Still Wowed Out: Jim James returns home with a new solo album and show

By Lauren Taylor Carr & Kevin Murphy Wilson • Photos Provided

For more than a quarter-century, Jim James has made a career out of chasing the transcendent. As the unmistakable cantor and creative force behind My Morning Jacket, he's taken arena-size audiences on countless sonic excursions, blending psychedelic rock, Southern soul, folk, and a healthy dose of cosmic wonder into something uniquely his own along the way.

But sometimes, as James knows all too well, the most revealing journeys require little more than a voice, an acoustic guitar, and a room full of people willing to listen.

On Saturday, November 28, James returns to his hometown for just that sort of solo acoustic performance at the Brown Theatre, using this Thanksgiving weekend showcase to kick off a brief national tour in support of Wowed Out, his first solo studio album in eight years.

A graduate of Louisville's St. Xavier High School, James has traveled a considerable distance [metaphorically and otherwise] from his musical beginnings here in Derby City. Yet his work continues to reflect an abiding affection for the traditions and artists that shaped him.

The spiritual curiosity of George Harrison looms large in James’ meandering, as does the restless songwriting style of Bob Dylan, and the freewheeling improvisational spirit of the Grateful Dead. While these are just a few examples of the many influences James has absorbed into his practice, they definitely help to explain his willingness to follow his muse wherever it leads.

In fact, James’ aforementioned LP, Wowed Out, is yet another unexpected turn for the decidedly enigmatic artist. The “new” record actually originated from music created more than a decade ago with composer Brian Reitzell for two film-scoring projects. Rediscovering those recordings in 2025, James transformed the material into an atmospheric collection of folksy cinematic soundscapes.

Rather than reaching for the explosive crescendos that have become a My Morning Jacket trademark, on this collection James seems more interested in what happens when the music slows down and the listener leans in.

On songs like "Come Again," "Lost Child," and the hypnotic title track, he explores the disconnection and anxiety of modern life while suggesting that music, nature, love, and simple human kindness still offer an alternative path toward something meaningful.

The upcoming acoustic tour will likely find James drawing from his growing solo catalog, a long list of My Morning Jacket favorites, and an assortment of carefully curated covers [last time at the Brown he delivered tasteful takes on material from Eagles, Beatles, Marvin Gaye, Brian Wilson, and more] to round out the setlists.

Regardless of song selection, without the thunderous guitars and rock n’ roll spectacle that a MMJ show provides, the tunes themselves will no doubt take center stage this time around. And perhaps that's the point. For an artist who has spent much of his career reaching toward something larger than himself, stripping everything back every now and then may be its own kind of revelation.

After all these years, Jim James is still searching for wonder. This time, he's bringing that search home.

Jim James: Wowed Out Tour (Solo Acoustic) lands in Louisville on November 28. For more information visit kentuckyperformingarts.org.