BY KAREN BOSSICK
James Lanman calls himself a “neo-soul” singer—his vocal style compared to that of Sam Cooke, Harry Connick Jr., Frank Sinatra and James Taylor.
The San Francisco native now living in New York City recently embarked on The 100 Days Tour, performing a hundred acoustic performances showcasing his retro-inspired Motown sound across North America in such places as Denver, Colo.; Custer, S.D., and Omaha, Neb.
And he’ll perform in Sun Valley on Thursday.
Lanman will perform at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 13, at the SVEA Harker Center Picnic Pavilion.
The concert is free, but listeners will have the opportunity to deposit a few greenbacks in his guitar case to help him along the way. The venue will open at 6:30 p.m. for those who wish to enjoy a picnic prior to the hour-long concert.
“I saw James perform recently and was blown away,” said Rosemary Aquilante, who is organizing the intimate concert in Sun Valley.
Lanman, who has played such festivals as SXSW and with the Seattle Rock Orchestra, will be performing new music, along with covers. And he’ll be giving away a 17-track live recording from the first performance of The 100 Days Tour to members of his audience.
The album, “Live From The Blue Boar Inn, includes originals and covers of songs by such artists as Ray Charles and The Ronettes. Among the songs on it: “Beyond the Sea,” “Georgia on My Mind” and “Be My Baby.” It can be downloaded on Bandcamp or streamed on such sites as Spotify and Pandora.
Lanman said his 100 Days Tour is his way of getting out from behind the computer screen to interact with music lovers face to face.
“I knew before I set out that if this tour wasn’t a money maker or a viral success that at least it would teach me a lot about people and, by extension, myself and my music,” said Lanman, who has been traveling and living out of a converted Sprinter van.
Lanman said the tour has restored his faith in humanity, even as it’s made him realize how many people have forgotten how to speak in person and how important those interactions are.
“The more I talk to people in person the more I realize how similar we all are. We all just want to feel connected. We all just want to be happy,” he said. “Through music I’ve got this window into the lives of people who live in completely different worlds, sometimes only miles apart.”