but I have decided to cancel the SUMMER SUN CONCERT SERIES due to scheduling problems.
No hard feelings towards The Palms. I think the facility was very nice and has a great potential for something in the future. But we were unable to keep the show time consistent therefore making it too hard to promote it properly and it was too confusing to my fans.
My sincere apologies.
Coming soon CASITA del CAMPO date around September 9, 10 or 11.
JIMMY JAMES
Monday, August 15, 2011
SUMMER SUN CONCERT SERIES! They wanna extend me!
SUMMER SUN CONCERT SERIES!
Every SATURDAY in August 2011, 9pm (sharp).
The PALMS BAR & SHOW LOUNGE
This past Saturday was fun. Legendary Warhol Superstar Holly Woodlawn stopped by unexpectedly. Also in the house was legendary music producer Bob Esty (Take Me Home, Last Dance, Enough Is Enough...). Also some television industry people came and my former publicist Scott Barton.
.................................................
Set List:
SUMMER SUN (Jimmy James original)
HISTORY REPEATING (Shirley Bassey)
3 SISTER DIVAS "GOD BLESS THE CHILD" (Billie Holiday, Eartha Kitt, Diana Ross)
SWEET DREAMS (Patsy Cline)
CHER MEDLEY
PRIVATE DANCER (Tina Turner)
LOVE IS A LOSING GAME (work-in-progress Amy Winehouse)
KISSING A FRAUD (Jimmy James original)
U DON'T BRING ME FLOWERS (Barbra Streisand & Neil Diamond)
8 DIVAS "I've Got It Bad" Dance Mix (8 voices in 1 song)
FASHIONISTA (Jimmy James original)
...........................................................
The club is set up very well for me. The sound is good, there's a follow spot, a cute stage, a video screen, a fan that blows on me during the show and the club is in my neighborhood...what else could I want? They actually want to extend me so I have a lot to think about. It would be quite a commitment.
It is luxurious to have a place to keep my timing and voice worked-out. I always need a work-shop to practice. I had a place like this for 5 years in NYC and it was very valuable to have a place to try out new material.
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
MY OWN DAMN VOICE! MY OWN DAMN SONGS! JIM CARREY!
SUMMER SUN CONCERT SERIES! EVERY SATURDAY IN AUGUST. Every show will be different...
This past August 6, 9pm, I kicked off my SUMMER SUN CONCERT SERIES at The Palms Bar / Show Lounge in West Hollywood, CA. I'm scheduled to do every Saturday in August. I always need a place to work out new material - practice.
I recently revisited some unreleased songs I wrote that I thought were pretty good. One of the songs, "Money Love & Pain" struck my fancy so I decided to do it in the show. It felt good to sing it that night. The sound is good in the club.
The show had several bumps in the road, that I guess, only I would notice but I started to be vocal about it trying to get a laugh. But, some of it fell flat. Sometimes in comedy when you think it's funny in your head you keep harping on it trying to get a laugh but it doesn't always work. Oh well...it didn't work.
But I feel I did an ok show. A lot of the show was original material. A stark difference from my usual expected impressions. It's really bizzare to me how some people have severe unfavorable reactions to this. BUT for people who had never seen my show...they seemed to really like the show!
Don't get me wrong...I love my Divas. I love doing the Voices. I love doing the Voice Impressions but I am a creative talent beyond just impressions. I NEVER in my life wanted to be a one-trick-pony. I will NEVER be a one-trick-pony. Even during my Marilyn Years, I did not ONLY do Marilyn. I did her for the first 15-20 minutes then I would go backstage to change and come out with an opening song as myself and start doing the Voice Impressions after that. That was my show, that's how I did it. It worked for many years.
I'm a songwriter now and a recording artist in my own right. I recorded a global hit and an original album, so if I choose to sing a couple of original songs that I WROTE, don't hate me so hard! Trust me they're good songs and my own damn voice is NOT bad either. I have a nice voice. I like it. It may not be Barbra or Judy or Cher or Billie Holiday or Patsy Cline or Eartha Kitt - but my voice is MINE! Just enjoy the ride and don't get bitter if I don't do Barbra Streisand or Bette Davis. Open your mind and give me a chance to show you more talent than you ever thought possible. That being said, I do love my Divas. They are ALL extensions of me. They've inspired me as an artist. I grew up with them. I hung my dreams on them.
Playlist at The Palms Bar/ Show Lounge August 6, 2011:
1. SUMMER SUN
2. HISTORY REPEATING (Shirley Bassey)
3. MONEY LOVE & PAIN
http://soundcloud.com/jimmy-james-3/demo-money-love-pain-jimmy
4. DON'T LEAVE ME THIS WAY (Cher)
5. COME RAIN or COME SHINE acapella (Judy Garland)
6. MAYBE THIS TIME acapella (Liza Minnelli)
7. SECRET (Madonna)
8. LOVE IS A LOSING GAME (work-in-progress Amy Winehouse)
8. LIKE U DO (Duet Boy George & Jimmy James)
9. FASHIONISTA
Sammy Davis Jr. asked Frank Sinatra, "Frank how can I make it in show business like the big guys?" Frank Sinatra said to him, "You gotta do your own thing. Stop the impressions. Be Sammy Davis, Jr. Be the best you."
This brings to mind a famous quote from Judy Garland: "Why be a second rate version of someone else when you can be a first rate version of yourself."
Jim Carrey came to Hollywood and started out doing impressions. He was damn good and damn funny. But he knew he had to be original. He believed in himself and persevered with his own originality. Where would Jim Carrey be if he just settled for being a Voice Impressionist? Maybe Vegas?...Ok...but probably not doing multi-Million Dollar Block Buster movies.
Jim Carrey doing impressions:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsVHhBFGSps
I looked up some inspiring quotes from Jim Carrey.
JIM CARREY QUOTES:
At the Comedy Store I started to get known doing impressions and stopped doing that because I saw where it was leading and so because I did that I was able to excel to another level without being known as the comic impressionist.
Quotation of Jim Carrey
Some nights it was a melee, literally, where I'd be standing trying to defend myself for what I was doing. People would be screaming at me to do my old act, and getting actually violent and angry at me.
Quotation of Jim Carrey
Desperation is a necessary ingredient to learning anything, or creating anything. Period. If you ain't desperate at some point, you ain't interesting.
Quotation of Jim Carrey
I've had incredible blessings, unbelievable fortitude and at the same time there's always a balancing factor to my life and generally what it is, you pick up the book on comedians and I'm not in it.
Quotation of Jim Carrey
I just want to be myself.
Quotation of Jim Carrey
I'm very serious about no alcohol, no drugs. Life is too beautiful.
Quotation of Jim Carrey
If you've got a talent, protect it.
Quotation of Jim Carrey
Originality is really important.
Quotation of Jim Carrey
I recently revisited some unreleased songs I wrote that I thought were pretty good. One of the songs, "Money Love & Pain" struck my fancy so I decided to do it in the show. It felt good to sing it that night. The sound is good in the club.
The show had several bumps in the road, that I guess, only I would notice but I started to be vocal about it trying to get a laugh. But, some of it fell flat. Sometimes in comedy when you think it's funny in your head you keep harping on it trying to get a laugh but it doesn't always work. Oh well...it didn't work.
But I feel I did an ok show. A lot of the show was original material. A stark difference from my usual expected impressions. It's really bizzare to me how some people have severe unfavorable reactions to this. BUT for people who had never seen my show...they seemed to really like the show!
Don't get me wrong...I love my Divas. I love doing the Voices. I love doing the Voice Impressions but I am a creative talent beyond just impressions. I NEVER in my life wanted to be a one-trick-pony. I will NEVER be a one-trick-pony. Even during my Marilyn Years, I did not ONLY do Marilyn. I did her for the first 15-20 minutes then I would go backstage to change and come out with an opening song as myself and start doing the Voice Impressions after that. That was my show, that's how I did it. It worked for many years.
I'm a songwriter now and a recording artist in my own right. I recorded a global hit and an original album, so if I choose to sing a couple of original songs that I WROTE, don't hate me so hard! Trust me they're good songs and my own damn voice is NOT bad either. I have a nice voice. I like it. It may not be Barbra or Judy or Cher or Billie Holiday or Patsy Cline or Eartha Kitt - but my voice is MINE! Just enjoy the ride and don't get bitter if I don't do Barbra Streisand or Bette Davis. Open your mind and give me a chance to show you more talent than you ever thought possible. That being said, I do love my Divas. They are ALL extensions of me. They've inspired me as an artist. I grew up with them. I hung my dreams on them.
Playlist at The Palms Bar/ Show Lounge August 6, 2011:
1. SUMMER SUN
2. HISTORY REPEATING (Shirley Bassey)
3. MONEY LOVE & PAIN
http://soundcloud.com/jimmy-james-3/demo-money-love-pain-jimmy
4. DON'T LEAVE ME THIS WAY (Cher)
5. COME RAIN or COME SHINE acapella (Judy Garland)
6. MAYBE THIS TIME acapella (Liza Minnelli)
7. SECRET (Madonna)
8. LOVE IS A LOSING GAME (work-in-progress Amy Winehouse)
8. LIKE U DO (Duet Boy George & Jimmy James)
9. FASHIONISTA
Sammy Davis Jr. asked Frank Sinatra, "Frank how can I make it in show business like the big guys?" Frank Sinatra said to him, "You gotta do your own thing. Stop the impressions. Be Sammy Davis, Jr. Be the best you."
This brings to mind a famous quote from Judy Garland: "Why be a second rate version of someone else when you can be a first rate version of yourself."
Jim Carrey came to Hollywood and started out doing impressions. He was damn good and damn funny. But he knew he had to be original. He believed in himself and persevered with his own originality. Where would Jim Carrey be if he just settled for being a Voice Impressionist? Maybe Vegas?...Ok...but probably not doing multi-Million Dollar Block Buster movies.
Jim Carrey doing impressions:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsVHhBFGSps
I looked up some inspiring quotes from Jim Carrey.
JIM CARREY QUOTES:
At the Comedy Store I started to get known doing impressions and stopped doing that because I saw where it was leading and so because I did that I was able to excel to another level without being known as the comic impressionist.
Quotation of Jim Carrey
Some nights it was a melee, literally, where I'd be standing trying to defend myself for what I was doing. People would be screaming at me to do my old act, and getting actually violent and angry at me.
Quotation of Jim Carrey
Desperation is a necessary ingredient to learning anything, or creating anything. Period. If you ain't desperate at some point, you ain't interesting.
Quotation of Jim Carrey
I've had incredible blessings, unbelievable fortitude and at the same time there's always a balancing factor to my life and generally what it is, you pick up the book on comedians and I'm not in it.
Quotation of Jim Carrey
I just want to be myself.
Quotation of Jim Carrey
I'm very serious about no alcohol, no drugs. Life is too beautiful.
Quotation of Jim Carrey
If you've got a talent, protect it.
Quotation of Jim Carrey
Originality is really important.
Quotation of Jim Carrey
Thursday, August 4, 2011
JULY: TEXAS, REHOBOTH, LA ... SUMMER SUN!
It was so nice to hang out with Mom in San Antonio. It was peaceful and I was able to think about a lot of things. She's getting on in years and she has always been there for me 100%. I don't know...maybe I should move home for a while. I want to spend more time with her and I don't want to have any regrets later.
Inside the Royal Rose Room. Video for Mom.
Back in LA:
My friend Billy picked me up from LAX on Thursday. I wound up going to his house up in Sherman Oaks. The next day Friday evening he had a get-together with some friends. Very nice California evenings. Paradise. Unlike the rest of the Country which is sweltering.
Saturday afternoon July 30, was a full-blown pool party at Billy's house.
It finally occurred to me that when I decided to leave NY in Jan '09 I vowed if there was going to be a recession / depression, that I was going to spend it in beautiful Sunny Los Angeles, CA by a pool. My dream came true.
By Monday August 1, I came back to reality and had some meetings. There's always a meeting to be had in LA. Showbiz.
I was also able to see some friends, go out to dinner, jog (even though it was so sweltering hot even in the evening). I used my iPhone to document the 3 and 4 miles.
By the end of July I took off to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware to do a show at the Blue Moon Cafe/Restaurant/Club. By all accounts it seems that I did a good show, everyone seemed to like it and I love the owners Tim & Randy. They spoil me with good food, good attention to detail and such kind generosity. It's always so much fun for me in Rehoboth.
Pamela Stanley who had a massive hit in the 80s with a song called "COMING OUT OF HIDING" performs at Blue Moon regularly in the early evenings and can really really belt out a song. I over-heard her singing Rihanna's S&M song while I was in the dressing room. I could swear it was the original record except Pamela sings it better! I met her Son and his girlfriend. We all had a fantastic dinner together along with Tim & Randy. Miss Mona who is the entertainment director works there, had airport duty. He was so nice. I had to land in Philadelphia and be driven 2 hours in on Tuesday July 26, perform on the 27, leave July 28 with another 2hr drive back to Philadelphia but Miss Mona was nice to talk to. Thursday the 28th was a LONG 12hr day traveling enroute to LA.
Pamela Stanley who had a massive hit in the 80s with a song called "COMING OUT OF HIDING" performs at Blue Moon regularly in the early evenings and can really really belt out a song. I over-heard her singing Rihanna's S&M song while I was in the dressing room. I could swear it was the original record except Pamela sings it better! I met her Son and his girlfriend. We all had a fantastic dinner together along with Tim & Randy. Miss Mona who is the entertainment director works there, had airport duty. He was so nice. I had to land in Philadelphia and be driven 2 hours in on Tuesday July 26, perform on the 27, leave July 28 with another 2hr drive back to Philadelphia but Miss Mona was nice to talk to. Thursday the 28th was a LONG 12hr day traveling enroute to LA.
 | ||
The wonderful Royal Rose Inn Guest house where I stayed. Rehoboth Beach, DE. Just steps away from the club.  |
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| A jog before the show. I jogged around a little lake. Maybe man-made. |
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| The dressing room backstage at Blue Moon. |
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| Sidewalk towards The Royal Rose Guest house. |
 |
| Exterior of The Blue Moon Restaurant/Cabaret. |
Boardwalk Rehoboth Beach. Wed. 7/27/11
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| After show with Phoenix who performs regularly at Blue Moon. |
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| My Marquee! ...lol oh well. |
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| Some fun audience members after the show. Pamela Stanley's 80s hit "Coming Out of Hiding." The song still sounds good even today. |
My friend Billy picked me up from LAX on Thursday. I wound up going to his house up in Sherman Oaks. The next day Friday evening he had a get-together with some friends. Very nice California evenings. Paradise. Unlike the rest of the Country which is sweltering.
 |
| Brendon |
 |
| Christian |
 |
| Matt & Lilly |
My song "SUMMER SUN" I made them frolic.
It finally occurred to me that when I decided to leave NY in Jan '09 I vowed if there was going to be a recession / depression, that I was going to spend it in beautiful Sunny Los Angeles, CA by a pool. My dream came true.
By Monday August 1, I came back to reality and had some meetings. There's always a meeting to be had in LA. Showbiz.
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