first  became  aware  of  James  Reams  a  decade  and  a  half  ago.  A  Kentucky                          na;ve  who  had  se=led  in  Brooklyn,  he  had  been  performing  profes-­‐                  sionally  for  5  years  or  so  and  had  2  CD  releases  to  his  credit.  He  called  me  on  the  phone  to  pitch  his  latest  recording,  in  hopes  that  I  would  issue  it  on  my  Copper  Creek  label.  While  I  enjoyed  the  music,  I  was  somewhat  reluctant  at  the  prospect  of  launching  a  new  recording  by  a  group  without  much  name  recogni;on.  James  then  turned  the  phone  over  to  his  partner,  Tina  Aridas,  and…I  got  an  educa;on!  I  was  schooled  about  James  and  his  passion,  dedica;on,  and  talent  and  about  Tina  for  her  tenacity  and  zest  for  promo;on.  Before  we  were  done,  I  had  the  feeling  that  I  was  dealing  with  a  UN  hostage  nego;ator!  In  short  order,  we  came  to  an  understanding  that  paved  the  way  for  the  release  The  Mysterious  Redbirds.    

In  all,  I  had  the  privilege  of  working  on  3  separate  recordings  with  James  and  Tina.  The  Mysterious  Redbirds  was  a  collec;on  of  old-­‐;me  music  that  featured  banjoist  Tom  Paley  (of  New  Lost  City  Ramblers  fame)  and  fiddler  Bill  Christophersen.  Barnstormin’  introduced  James’  fine  bluegrass  band  The  Barnstormers  on  disc  and  featured  a  mixture  of  tradi;onal  and  original  Reams/Aridas  bluegrass  songs.  The  Barons  of  Bluegrass  showcased  the  legendary  Bal;more  banjoist  Walter  Hensley.  

James’  next  3  CDs  appeared  on  his  own  Mountain  Redbird  label.  The  last  of  these  was  a  collec;on  called  One  Foot  in  the  Honky  Tonk.  Its  release  was  bi=ersweet.  Tina  had  been  diagnosed  some  months  earlier  with  a  terminal  form  of  cancer,  but  she  was  determined  to  see  the  project  thru  to  frui;on.  She  sat  in  on  the  sessions  and  was  fortunate  to  hear  the  finished  master.  Sadly,  her  passing  came  before  she  was  able  to  see  the  commercial  release  of  the  disc.  

James  and  Tina  were  more  than  business  partners.  They  were  life  partners…soul  mates.  Her  passing  le[  him  grief-­‐stricken  and  feeling  out  of  place.  Not  that  he  wanted  to  forget,  but  Brooklyn  held  too  many  memories.  A  change  of  scenery  was  needed.  So  he  loaded  all  of  his  possessions  into  a  U-­‐Haul  and  traveled  cross  country  to  Arizona.  The  move  gave  him  a  new  purpose  in  life.,  to  look  a[er  his  aging  mother.  

Slowly,  music  began  to  seep  back  into  James’  life.  One  doesn’t  usually  think  of  the  desert  southwest  as  a  hotbed  for  bluegrass,  but  James  set  about  building  a  new  band,  a  good  one.  A  chance  encounter  with  ace  fiddler  Blaine  Sprouse  led  to  performance  opportuni;es  on  the  West  Coast.  Soon,  the  bug  came  to  make  a  new  recording.  A[er  all,  it  had  been  5  years  since  the  last  one.  

The  new  recording,  Rhyme  &  Season,  seeks  a  different  path  from  tradi;onal  bluegrass  fare  of  hills,  hollers,  and  honky  tonks.  It  is  a  portrait  in  song  of  a  pilgrim’s  journey  that  chronicles  the  breadth  of  that  experience,  the  resilience  of  the  human  spirit,  and  of  happiness,  love,  loss  and  sorrow.  Just  listen  as  the  lyrics  tell  the  story…many  stories.  

James  found  restora;on  in  the  sunshine  and  friendship  of  his  new  Arizona  home.  To  help  him  ar;culate  his  vision  for  Rhyme  &  Season,  James  assembled  his  West  Coast  version  of  The  Barnstormers.  Billy  Parker  plays  mandolin  and  counts  Bill  Monroe,  David  Grisman  and  Clarence  White  as  influences.  Banjoist  Dick  Brown  has  logged  ;me  with  California’s  Lost  Highway,  Lynn  Morris,  David  Parmley,  and  Laurie  Lewis  and  is  a  disciple  of  Bill  Emerson  and  Alan  Munde.  Also  holding  forth  on  the  banjo  are  Tyler  James  and  Evan  Ward.  Evan  started  playing  banjo  at  age  11.  His  professional  work  includes  Audie  Blaylock  and  Redline.  Keeping  the  rhythm  sec;on  spot  on  is  Dan  Meyer,  a  smooooth  bass  player  who  has  been  ac;ve  since  the  1970s.  Adding  more  creden;als  to  the  group  is  3x  Arizona  State  Fiddle  Champion,  Michael  Rolland.  

Wishing  to  include  his  East  Coast  ;es,  part  of  Rhyme  &  Season  features  Barnstormers  from  the  New  York  area.  Mark  Farrell  is  an  excellent  bluegrass  and  old-­‐;me  fiddler  and  mandolinist  who  has  been  with  The  Barnstormers  since  they  started  in  Brooklyn.  Doug  Nicolaisen  is  a  20+  year  veteran  banjo  player  who  has  logged  ;me  in  various  bands  in  the  New  York  tri-­‐state  area.  Nick  Sullivan  is  a  Wisconsin  na;ve  with  a  wide  range  of  music  tastes  including  rag;me  jazz,  West  African  tradi;onal  music,  early  country  and  bluegrass;  he  adds  rock-­‐solid  bass.  Kenny  Kosek  is  one  of  the  finest  and  most  recorded  fiddlers  in  America  today,  having  been  the  featured  soloist  on  recordings  by  James  Taylor,  Jerry  Garcia,  Willie  Nelson,  John  Denver,  and  countless  others.  

The  musicians  aren’t  the  only  stars  connected  with  Rhyme  &  Season.  Crea;ng  the  perfect  environment  for  recording  and  capturing  the  sounds  of  the  pickers  and  singers  are  2  top-­‐notch  engineers:  Jon  Gordon  and  Clarke  Rigsby.  Jon  recorded  the  New  York  sessions  in  his  West  27th  Street  studio  where  his  clients  include  stars  like  Madonna  and  Suzanne  Vega,  and  major  corpora;ons    such  as  NBC,  ABC,  Fox,  and  Simon  &  Schuster  Audio.  Clarke  recorded  the  Arizona  sessions  and  shares  an  equally  impressive  resume  that  includes  work  with  Paul  McCartney,  Joey  DeFrancesco,  Glen  Campbell,  Ike  Turner,  and  David  Grisman,  to  name  a  few.  He  is  a  firm  believer  in  pumng  the  music  first  and  notes  that  all  else  is  secondary.  One  sampling  of  the  songs  from  Rhyme  &  Season  confirms  that  the  marriage  of  music  from  James  Reams  &  The  Barnstormers  with  the  recording  finesse  of  Jon  Gordon  and  Clarke  Rigsby  makes  for  the  perfect  bluegrass  storm.  

We  can  all  be  thankful  that  James  Reams’  life  storms  converged  to  give  birth,  and  rebirth,  to  the  collec;on  of  songs  called  Rhyme  &  Season.  The  journey  has  been  his  but  we  are  the  lucky  recipients.  That  James  so  eloquently  journaled  his  pilgrim’s  journey  in  music  and  song  is  a  testament  to  his  resilience  and  staying  power.  With  20+  years  of  Barnstorming,  hopefully  the  journey  is  just  beginning.  

1. Born to Roll (Lawrence Shoberg, Sony of Universal, Inc. – BMI)

A trucker is about as close to a nomad that you can be these days.

Choosing a life of constant motion

and changing scenery over a permanent home takes them on a

journey that most can’t comprehend. Like the musician, it’s just part of

their DNA.

2. Special (J. Foster & B. Rice – Universal-

Polygram Int’l Pub Inc. – BMI)

For some, the whistle of a train is

harder to resist than a mythological siren’s call. The camaraderie of the

track is all they know. They wear loneliness like a threadbare coat and

keep movin’ on down the line

searching for something they may never find.

3. Acre by Acre (Chuck Brodsky - BMI)

The loss of the family farm also

means the loss of a family legacy; their identity was connected to the

land where generations were born and raised. Severing ties to the land

leave many with the feeling of being

homeless and helpless.

4. I Am A Stranger Here (D. Raines &

J. Reams – BMG Platinum Songs – BMI)

Many of us look on in fear as a drifter rolls into town. We avoid their

sleeping bodies on the sidewalks, and

ignore their outstretched hands. But if Jesus returned today, I can imagine

him singing a song like this as he searches for a friendly face.

5. Angel of the Evening (M. Stinson – Stag Records – BMI)

A husband’s death and piles of

hospital bills result in many women

being forced out of their homes and onto the streets. For me, this song

captures the heartbreaking love of a husband as he watches over his

widow from heaven.

6. Rough Around the Edges (M.

Rodgers & M. Barer – Williamson Music Co. – BMI)

Addiction is the biggest contributor

to homelessness and imprisonment in our country. The journey to sobriety

can be the hardest path to walk ...

and the loneliest.

7. $100 Funeral (V. McAlpin – Sony/ATV

Tree Publishing – BMI)

In my homeless days, I woke one morning at a shelter to find that the

old man sleeping on the bunk below

me had died in the night. Robbed of dignity in life, he died with even less.

A pauper’s funeral awaited him; no marker, no mourners, no kindly

words. Most people don’t stop to think

about what happens to a homeless person when they die.

8. Major Breakdown (J. Keys – Ten

Penny Music - BMI

Things can change in a heartbeat!

This instrumental illustrates the breakneck speed used by most of us

as we race through life before we end

up deposited, gasping for breath, on heaven’s doorstep.

9. Lord, Lead the Way (J. Reams & K.

Crecca – Mountain Redbird Music – BMI)

Sometimes it takes a higher power to

help us find our way home. I wanted to celebrate those who manage to

overcome former barriers and then

reach out to help someone else.

10. Long Gone Out West Blues (P.

Romero, J. Romero & J. Reams – Moffat Falls Music – BMI)

This song to hit the nail on the head

for me. I headed out west after my partner, Tina, died. The City just

seemed gloomy and empty without her in it. But the warm sunny days

of Arizona and new friends have

restored me.

11. Songbird (W. Hood & W. Pipkin – Red Parlor Records – BMI)

The acceptance and love these lyrics convey reminded me of my parents

when I left home. It’s the other side of the story, the sigh of the ones left

behind as the free spirit leaves for

parts unknown. It gives me hope that someone somewhere loves them still.

Special  thanks  to  all  those  who  helped  make  this  album  happen:  

Jon  Gordon,  Jon  Gordon  Music  ProducGon  (NY)  Clarke  Rigsby,  Tempest  Recording  Studio  (AZ)  Rick  Bowman,  Backyard  Green  Films  Frank  &  Nancy  Moccaldi  Sandy  Taggert  &  Ken  Allen  Alexandra  Baltarzuk  &  Richard  Cohn  Eric  Van  Sonnenberg  Gary  Reid  Kim  Crecca  And  of  course,  all  the  promoters,  DJs  and  friends  of  the  Barnstormers  that  keep  us  making  music!  

Circle  the  City  

James  has  selected  the  Arizona  branch  of  Circle  the  City  to  receive  a  por;on  of  the  proceeds  from  the  sale  of  this  newest  album.  As  the  first  and  only  medical  respite  program  in  Arizona,  Circle  the  City  provides  medical  care  for  homeless  persons  who  are  too  ill  or  frail  to  recover  from  illness  or  injury  on  the  streets  or  in  a  shelter,  but  are  not  quite  sick  enough  to  remain  in  a  hospital.    

Sister  Adele  O’Sullivan,  a  medical  doctor,  founded  the  Phoenix-­‐based  Circle  the  City  in  2012.  With  the  help  of  local  hospitals,  the  community,  volunteers,  and  dona;ons  from  private  founda;ons  and  individuals  there’s  finally  a  place  that  serves  those  who  have  nowhere  to  go.  “I  know  that  between  these  walls,  suffering  will  be  prevented,”  Sister  Adele  commented  when  the  doors  to  the  center  were  finally  opened  to  those  in  need.    

Medical  respite  centers  like  Circle  the  City  exist  in  most  major  ci;es  around  the  world.  James  will  be  dona;ng  to  this  Phoenix-­‐based  charity  and  encourages  those  who  buy  this  album  to  support  agencies  that  work  to  help  the  homeless  in  your  community.  

he  journey  in  life  is  as  beau;ful  as  it  is  varied.  On  our  way,  it’s  so  important  to  stop  periodically  and  appreciate  the  beauty  for  that  is  the  essence  of  happiness.  I  feel  incredibly  blessed  to  be  able  to  make  music  

And,  of  course,  I’m  also  thankful  to  God  for  restoring  my  voice  to  me.  I  remember  the  frightening  day  a[er  my  neck  surgery.  I  wasn’t  able  to  speak,  let  alone  sing.  I  had  just  found  out  that  I  had  been  nominated  for  Recorded  Event  of  the  Year  with  Walter  Hensley  for  our  self-­‐;tled  album,  The  Barons  of  Bluegrass.”  Lying  on  my  back  in  that  darkened  room,  I  prayed  to  God  that  I  might  be  able  to  sing  again.  I  am  humbled  that  He  answered  my  prayer  and  hope  that  this  latest  album  proves  to  be  worthy  of  the  gi[  that  He  has  given  me.  

and  to  have  so  many  wonderful  people  in  my  life  that  have  helped  me  create  the  music  you  are  listening  to  now.  I’m  thankful  for  each  and  every  one  of  them  and  extremely  grateful  for  their  friendship.    

Homeless at 17!

1.  Born to Roll (3:09) 2.  Special (2:32) 3.  Acre by Acre (3:04) 4.  Stranger Here (3:06) 5.  Angel of the Evening (3:49) 6.  Rough Around the Edges (2:45) 7.  $100 Funeral (2:48) 8.  Major Breakdown (3:02) 9.  Lord, Lead the Way (2:22) 10.  Long Gone Out West Blues (2:57) 11.  Songbird (4:26)

James Reams guitar, lead vocals

Kenny Kosek fiddle

Michael Rolland fiddle Mark Farrell mandolin, fiddle, harmony

Bill Parker mandolin, harmony

Doug Nicolaisen banjo

Tyler James banjo

Evan Ward banjo, harmony Nick Sullivan upright bass, harmony

Dan Meyer upright bass

Dick Brown harmony MRM  CD008  

Email:  info@jamesreams.com  718-­‐374-­‐1086  

www.jamesreams.com  ℗  and  ©  2016  Mountain  Redbird  Music  Unauthorized  duplica;on  is  a  viola;on    of  applicable  laws.  All  rights  reserved.  

Album  length:    34:00            M

RM  CD008                      JA

MES  REA

MS  &  THE  BA

RNSTORM

ERS                  “Rh

yme  &  Season”  

         MRM

 CD008                      JA

MES  REA

MS  &

 THE  BA

RNSTO

RMERS                  “Rhym

e  &  Season”