Click on links to hear sound files

On My Best Behavior - (Paolo Bonfanti)
Hard Time – (David James / Mark Selby)
Change Is Gonna Come – (Sam Cooke)
Isolation Row - (Paolo Bonfanti)
C U Tonite – (David James)
I Got Wise - (Paolo Bonfanti)
Until You Come Around –  (Paolo Bonfanti / David James) 
Bad Luck - (Paolo Bonfanti / David James) 
Purple House – David James / Brad Crisler

   Paolo and I have been friends for decades, shared the stage for years, and now, have written and recorded a CD together. 

   Bonfanti's guitar has been “letting the people boogie” since his Big Fat Mama days back in the mid '80s.  Mama looms large in Italy's blues-rock history, having become a favorite at festivals and clubs throughout the country.  Later he founded Downtown with British blues heavyweights Dick Heckstall-Smith on sax, drummer Mickey Waller and bass player Bob Brunning.

   Over the past twenty years he has been touring all over Europe and North America with his own band, as well as with American slide guitar master Roy Rogers and Italian super-group Slow Feet.

   I was introduced to the Italian music scene back in 1991 when my group, Fish Heads & Rice, released their first album for Milan's Appaloosa Records.  Dozens of tours and two more records followed, while  Paolo and I became fast friends through our mutual agent and compadre, Umberto Tonello.  Our paths crossed on concert stages and truck stops while we were both performing all over Europe through the 90s.

After the demise of The Fish, Umberto called me with an idea, “I think you and Paolo should play some shows together.”  “Book 'em,” was my immediate reply.  So he did.  The match worked perfectly. After a few tours together, Umberto felt we should record too. So we did. This is the product of that collaboration.

Unfortunately, our dear friend Umberto passed away before we finished this project, but it never would have happened without him and is completely dedicated to his memory.  I always said he was the best agent in the music business... certainly the most honest.  We miss him.

Click on links to hear sound files

1. Blackberry Heart
2. River of Blue
3. I've Learned to Love the Rain
4. Rose Tattoo
5. You Can't Count Love
6. You've Got to Draw the Line
7. Invincible
8. I'm Willing to Fight for It
9. Praying for Rain
10. I'm Over Being Under Your Thumb
11. I'll Die Trying
12. The Last Frontier
13. Did I Say That?
14. Eisenhower High

Produced by DAVID JAMES for Troppo Forte Music

The songs on Eisenhower High show David’s personal background and years of performing, recording, writing and singing music. With the exception of the title track, which was recorded in St. Croix, US Virgin Islands, the CD was recorded in Nashville, where David lived for over twenty years, but it is certainly not just a country album. The tracks flow smoothly within Country, Rock, R & B, Rock-a-Billy, Folk and even some Island flavor from his new home in the Caribbean. David had the pleasure of sharing the songwriting with some of the finest writers in Nashville, Muscle Shoals and Beyond. Co-writing on this album are Billy Crain, Walt Aldridge, Billy Falcon, Kate Campbell and Daryl Burgess. Their songs have been recorded by everyone from Bon Jovi to The Dixie Chicks. Here’s what David had to say about his new CD, Eisenhower High:
“Eisenhower High is a metaphor for all of the small towns in rural America, especially in the mid and mountain west where I grew up. This album reflects that background much more than my previous ones, making it a bit more country, but still my usual eclectic blend of styles.
Thanks for listening.”