James Nash

"near-ideal balance of irreverence, chops, discipline, and originality" -- Chicago Tribune "graceful but fiery... elegant and colorful... rampantly eclectic" -- Guitar Player magazine Craig Havighurst, String Theory Media, on James and his band The Waybacks: Nash was quickly recognized as a top-flight picker even in the rarified company that circulated at the world's best folk, roots and bluegrass festivals. The Waybacks' show was built around blazing instrumental skills and large doses of hilarity. They'd play traditional fiddle tunes with their own twist, original songs that fell into no category, and insanely difficult jazz tunes like Charlie Parker's "Scrapple From The Apple." Fans loved it, and so did the critics. The Chicago Tribune's David Royko praised their "near-ideal balance of irreverence, chops, discipline, and originality." Bay Area writer Michael Miller admired their "exotic settings" and "mind blowing picking." It led to major festival bookings and eventually a recording arrangement with Nashville's roots label Compass Records. The Bob Weir shows were one of the most recent validations that The Waybacks had tapped into something profound. The Grateful Dead co-founder has remained incredibly prolific over the years, and in The Waybacks he saw something he recognized. He and the band collaborated on several memorable shows in 2006, including much buzzed-about sets at Merlefest in North Carolina and Hardly Strictly Bluegrass in San Francisco. They translated some of the Dead's electric repertoire into a newgrass format, while working up covers together from the likes of Johnny Cash and Led Zeppelin. So it should come as no surprise if you hear overtones of the Dead's freedom and eclecticism in songs like "Good Enough" and "The River" on Loaded. Nash's songs tend to jam out and tell great stories. The characters in Loaded and "City Boy" are palpable and have motivation. The proud-because-she-has-to-be girl in "Conjugal Visit" is no lighter weight for being the subject of a funny song. "Beyond the Northwest Passage" is a no-holds- barred sea shanty with a rousing sing-along chorus that features the band's beer-fueled pals from the Greencards and the Infamous Stringdusters. "The Waybacks' genre-hopping and myriad influences make 'Loaded' seem like a mixtape made just for you by your infinitely cooler friend. The sound may not be easily categorized, but it is damn good." — Juli Thanki, POP MATTERS "The musical maelstrom known as the Waybacks blew into Iota from San Francisco Tuesday night, sending up such a startling tornado of aggressively performed, high-spirited melodies as to remove all air from the room. Their inspirational combination of influences -- not to mention their recklessly brazen breakneck pace -- exposed the band as virtuosos sharing a singular mind-set." — Buzz McClain, THE WASHINGTON POST " ... few bands have produced instrumental virtuosos who can follow the lead of newgrass icons like Sam Bush, Tony Rice and David Grisman ... The Waybacks, on the other hand, feature hot pickers who are destined to become revered new-acousticians, thanks to their individual solo styles and the band's novel and irreverent tenor." — Scott Nygaard, ACOUSTIC GUITAR MAGAZINE "These guys can play like bandits." — Ray Waddell, BILLBOARD "Geniuses whose playing stacks up to anything you'll find." — Brad Kava, SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS