Associated Press

March 2007

By Scott Bauer

ELANA JAMES Elana James, Snarf Records

Sun Rating: 3 1/2 out of 5

Elana James, formerly the fiddle player with the Hot Club of Cowtown and Bob Dylan's band, strikes out on her own in her self-titled release. James, who sings as well, performs a mixture of originals and cover songs. The sound is part western-swing, which was the forte of the disbanded Cowtown band, with a little jazz, folk and bluegrass thrown in.
She gives a nod to Bob, by covering one of Dylan's lesser known songs, One More Night.

James has a distinctive, often sultry voice, but she doesn't show much range. The playing is top-notch throughout, however, and should be more than enough to pique the interest of music listeners looking for something new.