Duncan James is a jazz, swing and blues guitarist and instructor. He has been teaching guitar since 1964, including four years as adjunct faculty at Lone Mountain College in San Francisco - 1972-76 - and three years as a public school instrumental music teacher in Springfield and Miamisburg, Ohio - 1968-71. He participated in the Bay Area Young Audience Program from 1981-1991 and has been a Jazz Instructor for Guitar Solo of San Francisco since 1986. He is also a mentor for Jazzmasters Workshop having taught three guitar workshops in 2001.  Mr. James holds a Bachelor of Music degree from The Ohio State University and has done post graduate work at Wright State University and Central State University in Ohio.

Performances include work with George Barnes, Howard Alden, Bruce Foreman, Tuck Andress, Mundell Lowe, Marilyn McCoo, Eartha Kitt, Michael Feinstein, Bernadette Peters, Chet Baker, Harold Jones, Terry Bozzio, Bobby McFerrin, Jimmy Witherspoon, Les Brown, Eddie Sauter, the San Francisco Symphony, the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra, and the San Francisco, San Jose, Sacramento, Concord, and Russian River Jazz Festivals.

Recording credits include three recordings with George Barnes, including his last recording released in 2003 on http://www.acousticdisc.com/acd_html/acd52.html, the Concord Jazz Guitar Collection Vols. 1 and 2 CD, his own trio with vocalist Madeline Eastman, five recordings with Turk Murphy vocalist Pat Yankee and two CDs with blues/jazz singer Darlene Langston,including "Street of Dreams" released in 2007. He also has a self produced solo CD, Duncan James "Solo Jazz Guitar", is prominently featured on Jim Rothermel’s CD "NeoClassic Swing", and on San Francisco blues diva Dr. Margie Baker's double CD "Live at Rasselas" released in 2004. (http://secure.jazzatpearls.com/photography/margieBaker/index.html) The trio and solo CD’s are available on the Jim Luellen Music Company web site at http://www.echoesoftheheart.com/.

Here is what Guitar Player Magazine had to say about Duncan in the July 2003 issue: "Suave and swinging...a chord-comping master who also turns in impressive solos".

Other selected press:

"James’ elegant guitar brilliance"- Phil Elwood (San Francisco Examiner 01/12/1978)

"Relaxed, easy swing and strong sense of melody"- Jesse Hamlin (SF Chronicle 11/16/1983)

"Enjoyable mainstream playing"- Jesse Hamlin (SF Chronicle 2/12/84)

"an intelligent and skilled mainstream Jazz guitarist"- Derk Richardson (SF Guardian

05/23/1984)

"The great James" - Phil Elwood ( San Francisco Examiner 06/08/1984)

"...beautifully constructed riffs"- M. Flicker (Palo Alto Jazz Alliance Dec. 1992)

"Veteran jazz mainstreamer"- Phil Elwood (SF Examiner 08/21/1995 )

"Outstanding"-Phil Elwood- ( http://www.jazzwest.com/ -11/8/2002)

"With flawless timing and intonation, Barnes and Duncan find common ground between the twin fiddles of Texas swing and the smoky horns of Count Basie’s big band."- Andy Ellis - (Guitar Player Magazine-July/2003)

"including the great San Franciscan on guitar, Duncan James.....one of the best on the record" -Frank Goodman-(www.puremusic.com)