Biography

-2015-

James Day is a southern blues artist from the Mississippi Gulf Coast town of Biloxi. He spent his late twenties living in New Orleans sucking up all that Americana, New Orleans R&B, and blues. He airbrushed T-shirts, delivered pizzas, was a lifeguard and played in a rockabilly band. One of his day jobs included being a crab boil- fish fry man, working at music festivals. The Fish Fry became the name of the band he put together after moving to Philadelphia. Becoming a favorite in the area, they became the backing band for many traveling blues stars, one of which was James Harman in 2008. Harman and his guitarist, Nathan James, loved James Day and had such a good time that Harman offered to produce his next record at Nathan James’s Scared Cat Studios in Oceanside California. “Firecracker” was critically well-received as a first effort and played globally on overseas and satellite radio stations.
SOUTHLAND (Their second CD, and first for Vizztone) is a musical tribute to the Gulf Coast. SOUTHLAND has got it all. From The sizzlin’ “Next New Thing”, the spacious “Country Woman”, the traditional zydeco stomp of “One Step Des Chameaux” and finishing up with the Gospel tinged anthem, “Southland”, this CD covers several musical genres. One can hear all styles of American Roots music from New Orleans street parades, Cuban Rumbas, Swamp Pop, Zydeco, Rockabilly, 1920’s jug bands, Down Home Delta Blues to that classic Chicago shuffle. There is a lot of humor, truth and quirkiness on this CD, and every song has something fresh and unique to it.
“James Day and the Fish Fry have found their sound – a brew of influences from the 40’s to the present. I have heard just about every blues style from this former Crescent City native’s band; Chicago, West Coast Jump, Delta, Zydeco, Latin, Swamp Pop, New Orleans Blues , Jazz fusion and some I haven’t figured out yet”. —Where ‘Yat Magazine
James Day sings and blows harmonica, but his greatest talent is bringing fresh original songwriting to a diverse sonic palette of American Roots styles. Day is backed by a stellar group of musicians: Mark Shewchuk (guitars), Dave Young (bass, recording engineer), Ron Baldwin (piano, organ, accordian), and John Meriglano (drums). With James Day and the Fish Fry, a brew of influences come together in the form of backbeat drumming, slapping upright bass, fat tone guitar, and honking harmonica. If you want to dance or just soak up some American Blues & roots music, then make it out for a “Fish Fry” show and you’ll have one wild, swinging time.