Award-winning guitarist/singer/songwriter/band leader and music educator, James Charles Howard Jr., returns to the stage after recovering from a serious broken leg injury that knocked him out of commission for nine months. The good news is that he has been back to live performing since April 2025.
Based on the West Coast of the USA, Howard has been atracting audiences with his soulful blues originals and fiery guitar instrumentals, performing at venues from B.B. Kings Blues Club in Los Angeles to the Triple Door in Seattle Washington.
James Howard plays concerts, fairs, festivals, theaters and night clubs, performing solo or with his 3- piece and 4-piece ensembles. mixing original music with unique versions of cover tunes. Serving the world through music is Howard's stated life purpose.
Howard has produced and released five CDs. His recorded works include all original studio releases and raw live performance compilations. Mixing vocal tunes with instrumental songs, his CD catalog is available on all the streaming platforms. The titles listed in order of release are:
- "Electric Rain",
- "Celebrate Life"
- "Live in Seattle VOL I"
- "Devachaun"
- "For The Love of Song"
The James Howard Trio rhythm section is held down by Jack Dolan and Kevin Cook on bass and drums respectively., The James Howard Quartet includes Jim Barnes on Keyboards. Go to the BAND section of this website to read more about the band.
James Howard is a life long music enthusiast and professional guitar intructor. To be of better service to his students, he has diversfied his curriclum across a wide range of genres & styles. This versatility is apparent across his CD catalog. If there is one style that Howard is best known for, it would be blues/rock, largely because he has won both local and international blues awards in that genre including:
- In 2012, Howard won "Best Blues Guitarist" in the Six String Theory Global Guitar Competition, with aplicants submitting from 49 countries.
- In 2016 and again in 2024, the James Howard Band won the Washington Blues Society International Blues Competition local finals and traveled to Memphis to compete internationally. On there second trip to Memphis in 2024, the JHB won the preliminary round and advanced to the semi-finals in Memphis.
The below reviews reflect the quality of performer Howard is, both live and in the studio, as the below reviewers testify:
Bernard Bauer of Music Connection Magazine:
“Guitarist extraordinaire…animated, energetic and intense performance… a breathtaking exhibition… pushed the crowd to the edges of their seats…simply awesome” -and – “…he mixes the intensity of Stevie Ray with the passion of Hendrix and plays some of the meanest blues this side of the Mississippi...He takes his phenomenal blues to places others have not, making the music his own. He has what it takes to bring the blues up to the next level”.
Craig Ruskey of Delta Snake Daily Blues Online Magazine:
“What Howard can do with a guitar is remarkable in a word …will have veteran guitar players wondering where the licks are coming from …Howard’s guitar is sweet and brilliant and laced with Spanish overtones and a fluid approach that is chilling. He knows his craft. .. deep in the well when it comes to guitar wizardry & creativity.”
Lee Cotton of Rock and Blues News Magazine:
“… a Jimi Hendrix on guitar with John Lennon’s voice and vision … a songwriter with great depth.”
The James Howard Quartet is headlining the Moon Festival in Quilcene WA August 15, 2025.
Booking Contact [email protected]
564-203-8859
