Vanja James Music profile picture

Vanja James Music

sounds like Vonya. Bookings: [email protected]

About Me


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BiographyBorn and raised in San Diego California, Vanja James is an established songwriter/singer who has been performing for local audiences with her acoustic and electric blues/rock stylings since the summer of 2002.

With a well-rounded musical history that includes DJing, classical guitar, and gospel choir, Vanja got her start in songwriting during her senior year of college at UCSD (where she majored in theatre) at age 19. It was in a “Singing for Actors” class that she met her vocal instructor Linda Vickerman. Linda took Vanja under her wing and taught her Jazz and blues vocal techniques. Linda introduced Vanja to guitar teacher (and future co-writing partner) David Beldock. Vanja has returned to David many times over the years to work together on the guitar arrangements for her songs, which have now become a trademark part of her bluesy roots sound.
In addition to being a songwriter, Vanja is also very active in the film community. You can frequently find her collaborating with local filmmakers. Most recently, Vanja was featured in a film playing her own music as a songwriter in Wolfgang Hastert’s “Something Like This.” She also works regularly with San Diego filmmakers The Page Brothers, and has had her music featured in a number of their films, from guitar pieces, to actors singing along with pop-song cameos.
By day you can find Vanja working independently as a graphic designer for her Creative Marketing company, The Jasper Tone. Most recently she has been working with some younger songwriters, teaching them about the business and helping take their careers to the next level.
While Vanja has had the opportunity to jam and write with a variety of talented musicians in both San Diego and San Francisco, her heart still remains with her audience, and she is still in search of the ideal backing band that wants to tour the US and Europe.
For details on tour history, press releases, and upcoming shows, please see Vanja’s website:
VanjaJames.com
Vanja's Website
Song Archives
Online Press Kit
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My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 6/22/2004
Band Website: vanjajames.com
Band Members:
Bandmembers Listed Below:
Bandmembers for live and/or recording include:
Lauren Leigh Martin
Lisa S.
Rory Packard
Sean Rose
Damon De La Paz
Matt Lynott
Adam
Vanja James
and friends of friends and more.
Influences:

Leonard Cohen Janis & Jimi Etta & Ella The Long Winters Aretha Franklin Jets to Brazil White Stripes The Decemberists The Waifs Old skool Motown, duwop, blues Spanish/Classical guitar Gospel Choir Cole Porter, Gershwin, Musical Theatre

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Sounds Like: People who really really like music and playing it.
Record Label: Unsigned & lookin'

Type of Label: None

My Blog

I am dressed like a cabbage patch kid.

Our bassist said so after band practice, that I was dressed "like a cabbage patch kid." so I have to share with you, that we will dress up like cabbage patch kids for our next show, at canes. No reall...
Posted by Vanja James Music on Mon, 26 May 2008 12:50:00 PST

Bloggery from Lauren Leigh

This is on the website, (www.vanjajames.com) but I have posted here for your myspace convenience!:        What's up party people?  This is Lauren Leigh giving you a ...
Posted by Vanja James Music on Tue, 20 May 2008 05:47:00 PST

Nice fan mail.

Note from fan. Good job to everybody who did the myspace songs. You mean the world to us, and mostly me._________________ Hey Vanja,My name is Kristen, I don't know if you remember me or not....
Posted by Vanja James Music on Fri, 16 May 2008 09:53:00 PST

More album updates

    Pretty much all my songs are done w/the exception of two since I have to do piano, and we have to nail down the conga player. Thus far we need bass...percussion, hand clapping...and...
Posted by Vanja James Music on Sat, 03 May 2008 11:31:00 PST

Bloggery at a late night hour

    I tell you, the deeper and deeper I go into my family’s garage, the more stuff I figure out about myself, and the more I find to sell to put towards an album fund. I mean, it ...
Posted by Vanja James Music on Sat, 05 Apr 2008 04:03:00 PST

Sushifish Recording day one and two.

Day One at Sushifish: Damon and I laid down scratch guitars/vocals & drums for 7 songs in 4.5 hours. We got two takes of each and I'll be picking the best from the two drum takes. Songs we did:1.Augus...
Posted by Vanja James Music on Mon, 03 Mar 2008 12:26:00 PST

Some album info. Heading to the studio today! No like a real studio.

We start recording at Sushifish today (whee today!). Sushifish costs $35.00 an hour (such a deal). So do a grand favor and buy a book, a vintage playboy, or something, since proceeds will go to pay f...
Posted by Vanja James Music on Sat, 01 Mar 2008 05:16:00 PST

Longest 15 hour day ever....

Getting fired for fighting about the proper punctuation and spelling of band names = Sucks.Deciding getting fired is actually ok and you can use the extra time to finally record album and take more gu...
Posted by Vanja James Music on Fri, 01 Feb 2008 06:56:00 PST

What do we need most?

Hello friends, I've been pondering the idea of starting a music-oriented non-profit for some time...non-profits that work to help hospitals or schools automatically qualify as public charities. I gues...
Posted by Vanja James Music on Tue, 29 Jan 2008 11:56:00 PST

List of Regularly Misspelled Band Names.

After this list reaches more than 10 (!) bands, it will become an email which I will forward monthly to 91.x, 94.9, The San Diego Reader, The Casbah, and Citybeat. If your name/band name is often spe...
Posted by Vanja James Music on Sun, 13 Jan 2008 02:55:00 PST