“Perhaps my favorite James on the planet” says Karen Harper, mother of Los Angeles songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist James Harper. 

A musical polymath of sorts, Harper cut his teeth singing in vocal sessions all around LA from a very young age. With almost 20 years of experience as a performer, composer, and sideman, Harper has become an in-demand musical tour de force who’s been enlisted by the likes of Bob Dylan, Next Town Down and Disney for his vibrant playing and arranging style. The Thousand Oaks native has come a long way since Jesus-jams in church, developing a rich, earthy sound that evokes the lush harmony of R&B and the deep pocket grooves of funk and rock and roll. Harper’s sonic palette ranges from soaring, intricate guitar lines to moody, atmospheric blues and purples, with lyrics that explore the idea of humanity’s connection with nature, and each other. He also enjoys an Old Fashioned now and then.

 

When Autumn Comes is a song that examines unrealized potential.. that moment when you zoom out on a past decision to end a relationship, and contemplate how things could’ve been. It’s optimistic, only remembering the good parts of a very complicated exchange. It’s dark yet dreamy, orange, purple and brown. Nostalgic. The floaty guitar and wistful lyrics convey a sense of gratefulness for the time spent together, and of being at peace about feeling a little regret. Detaching ourselves from the past can be a mountainous task, especially when our memories of a story keep changing over time.. almost like pulling at a single weed to unroot a dense system of ever-shifting connections. Even though we’ve both moved on, we’ll still always have those moments.