James studied at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, Glasgow, and graduated with a BA in Scottish Music in 2000. He then completed the MA in Traditional Irish Music Performance in 2001, studying piano under Professor Michael O'Suilleabhain at the University of Limerick, Ireland. James was a finalist in the 1999 BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Awards and has toured extensively throughout Britain, Ireland and America. This is his debut album and features him playing the wonderful Bossendorfer piano.