Jim Byrnes

“Jim Byrnes is a veritable national treasure, and if you like the blues you should know about him. Byrnes is a bluesman of the rarest variety, the type who doesn¹t need to plug in, rifle through solos or use a lot of flash and flare to make his point. Through 12 tracks he uses patience and restraint to create stunningly understated arrangements that hit right in the stomach and heart. Big Bill¹s Blues is a highlight, as is J.B.¹s rendition of Robert Johnson¹s Last Fair Deal Gone Down. Essential.” Uptown (Winnipeg)

“Featured prominently are The Sojourners, a gospel trio who add magnificent vocal harmonies. They lead off the traditional gospel tune “Didn’t It Rain” and one is struck immediately by its imaginative arrangement. As good as this performance is, it’s just a warm up for Byrnes’ own “Of Whom Shall I Be Afraid” and “Running Out of Time”. “Big Bill’s Blues” comes almost as a relief, in a fairly straightforward acoustic arrangement of the Broonzy favourite with some lyric updates. The longing in Byrnes’ world-weary voice, though, is palpable. Skip James’ pre-war gospel song “Be Ready When He Comes” is another highlight. This is one of the year’s best so far and I think you’ll agree.” Maple Blues (International)

Throughout the album, Byrnes lays down a gospel blues sound, fueled by a powerful voice with just the right dose of rasp. Mixing solid originals like “Of Whom Shall I Be Afraid” and “Running Out of Time” with well-chosen covers like Robert Johnson’s “Last Fair Deal Gone Down” and Nick Lowe’s “The Beast in Me,” Byrnes and an impressive band, led by producer/guitarist Steve Dawson, make you feel like you’re a regular at a Deep South revival. Vue Magazine (Edmonton)

“House Of Refuge is a heavenly album of gospel blues —an album celebrating and mourning life, finding redemption and healing in the act of living. But none of that would matter if Byrnes himself wasn’t at the top of his game, singing every word, every breath as if he meant it and had lived it. And guess what? He has.” The Calgary Sun

“This is richly textured stuff from the Byrnes penned of “Of Whom Shall I Be Afraid” and the chilling “Running Out Of Time” to the deep groove of Rev. Thomas A. Dorsey’s “Today”. This is one fine record.” Rating – A, The Province (Vancouver)

“A wincing God looks down at a crazy world and can’t help but catch a case of the blues. He has no problems with Jim Byrnes, who sings tunes that are sacred and secular, side by side, in a voice that is worn, wise and sweater-comfortable. God forgot his galoshes, so on the fat backbeat of churchy traditional Didn’t It Rain, heaven is raised—at least until the water lowers and the rainbow rises. On the jaunty, acoustic Big Bill’s Blues, a pushed-down soul eventually gets up. Aided by the triumphant gospel trio the Sojourners and the chafed fiddle of Jesse Zubot, Byrnes does great songs of hope. As for mixing blues and gospel, the doors of the House of Refuge are always open. “The Globe And Mail (National)

“House of Refuge is a masterful mélange of folk, gospel, blues and roots that is gutsy, heartfelt and pure. Twisting and turning musical phrases a la Jeff Tweedy and/or Nick Drake, Byrnes has made a career out of spinning sin into salvation. By Grace alone, he has lived to tell and leads us to the Promised Land. Hallelujah! “4.5 stars, Notes From Underground (Halifax)

Jim Byrnes is one of the most soulful singers to ever call Vancouver home, but on his new gospel-blues release, House of Refuge, the veteran musician gets some pretty stiff competition from the Sojourners, aka vocalists Marcus Mosely, Will Sanders, and Ron Small. The trio performs on seven of the CD’s 12 tracks and sets the tone for some seriously spiritual sounds...As well as straight-ahead gospel numbers ...Byrnes...offers the diehard blues freaks a treat with Robert Johnson’s “Last Fair Deal Gone Down”. Steve Newton, The Georgia Straight (Vancouver)

Subtitled ‘songs of hope and longing and sin and redemption’ it is a pretty tall order to pull off given the breadth of focus but what Byrnes has in his favour is a voice that sounds like it saw creation and followed the devil down to hell. It is a voice that is tattooed with experience, a voice broken and reconstructed, deep and resonant with pea gravel rattling in his Adams apple. An enjoyable trawl through human failings, hope being the foremost amongst these. Americana UK (London)
- Various