On a cool, crisp late Saturday morning on the La Conner flats, the air was filled with sounds from the hot, humid Mississippi Delta.
La Conner-based Casaundra May and James band helped Pacific Northwest Artisan Market patrons warm up amid chilly conditions with an array of blues and rock during an April 19 outdoor concert at Christianson’s Nursery.
The duo took no breaks while performing favorites from legendary Delta Blues giants Robert Johnson, Elmore James, and Muddy Waters plus tunes popularized by Elvis Presley, Amy Winehouse, and ZZ Top.
“We’re in our happy place,” Casaundra, the tireless vocalist, said more than an hour into the show. “I don’t know what time it is.”
“I’m not even wearing a watch,” added James, a Rock Island, Illinois native who as a teen was inspired to take up the guitar after hearing the Blues Brothers’ hit album “Briefcase Full of Blues.”
Their exchange was apropos given they share a fascination with timeless classics from Memphis, Chicago, and the Bayou.
Yet Casaundra and James are likewise adept at meshing contemporary vibes with blues songs from bygone eras.
“We love to do the mashups,” she explained, “so people can see the influence of the blues in music today.”
(Left) James Cox plays guitar during a concert at the La Conner Swinomish Library March 29. Photo by Nancy K. Crowell/La Conner Community News (Right) Casaundra May sings the blues at the La Conner Swinomish Library March 29. Photo by Nancy K. Crowell/La Conner Community News
Casaundra credits James, who lives in La Conner with his wife, Emily, for convincing her to take center stage and sing the blues.
“He’s like a brother to me,” she said. “We met when we were in another band. I was the drummer, and he played bass, so it was different roles and a different genre.
“I sang in the choir in school,” Casaundra reflected. “I always enjoyed singing, but I didn’t sing in public. I did closet singing for a long time. People asked me why I didn’t sing professionally. James really helped me build my confidence. He saw that I could do it.”
These days, Casaundra is hardly lacking confidence, often performing before audiences while wearing elaborate, attention-grabbing costumes and headdresses. She boldly conveys the emotional message of each song while commanding the distinctly soulful blues scale.
“Etta James was a longtime influence,” Casaundra noted, referring to the blues icon famed for her deep and earthy voice and who encompassed a broad range of styles that included and extended beyond the specific Mississippi Delta Sound.
James, whose surname is Cox, was drawn to the Blues Brothers in part because of references to his hometown on their album and in the popular movie that followed in 1980. In the hit comedy, Jake and Elwood Blues were said to have grown up in a Rock Island orphanage.
Bob Dylan might well have left his mark, too. James was something of a rollin’ stone at times, landing big-time gigs around the country, including stops in Las Vegas and Portland. While pursuing his culinary arts career, James says he “kicked around on the guitar for a long time but never did anything with it.”
That’s not the case since he and Emily settled here, with her sister already residing in Shelter Bay.
Casaundra is also well-traveled. She attended numerous schools during her childhood, but like James is glad to now be part of the Skagit Valley blues scene.
“This is my home,” she said. “I adore it. It’s stunning.”
While serious about their music—during shows they serve up biographical nuggets about artists such as “Memphis Minnie” and “Big Mama Thornton”—Casaundra and James enjoy a playful banter between numbers.
“We like playing the blues,” stressed Casaundra. “This is our fun thing to do.”
Bill Reynolds: bill@laconnercommunitynews.org. Bill is a general assignment reporter who covers Town government, schools, and spot news.
