Barry James: Instrumental music with an edge.


At the age of six, Barry James started piano lessons to play the classical music he heard his mother listen to on the radio. Picking up the trombone in junior high gave him a taste for the style and flexibility of jazz music, which he utilized through high school in various jazz performing groups, orchestras, and pit bands for school plays. Then while browsing a rummage sale table he stumbled onto a beat up old acoustic guitar. Soon he was practicing for hours at a time to find the limits and textures of this new instrument.

Barry has been collaborating with other musicians since 1995, and is a veteran of many groups, including the dream pop band, The Sunflower Conspiracy, and the Tucson based alternative rock band Affirming the Consequent. In addition, he has written film score and songs for various projects, including the short film, The Human Condition, which debuted at independent film festivals in April 2008, and the infectious theme to and overall musical signature of the ironic and entertaining webisode comedy, Crewing Up.

Barry James uses guitars, effects, and computer recording techniques to create a sound that is as orchestral as it is modern. His work often brings comparisons to Brian Eno, Radiohead, Peter Gabriel and Enya.

If anyone is poised to inject new life into the ambient sound it is Barry James. His work in music is genre-spanning and continues to evolve as he seeks out new projects and creates new challenges for himself. James is heavily involved in exploring the push and pull between music and images.

You can learn more about Barry on his website.

  Barry James

[The Stars and the Moon by Barry James]

The Stars and the Moon


[Strange Slumber, Music for Wonderful Dreams by Barry James]

Strange Slumber, Music for Wonderful Dreams



Barry James lives in Arizona, USA.

Tagged as: Alt Rock, New Age, Chillout, Happy Hour.


Recommended artists:
  1. Attic Trax: Chilled downtempo with a bit of attitude
  2. Jami Sieber: enchanting cello compositions
  3. Kirsty Hawkshaw: ambient electronica
  4. Cheryl Ann Fulton: World-class performer and teacher of Medieval, Baroque, Welsh triple, Celtic and Concert harps.
  5. Ehren Starks: piano and cello/jazzy new age
  6. Claire Fitch: ambient cellist
  7. Cari Live: thoughtful expressions through intelligent new age
  8. DAC Crowell: deeply ambient new music
  9. Suzanne Teng: world flute with a serene energy
  10. Aryeh Frankfurter and Lisa Lynne: Two Worlds, One Music
  11. David Modica: layers of lush acoustic guitar
  12. Jeff Wahl: acoustic new age and jazz guitar.
  13. Tilopa: healing magic of the japanese zenflute
  14. Kourosh Dini: minimalist piano with slashes of ambient electronics
  15. Aryeh Frankfurter: Timeless and enchanting folk music for the soul
  16. Francois Couture: Canadian composer, musician, orchestrator, arranger and sound designer
  17. Beth Quist: electro-Balkan / Indian meets New Age.
  18. Adam Fielding: atmospheric dance music with cool vocals
  19. Jarkko Hietanen: cinematic composer with an electronic past
  20. Chad Lawson: Multi-award winning pianist and composer who is not afraid to put his hat in anything