James Blackshaw

Booking Agent : Giorgio Salmoiraghi & Federico Zanatta

Inspired by the 60’s Takoma school of American Primitive guitar, minimalist composers and European classical music, James Blackshaw has been highly regarded for his works for solo acoustic guitar since his debut album in 2003, employing fingerpicking techniques to create drones, overtones and repeating patterns, alongside a strong inclination for melody, to create instrumental music that is both intelligent, hypnotic and emotional..

Born in London in 1981, Blackshaw has released eleven solo studio albums, two EPs, two live recordings and has also appeared on numerous compilations, receiving praise and earning places on Best of Year lists from online and printed publications such as Pitchfork, Billboard, The Wire, The Observer, The Times, Uncut, The New York Times, Rolling Stone Magazine, The Onion, Magnet and Acoustic Guitar Magazine among others.

Blackshaw has collaborated with Lubomyr Melnyk, performed and recorded as a member of Current 93 and with Jozef Van Wissem as Brethren of The Free Spirit and toured and played shows with artists such as Swans (whose Michael Gira signed Blackshaw to his Young God label to release two albums in 2009 and 2010), Grails, Sir Richard Bishop, Jose Gonzales, Peter Walker, Alex De Grassi and Hauschka. He has toured extensively in the US, Europe and Japan, playing such institutions as the ICA, the Barbican and Merkin Hall, NYC as part of the New York Guitar Festival, 2010. Matt Groening, creator of ‘The Simpsons’, invited Blackshaw to perform at All Tomorrow’s Parties, May 2010. His music has been featured multiple times on National Public Radio in the US, BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 4 and has been used both on TV and in a feature film.

His latest album, ‘Unravelling In Your Hands’, was released in November 2024, following a near decade long hiatus from making music.

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Tourdates

No shows booked at the moment.