"A hidden gem" is how A MAN LIKE ME has been described and it's just what James Stewart was aiming for when recording the album. After three years of careful incubation, the former lead singer of Cape Town pop/rock legends The Usual finally releases his debut album.
Earlier this year James was invited to open for Irish superstar Ronan Keating at a Kirstenbosch Gardens gig. That performance showcased - for the very first time in public - some of the solo material he'd been working on since 2000.
James had been biding his time, doing the odd gig and jotting down sketches of songs and melodies, working it all progressively into what has emerged as the next chapter of a compelling musical story.
Recorded at Street Level (the recording studio and label operation he co-owns with industry veteran Richard Black), for the album James brought in the cream of the Cape's jazz musicians and a few surprise musical collaborators, including former Bright Blue and The Usual guitarist Tom Fox, and Zolani Mahola of Cape Town band Freshlyground.