New review of "Magical Land"

Redding songwriter and bandleader Rick Larsen reviews the new Jim Dyar Band album.

About Jim Dyar

American roots singer-songwriter Jim Dyar is an emerging artist in the far Northern California music scene. He has collaborated and performed with Doug Colosio and Scott Joss of Merle Haggard's band, The Strangers. Jim has a songwriting credit on "Christmas on Cabo San Lucas" on Haggard's album, "I Wish I Was Santa Claus."

In addition to performing with a variety of music combos in Redding, Jim formed the JDB in 2006. The band is a continually evolving forum, which regularly invites guest artists into its live shows.

Jim, a Colorado native, was the music and arts editor for the Redding daily newspaper, the Record Searchlight, for eight years and now writes for A News Cafe. He and his wife, Candace, enjoy hiking, camping, biking and writing.


About The Jim Dyar Band (JDB)

The Jim Dyar Band is a blend of Redding-area musicians who bring their individual stylings to the roots sounds of Jim's original songs and covers by favorite bluegrass, folk, alt-country and rock musicians. The current lineup includes: Jim Dyar (vocals, guitar), Torri Pratt (vocals, percussion), Eric Day (guitar), Steve Huff (bass) and Rick Harter (drums).



What Others are Saying

"Dyar’s songs draw on a variety of influences, he has studied well the Dylans, the Haggards and the Neil Youngs (throw in a dash of Gram Parsons as well) but manages to brand his music with his own stamp. Though he has one foot in a world of plastic culture gone bad and one foot in the pristine rivers and backwoods of a timeless land, he still exudes an optimism that is quite engaging. He’s plugged in with the rest of us but he cheerfully shows that we can unplug if we want to, and kicking back in your chair with your feet on the desk and a smile on your face listening to the JDB is one way to do it. We may be heading to heck in a hand basket, but it’s sure a purty ride, ain’t it?"

- Phil Fountain, anewscafe.com (July 2009)

"In the last three days I've listened to seven hours of live music played by more than a dozen musicians. That's close to 200 songs, half of which I sang along with. After all that input, the only music that's looping in my brain is one song from early Friday night at the Post Office Saloon and Grill, 'Wagon Wheel,' sung in exquisite harmony by Redding's Jim Dyar and Torri Pratt."
- Kelly Brewer, writer and editor at anewscafe.com (June 2008)


“I’ll tell you like it is. For groups, actually other than Drew Emmitt (Leftover Salmon), it was just as big a night as we’ve had here.”

-- Leon Womack, former owner of Klub Klondike in Lakehead, CA (after a spring 2007 show)