ALL IS GOOD - BLIND LEMON PLEDGE

James Byfield has been around for many years now. Under the semi-joke name of Blind Lemon Pledge - a moniker he created for his first release back around 2009 based on a US comedy show and a cleaning product – a name guaranteed to raise a whimsical smile and a nod to its probable origins. Personally, I’m surprised when we finally get a chance to chat, to learn I’ve been listening to and enjoying his music for at least a decade.

WORDS: Stephen Harrison PICS: Arnie Goodman

“The Cajun song came to me. I remember thinking, ‘well, alright, now I’m writing a Cajun song!’ I love all of it, especially all kinds of American-based, roots music. Whether it’s called folk, or roots or bluegrass, blues and old-style jazz, whatever, there’s something there that I just love and aim to work with. I think with this album, I’ve really shown what a variety of styles I cover!”

One of my favourite artists ever is Ry Cooder. He truly embodies that kind of eclectic style. He jumps from this to that, he does so many styles so very well.

“My band primarily plays blues although we have a bit of Americana always in there too. I go to jam sessions and just play whatever anyone’s playing. I can easily fit into a country or a folk thing, but I mostly listen to old blues stuff, that’s what really appeals to me so I don’t see myself in any one category. That’s maybe both my strength and my weakness – I don’t have a ‘sound.’ I mean people don’t associate a sound with me like they might do with some artists. It’s like Ry Cooder, or maybe the Sergeant Pepper album. You know, you gotta mix things together.”

Of course, it’s worth noting that Pledge has also a background that includes a 5-year stint studying Chinese Classical Music and an abiding interest in electronic music and computer recording techniques. At one point, testing his compositional skills, he created the first ever Rock Music Mass under the aegis of Grace Cathedral in San Francisco. Ushering in the use of modern Rock Music in a liturgical setting, it received national press and was performed throughout California. So, eclectic may well be a near-perfect way to describe this now veteran performer and his music.

We finish with a self-deprecating laugh and comment: “In my tiny little pond, I’ve got a tiny bit of fame!”