Lowcountry Boil

Photo by Stratton Lawrence

ARTICLE BY ALEXIS COMER

Saturday, May 21th at the Pour House was the official release party for the latest James Justin & Co. CD, Dark Country. The band hit the ground running and the stage did not seem large enough to contain the energy, talent and enthusiasm of the band as a whole and specifically, lead vocalist and guitar player, James Justin Burke. Burke’s music is fun to get down to, but there is also rich storytelling and emotions in every tune.

Duffy Lewis of Charlestontoday.net had this to say about Burke and his band: With their eclectic mix of musical styles, James Justin & Co. represents the best of the burgeoning genre of Americana. “Americana is here to stay. I hope it becomes bigger than rock ‘n’ roll,” says band leader Justin Burke. Rooted in various forms of American music, “Dark Country” is reminiscent of legendary musicians John Prine and Neil Young, with a smattering of Jim Morrison, and resembles contemporary artists, The Avett Brothers—but Burke is creating his own unique style of Americana music, where rock ‘n’ roll meets folk music.

James Justin & Co. follows their 2009 debut album, “Southern Son, So Far,” with “Dark Country,” due to be released nationally in July. “Dark Country” delivers a driving Southern rock beat, mixed with the haunting, sometimes sentimental strings of bluegrass, country, and folk. Add the power of brass horns and throw in an organ and piano, and J. J. & Co. cannot be pigeon-holed.”

The band will be touring for the next several months to promote Dark Country. If these guys are in your area, go to them! You will not be disappointed.

• Wed, June 1st Martin’s Downtown / Roanoke, VA 9pm
• Thu, June 2nd Mo Daddy’s / Asheville, NC with The Delta Saints
• Fri, June 3rd Barley’s Taproom / Knoxville, TN 10pm
• Tue, June 7th Triple Nickel / Colorado Springs, CO 10pm
• Wed, June 8th Cervante’s / Denver, CO 10pm
• Thu, June 9th The Lazy Dog / Boulder, CO
• Sat, June 11th Palisade Bluegrass & Roots Fest / Palisade, CO
• Sat, June 11th Carnahan’s / Carbondale, CO 10pm
• Thu, June 16th Moe’s Original Bar B Que / Fort Collins, CO
• Fri, June 17th Bar SS / Laporte, CO
• Sat, June 18th Paddy’s / Vail, CO
• Sun, June 19th Bluegrass on Aspen Mountain
• Fri, June 24th Three 20 South / Breckenridge, CO
• Sat, June 25th The Summit / Durango, CO
• Sun, June 26th The Launchpad / Albuquerque, NM
• Tue, June 28th The Continental Club / Austin, TX
• Fri, July 1st Luna / St. Charles, LA
• Sat, July 2nd Ole Tavern @ George St. / Jackson, MS
• Wed, July 6th Lulu Buffet’s / Gulf Shores, AL
• Wed, July 13th Smith’s Olde Bar / Atlanta, GA with Bret Mosley and Gaslight Street
  
• Thu, July 14th Downtown Alive / Greenville, SC 6pm
• Fri, July 15th Deep South / Raleigh, NC 10pm
• Sat, July 16th Edgewood Farm Fest II
• July 28-31st FloydFest 10 – the eXperience / Floyd, VA
• Fri, Aug. 12th The Crooked I / Erie, PA
• Aug. 18-19th Camp Barefoot 5 / West Virginia
• Sat, Aug. 20th Live by the Lake / Wise, VA
• Sept. 17-18th: Bristol Rythm & Roots Reunion / Bristol, TN

For more information about James Justin & Co, visit www.jamesjustinmusic.com.