I find it hard to believe it’s been three years since we lost James Harman. That’s probably because his music is still on such a high rotation across all my playlists. So imagine my delight when friend, Nathan James walked over and handed me a brand new James Harman CD from Electro-Fi Records. The disc entitled, ‘Didn’t We Have Some Fun Sometime’ features twelve fresh tracks all written by the man himself; James Harman. The recordings were captured online during pandemic ‘live streams’ or in studio recording sessions at Nathan’s Sacred Cat Studios in Oceanside then produced and mastered in his new digs in Mountain Center.

I spoke to Nathan about the recordings featuring his late friend and mentor. “I wanted to show the world the stuff we were working on up until James died.” Nathan said. “These are basically his last recordings. Although he was very sick the last several months of his life, he was driven to put out a new album of original material which consists of a lot of this album – ‘Didn’t We Have Some Fun Sometime.’ We weren’t able to get it finished because his health was declining so quickly. Some of his last messages to me were about ideas for the next release. Our last sessions together were ‘live stream’ recordings during the pandemic. He brought over a large notebook of his lyrics printed out, and he’d pick random songs and would sing them for the first time with us for the recordings. He was extremely prolific and this was less than a year before he passed.”

Several things jump right out at you from this recording; Harman’s masterful skills at songwriting, instrumentation and then of course like he always did, surrounding himself with incredibly talented musicians. This album reflects all of that. Harman has his long-time guitarist, Nathan James and percussionist, Mike Tempo appearing on most tracks. The rhythm section of bassist, Troy Sandow and drummer, Marty Dotson are some of Southern California’s best. Legendary keyboardists’ Carl Sonny Leyland and the late Gene Taylor as well as drummer, Hal Smith also contributed to this recording.

From the opening track ‘Pick Up the Slack’ and throughout the record, you have to appreciate Harman’s harmonica work. He’ll accentuate or supplement a specific groove, and then in the very next bar use that same harp like it’s a second voice, just to emphasize his point. Listen for it on ‘Who’s Got the Geetus,’ and ‘That Old Clock’ he just kills.

Nathan James worked and toured with Harman for years, so I wanted to know how special this project became for him? “It was very special and personal for me to work on this project and I probably spent more time on it than any other album I’ve produced. I was very fortunate to have Andrew Galloway and Electro-Fi records giving me full creative control over this. Andrew understood my vision and wanted the album to do James justice.”

How much material did you comb through to come up with these 12 tracks? “I went through quite a bit, but first I went through James’ notes of his personal selections of tunes he wanted to use. He had several ideas of groups of songs to use and I could kind of tell he wasn’t as focused as he might’ve been if his health had permitted, because he had enough songs picked for two full-length albums. Most of the album is taken from the three ‘livestream’ recordings we did, but there were several tunes including the title track that were from sessions 10 years ago. I have most of his recorded work on a hard drive. There is a lot of unreleased material, and some may still be on analog tape somewhere, which I don’t have.”

Talk a little more about the ‘livestream’ process and performing ‘live on YouTube’ during the pandemic? “More than half of the album was taken from live streams.” Nathan says, “Live on Facebook and YouTube performances. The ability to livestream during the pandemic really got me through the pandemic and helped me stay creative. It was a big challenge to set up the cameras and sync it with the video and then get it to broadcast over the internet in real time. I was going live on my own almost every day at random times. One great memory was always seeing James comment on my solo livestreams. He was always saying something encouraging or funny in real time while I was playing. I knew he was itching to play and sing as well, and he would even crash our livestreams sometimes, walking in with beer for the band…such great memories.”

Harman had an incredible gift of story-telling through imagery and his turn of phrase; lines like ‘Opportunities knock, but I was out!’ It became visual poetry set to music. Did improvisation or the spontaneity of his art form ever surprise you or the rest of the band? “That was James’ biggest gift.” Nathan says. “He’d always surprise us… Every. Time. There were lots of stories he would tell repeatedly as well. Some stories from his youth I had thought were tall tales, but when I met some of his old band mates in Panama City, Florida where he first started performing music, they all confirmed those stories with all the same details as James had told!”

You have any favorite memories when you listened back to some of these compositions? Memorable elements that continue to inspire you or take you back in time? “I have many memories of the songs I was fortunate to record with him. A lot of him explaining the meanings of the lyrics and origination of the stories he was singing about. Some are X- rated and only for band members to hear. James set the bar really high in terms of quality and taste with the music he created. Everything was conversational and quirky, but always coming off as natural sounding and not forced. He is definitely my biggest influence for songwriting. He was a master with his way of words, and he knew how to make them flow within the song. He was so intelligent, and his knowledge of the English language was such a gift, he knew how to break the rules while throwing in his signature Southern slang along the way.”

I highly recommend you pick up a copy of this CD. It is truly memorable and some of the best of James Harman. A special ‘Thank You’ goes out to Nathan James for his years of dedication in making this recording available for life-long Harman fans. Just the best parting gift, ever. Like the man said, ‘when it’s all said and done, didn’t we have some fun sometime?’

The post James Harman – Last Call appeared first on Traveling Archive.

I took a recent trip to the city and had the opportunity to see it from different angles and speeds. My adventure included a walking tour, a moonlit kayak paddle, a cruise in a Batman-type car, and a ride on a fat tire electric scooter.

My getaway began at the newest, yet oldest hotel in town, The Fin. Located on Coast Hwy, near the iconic Oceanside Pier, the property originally opened in 1927 as the Keisker and was one of the first hotels in Oceanside. In May 2018 it reopened as The Fin, a boutique hotel blending Oceanside history with modern surf culture. The 27-room property retains much of the building’s original character including multi-colored, mosaic tile flooring in the lobby, a grand wooden-railed staircase, elegant Tiffany windows and a distinctive, 1920s architectural profile.

My standard King Room at The Fin was modern and efficient, with a 49-inch HDTV, free Wi-Fi, Keurig coffee maker, microwave, minifridge, separate toilet and shower, occupancy sensor lighting, alarm clock with Bluetooth speaker and a partial ocean view.

Once unpacked, I joined friends for lunch at Saint Tropez Bistro. Set in a 130-year-old, yellow Victorian house that has become an Oceanside landmark, the eatery serves up Euro-California cuisine in a charming, intimate setting, with creaky hardwood floors and tales of ghosts.

Our lunch included delicious veggie ratatouille with zucchini, eggplant, red bell pepper, and red onion in tomato sauce; baked quiche with spinach; and smoked salmon with goat cheese, pesto and red onion. While eating, we met Rocio the manager, who told about all about the interesting history of the house / restaurant.

After lunch we explored town on foot. Part modern, part retro, Oceanside boasts an exciting and walkable downtown lined with historic structures housing eclectic shops, restaurants, museums, breweries, barbershops, and one of California’s most beautiful civic centers. The latter, designed by Architect Charles Moore, is a group of white buildings with arches and courtyards, surrounded by fountains.

A highlight of town is the “Top Gun” house, the cottage made famous in Tom Cruise’s 1986 fighter pilot movie. The Queen Anne Victorian residence was built in 1887 and is one of the oldest houses still standing in Oceanside. It is located across from the 1,942 ft-long Oceanside Pier, one of the longest wooden piers on the West Coast.

My next stop was the California Surf Museum. Celebrating the history and lifestyle of surfing, the museum showcases exhibits such as “Courageous Inspiration,” which profiles surfer Bethany Hamilton; and “China Beach,” which highlights surfing during the Vietnam War. The place also displays numerous popular surfers and the boards that made them famous, including Bethany Hamilton’s shark-bitten board.

Back at The Fin Hotel, I relaxed before walking across the street for dinner with friends at Masters Kitchen and Cocktail Restaurant. Located in a reinvented, industrial-inspired space once used as an auto drag racing shop, the restaurant serves craft cocktails and exciting, unique food. Here we met Chef Darrell Campbell and sampled some of his creative and tasty dishes.

Our culinary journey featured specialty cocktails, incredible vegan cheeses, homemade pickled vegetables, Scottish Salmon, Italian speck prosciutto, Calabrese spicy salami, black truffle salami, and beef bresaola. For dessert we devoured flourless chocolate cake, with blood orange creme fraiche and Cyclops Farms strawberry’s.

After dinner we drove to Oceanside Harbor and embarked on a guided full moon Kayak tour. The nocturnal paddling sessions take place on full moon weekends during warmer months and allow visitors to revel in the beauty and romance of Oceanside’s quaint harbor under a moonlit sky. Tours include kayak, paddle, life jacket, headlamp and a knowledgeable guide who will prepare newbies and experienced kayakers.

Our paddle was a wonderful, serene trip across calm, moonlit water, that took us past a herd of barking seals and sloops filled with million-dollar yachts, old junkets and the twinkling lights of the Harbor Village.

The next morning I drove to Oceanside Municipal Airport, where I met Kurt, founder and owner of Waverider Helicopter Tours. A Coast Guard veteran and a dual-rated commercial pilot in helicopters and airplanes, Kurt loves to show people Oceanside by land and air. His company specializes in helicopter tours of the beautiful beaches and captivating back country of San Diego County, coastal Orange County, and Temecula Wine Country. Tours range from 10 minutes to over an hour. The Robinson R44 helicopter seats four and each passenger gets a Bose noise-canceling headset to listen to the pilot and talk while flying.

The company is now taking reservations for its Holiday Light Tours, which offer a bird’s eye view of San Diego’s coastal light displays along the coast from Oceanside to Del Mar. The 30-minute light tours run December 8 through January 1. For more info call (760) 691-9144 or visit: www.waveriderhelicoptertours.com

Waverider also rents futuristic three-wheeled cars called Polaris Slingshots. During my ride in the space age convertible, me and Kurt cruised down Coast Hwy by the beach and pier, listening to the Beach Boys and turning heads. If you like flashy cars, with high-powered engines and jet-like feel, this is a great way to see Oceanside.

The last adventure on my tour of Oceanside was a ride to Mission San Luis Rey in an electric, Fat Tire scooter provided by Ride O’side. The 2018 scooter models, like the one I rented, has a 20Ah battery and a top speed of 20 miles per hour. It includes Bluetooth for listening to cell phone music, boasts 18”x 9.5” fat tires for added stability, and a front hydraulic shock that yields an unbelievably smooth ride.

My 13.9-mile ride to Mission San Luis Rey began near Oceanside Pier, where I picked up the San Luis Rey Bike Trail, a Class 1 bicycle trail completely isolated from motorized traffic. Along the way I past memorable natural scenery and a variety of bird species while following the San Luis Rey River. At the Mission, I opened my sack lunch and read about its history.

The largest of the 21 California Missions, Mission San Luis Rey was built in 1789. Its grounds feature hand carved wooden doors, bright and colorful hand painted walls and murals, and a mixture of Classical and Baroque reredos.

More information on visiting Oceanside

More information on staying at The Fin Hotel

The post Oceanside, California by Land, Sea and Air appeared first on Traveling Archive.