HALO RIDER – “Devil and Angel”

Available for streaming now:

What an honor for “On A Mississippi Porch” to be in the powerful new HBO film “The Immortal Life Of Henrietta Lacks”, starring Oprah Winfrey:

Markus James 

HEAD FOR THE HILLS

“Head For The Hills is undoubtedly one of the finest releases of recent years, both within the genre and beyond…”  –BLUES MATTERS (UK)
full review

“…an immediately engaging disc that will continue to fascinate and resonate with repeated listens.”  —LIVING BLUES
full review

“…superb”  –BLUES IN BRITAIN
full review

“…primitive, raw, powerful and as real as it gets.”  –REFLECTIONS IN BLUE
full review

“…destined to be judged one of the top blues releases come year’s end.”  –BLURT MAGAZINE
full review

“This record, which is mighty, mighty fine, would make a perfect score for an apocalyptic noir-western-thriller.”  –NO DEPRESSION
full review

“…exciting and thought provoking.”  –ELMORE MAGAZINE
full review

“…every track on the album is solid.”  –TWANGVILLE
full review

“Every self respecting blues aficionado should consider the primal majesty of this album.”  –THE ROCKTOLOGIST
full review

“…will definitely lift your spirits and cleanse your soul!”  –NASHVILLE BLUES SOCIETY
full review

“…an unusually cool blues release.”  –B-MAN’S BLUES REPORT
full review

Head For The Hills available on iTunes

Markus James Vampire Weekend Namecheck

SF Weekly music news

Well-traveled sounds: Vampire Weekend has helped indie rockers get their African-inspired groove on over the past few years or, at the very least, convinced them to dust off their copies of Paul Simon’s Graceland but Ezra Koenig and his buddies… […]

Markus James’ West African happiness surplus

San Francisco Bay Guardian

In an age of endless crossover between most conceivable forms of music, it’s but small surprise that a Caucasian man from Virginia is making blues with West African witch doctors. What rarely gets discussed in these cross-ocean collaborations is the social aspect of the fusion. What did the artists eat for lunch the day they recorded that track? In what language was the “and-a-one” that started off the first take? […]

Markus James

Head for the Hills

Markus James

Snakeskin Violin

Featured on All Things Considered
Rock with a West African Twist: NPR Music

“Profound world blues passage… extremely distinctive pieces, driven by a seductive rhythmic circularity that’s a keystone of Malian traditional tunes and Delta blues.”

BILLBOARD MAGAZINE

“In his most varied and satisfying album to date, James delivers 15 songs that range from brooding minimalism to rollicking fusions of African and American sensibilities…an artist who has done as much as anyone to kick open the doors too long separating American and West African roots music.”

AFROPOP WORLDWIDE

“The mix of sounds, instruments, and influences spanning the program is mind-boggling”

LIVING BLUES MAGAZINE

“Africa and Mississippi come together…”

BLUES REVUE MAGAZINE

“This is an extremely powerful album”

Ben Manilla, Executive Producer, House of Blues Radio Hour

“Snakey”

Elwood Blues

Markus James

Calabash Blues

Afropop Worldwide’s “Highly Recommended” 2006

“A sublime evocation of a landscape stretching from the muddy Delta to sun-baked Sahara sand”

DOWNBEAT

“An unbroken circle of centuries of history”

ROCK & RAP CONFIDENTIAL

Markus James

Timbuktoubab

Markus James

Nightbird

“Nightbird is one of the deepest listening experiences that will hit the U.S. market this year.”

BILLBOARD MAGAZINE

“Eerily atmospheric”

DOWNBEAT MAGAZINE

“A vital mix of the Mississippi Delta and Mali, a cultural exchange of haunting beauty and mystery.”

BLUES REVUE MAGAZINE

“One of the most inspired and arresting world music/blues albums”

DIRTY LINEN MAGAZINE

“A hypnotic journey through time that goes all the way to the heart of the blues.”

WIRED MAGAZINE

“The word soulful certainly describes this excellent CD, which blues, rock, and Afro-pop enthusiasts should all be aware of.”

ALL MUSIC GUIDE

“Spare, moody, and beautiful, it builds a bridge between continents, and takes the blues home.”

ROOTS MAGAZINE (UK)