Top tracks
Listeners also bought
Other Country Folk albums
Other Bluegrass albums
Put your hands on the remote! browse music »
Memory Theatre by James Leva
view larger image
fave it Country Folk | Bluegrass
13 tracks | 47 minutes
Released Mar 2006
on Copper Creek Records
Click 
for a 30-second preview. All tracks are 192kbps high fidelity sound quality. Protected WMA $0.77 or unprotected MP3 $0.88.
listen album 30sec. shuffle buy CD review album promote album
- sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 02:35 Sourwood Mountain lyrics BUY MP3 02:35 Sourwood Mountain lyrics "GIFT MP3" 02:35 Sourwood Mountain
- sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 04:30 Boats Up the River lyrics BUY MP3 04:30 Boats Up the River lyrics "GIFT MP3" 04:30 Boats Up the River
- sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 04:21 I Need To Find lyrics BUY MP3 04:21 I Need To Find lyrics "GIFT MP3" 04:21 I Need To Find
- sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 02:28 Half Past Four lyrics BUY MP3 02:28 Half Past Four lyrics "GIFT MP3" 02:28 Half Past Four
- sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 04:42 Bollweevil/Raleigh and Spencer lyrics BUY MP3 04:42 Bollweevil/Raleigh and Spencer lyrics "GIFT MP3" 04:42 Bollweevil/Raleigh and Spencer
- sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 02:38 Big Hoedown lyrics BUY MP3 02:38 Big Hoedown lyrics "GIFT MP3" 02:38 Big Hoedown
- sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 04:51 Rain and Snow lyrics BUY MP3 04:51 Rain and Snow lyrics "GIFT MP3" 04:51 Rain and Snow
- sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 03:29 Farewell To the Stomping Ground lyrics BUY MP3 03:29 Farewell To the Stomping Ground lyrics "GIFT MP3" 03:29 Farewell To the Stomping Ground
- sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 04:01 I Remember the Way lyrics BUY MP3 04:01 I Remember the Way lyrics "GIFT MP3" 04:01 I Remember the Way
- sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 03:42 As It Is Fading lyrics BUY MP3 03:42 As It Is Fading lyrics "GIFT MP3" 03:42 As It Is Fading
- sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 02:54 Jake's Got the Belly-Ache lyrics BUY MP3 02:54 Jake's Got the Belly-Ache lyrics "GIFT MP3" 02:54 Jake's Got the Belly-Ache
- sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 04:30 Past the End lyrics BUY MP3 04:30 Past the End lyrics "GIFT MP3" 04:30 Past the End
- sample lyrics "DOWNLOAD" 03:00 Queen of the Earth, Child of the Skies lyrics BUY MP3 03:00 Queen of the Earth, Child of the Skies lyrics "GIFT MP3" 03:00 Queen of the Earth, Child of the Skies
Memory Theatre "not only fuses old-time and Gaelic sounds into something new, it shivers and reels with an energy that frequently approaches that of rock'n'roll." - No Depression Magazine
Editorial review
To the unfamiliar, old-time music resembles an antique from an earlier place and time. A number of artists like James Leva, however, have been apt at sprucing up traditional music while still respecting its roots. Memory Theatre is a remarkable album. Leva is joined by Celtic guitarist John Doyle (formerly of Solas) and his longtime singing partner Carol Elizabeth Jones. Together this crew digs deep into traditional American music to create a rich mix of instrumentals and vocals. There's a knockout version of "Boats up the River," with Jones and Leva's voices intertwining in a slow and soulful fashion. Perhaps the standout track is "Rain and Snow," a familiar song turned fresh and vital by Jones' penetrating lead vocal. It's easy to understand why a number of people consider her one of the best old-time vocalists. Leva also offers several fine vocals on numbers like "I Need to Find" and "I Remember the Way." The energetic instrumentals on Memory Theatre hold their own with the vocal pieces. Doyle's forceful guitar on "Sourwood Mountain" and "Half Past Four" offers an innovative base for Leva's fiddle to soar from. Hardcore old-time fans will be mortified by a few touches, like the drums on "Boll Weevil/Raleigh and Spencer" and "As It Is Fading," but that's too bad. Drums work nicely on both cuts. On Memory Theatre, Leva succeeds at a seemingly impossible task: he adds a contemporary edge to old-time music without sacrificing tradition. Don't miss it. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr., All Music Guide
Bio / Background
James Leva is a prolific composer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, whose virtuosity on fiddle, clawhammer banjo and guitar blends the melodies of the traditional Appalachian lands and their ancient descendants into one powerful musical vision. The poignant ballads of the southern Appalachians and evocative original compositions all find a musical common ground in James’ music.
James’ reputation as a master musician, singer and old time fiddler is embodied in his technical skill, eclectic repertoire, musical sensitivity, and innovative style. His journey of learning and musical enrichment has been greatly enhanced by study and friendship with many of his musical role-models, like Tommy Jarrell, Fred Cockerham and Doug Wallin. James works to retain the profundity and beauty of the ancient traditions he learned first hand while continuing to grow as a musician and writer in a new century.
↓ more ↓