James Filkins
Original Acoustic Finger style guitar using alternate tunings and occasional percussion.
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Round Lake Leelanau(A Biking Tune) Round Lake Leelanau(A Biking Tune)
From the album Borderline Normal
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I am a finger style acoustic guitar player using alternate tunings wiriting orginal music. The style is a bit new age, a bit ambient...
Henk te Veldhuis at Bridge Guitar Reviews had this to say about Borderline Normal-
... a treat for the ears... very reflective ... His guitar music feels like a continuous flow of inspiration of the deeper layers of the soul.
Jan. 2007Band/artist history
I am a guitarist and composer of instrumental music that utilizes acoustic stringed instruments from violin to mandolin, but primarily guitar, steel stringed, nylon stringed and baritone. Percussion, flutes and whistles and other instruments that fit the sonic tapestry, find their way into my music as well.
The acoustic guitar has been an integral part of my life for over 45 years. Somewhere around the turn of the century I began to dabble with alternative tunings and compositional techniques and set aside the plectrum. I quickly found myself headed down a path that resulted to the CD Borderline Normal (2007). Those tunes evolved over several years and were recorded in various rooms of my home in Northern Lower Michigan. A few tracks also featured guitar accompaniment from Matt Harting (The Dirty floors) and acoustic percussion featuring the talents of Jon Tornga (Protea, Stolen Silver, Levi Britton), Marc Alderman (Soul Patch) and Michito Sanchez.
In 2012 The CD Summer Sands & Sleeping Bears was released. The compositions on Summer Sands & Sleeping Bears can be categorized as acoustic, ambient, new age, jazz and even Celtic. The original music on this CD is acoustically melodic, moody and sonically textured and features the musical talents of flautist Leslie Anne Harrison(New Time Ensemble, Folk Ragoût), Tim Lorsch on fiddle and octave violin, guitarist Steve Reinthal, and multi-instrumentalist Zac Leger on whistle. Both Borderline Normal and Summer Sands & Sleeping Bears feature the artwork of acclaimed artist Glenn Wolff who created original pen and ink and watercolor drawings for both CDs. ?Your musical influences
Too many to list because my tastes are eclectic and I am a music junkie.
A short listen in terms of acoustic guitar music would include: Martin Simpson, Michael Hedges, Alex De Grassi, William Ellwood, Brooks Williams, Al Petteway, Pierre Bensusan, Don Ross, Laurence Juber, Robin Bullock, Franco Morone, Tommy Emmanuel, Peppino Dagostino, El McMeen.. but then I grew up with CSN&Y, and the whole folk rock thing as well The WHO, Jethro Tull, The Tragically Hip, Deacon Blue, etc.What equipment do you use?
I have been fortunate to have played and owned many very fine guitars over the years. Currently, on my guitar rack sit a few very fine custom-made guitars. One is a multi-scale baritone made by Russel Crosby, a very talented luthier who flies under the radar in East Jordan, Nova Scotia. Another recently made custom-made guitar is a 12 fret, small jumbo made by Simon, Andy and Jack at Brook Guitars, nestled in the rustic countryside on the edge of the Dartmoor National Forest in the South West of England, east of Cornwall. Among the other guitars currently in my studio are a Crossover Signature 1 and a Milenia PE both made by Alejandro Cervantes.
Traverse City, MI
USA
ID
660916
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