Jim Graham
Jim Graham says that in over thirty years of guitar studies his most formative period was in his early teens when what he describes as a "hillbilly" family lived next door to his family for about two years. Every one of them played several instruments such as mandolin, fiddle, banjo and of course, guitar, and although the music they played was Bluegrass and Country, two styles Jim had never really pursued, it was here that be learned what it meant to play an "acoustic" instrument.

With a handful of formal lessons, his "hillbilly" experience and a fierce determination Jim went on to apply what he had learned to the electric guitar. He spent several years forming and playing in a string of rock bands, starting in his hometown of Oshawa, Ontario and ending up in Victoria BC where he decided he had done enough of the rock band scene and wanted to get back to playing acoustic guitar again.

During these years Jim had also become an avid guitar collector and found himself in possession of seventeen guitars. At this point Jim traded some electric guitars in for a good quality nylon string classical guitar and set about teaching himself to sight read and play fingerstyle from as many books as he could find. Many of these books were on Flamenco and Classical music, leading Jim in a new direction and inspiring him to write songs of his own for solo guitar.

Encouraged by audience response Io his solo performances, Jim decided to release a thirteen song cassette in 1993 simply titled "Solo guitar". In turn, response to "Solo Guitar" convinced Jim to release a lull length CD in 1990 entitled "Mezcolanza", and to relocate back to Ontario, this time near Kingston, where he could get to more people with his music. He has since been performing relentlessly across Southern Ontario, been interviewed on CBC radio and appeared on several TV shows.

November 1998 saw the release of "Stories Without Words", Jim's second full-length CD which, like "Mezcolanza" features seven original pieces and a collection of music from several countries and eras, all performed in a solo setting on nylon string guitar.

Recordings
Mezcolanza

Mezcolanza CD

Mezcolanza
CD $15.00 ON SALE AGAIN SEPTEMEBER 8, 2003

1. Mezcolanza
2. Get Out of My Sight or I’ll Box Your Ears
3. Deep Cove Hop
4. The Black Mill
5. Fur Elise
6. Ode to Joy
7. Train of Thought
8. Port Ui Mhurgheasa
9. The Wind in Phrases
10. Undercurrent
11. Soleares
12. Furruca
13. Andante
14. Lord Lovats Lament
15. Tarantala
16. Arbutus Coast
17. Minuet
18. Garrotin
19. Walzer
20. Sellingers Round
21. The Sea

Stories Without Words

Stories Without Words CD

Stories Without Words
CD $15.00 ON SALE AGAIN SEPTEMEBER 8, 2003

1. Postcard From Spain
2. Allegretto
3. Acadian Rag
4. Alman
5. Romance
6. Soléa
7. Of Wheels and Circles
8. Studio
9. Bagpipe Flashback
10. Andantino
11. Modinha
12. Aria
13. Sketch
14. Bonnie Dundee
15. Timeframe
16. Variations on a Minuetto
17. Allegretto II
18. Silver Sand Rag
19. An Gorta Mór