8th Annual Elvis Tribute Featuring The Roy Kay Trio and a Cast of Thousands at The Tractor 1-17-2012

James Sasser performed the best version of Snowbird I have ever heard; a wonderful smooth voice.  I could have listened to him all night.  He had a great red velour jacket on; classic style, great presence. http://liveseattlemusicintheclubs.blogspot.com/2012/01/8th-annual-elvis-tribute-featuring-roy.html

Tucson Weekly - Big Talent: A few words on amazing visiting musicians playing at Fall Club Crawl®

Chris Miller and James Sasser (Bud Light Music Stage, 10 p.m.) hail from Portland, Ore. That’s not a city that one would consider a hotbed of country music, but once you hear the rich baritone voice and the plaintive notes of the Telecaster, you’d swear they came from a place like Bakersfield. Perhaps the sound comes from the fact that Chris Miller spent so many years in Austin as a sideman for the likes of Wayne Hancock, Dale Watson, Chris Gaffney, Ted Roddy and Marcia Ball. Or maybe it’s because James Sasser originated from cowboy stock out in rural Oregon. In any case, the end result is pure honky-tonk music, the way Waylon, George and Hank would’ve liked it. Since Chris Miller also plays guitar and lap steel for Dave Alvin, he has enticed the rest of the Guilty Men to come out and tour with him. Tammie’s Tucson Music Thursday October 14th, 2010

Arizona Daily Star Review

Honky-tonk duo to play free concert on Sunday
Austin-by-way-of-Portland, Ore., guitarist Chris Miller found some time on his hands last year, so he did what you would expect from a veteran musician.
He went out and made more music.The Texan’s project with Portland honky-tonk singer James Sasser is less rocking than his regular guitar gig with roots rocker Dave Alvin’s Guilty Men. (Alvin put his Guilty Men on vacation and went out with the Guilty Women this year.)
Sasser’s honky-tonk recalls old twang, simple lyrics and uncomplicated melodies. It’s the kind of music you’d hear in the West Texas dance halls where the guys once upon a time put on crisp shirts and ties and wore their best Stetsons, and girls were likely to wear patterned cotton sundresses and sandals.
He sings about getting over an ex to the backdrop of a three-chord melody. Toe-tapping Western melodies sneak in, the kind you can play with an acoustic guitar, a stand-up bass and a snare drum. It’s comfort food for your ears. Miller, whose Tucson tie was co-writing the title track of Troy Olsen’s debut indie album, “Living in Your World,” hooked up with Sasser last year when he returned to his native Portland. A prolific songwriter himself, he was struck by Sasser’s honky-tonk writing style that hinted at the pop stylings of Roy Orbison and Buddy Holly. Cathalena E. Burch, Dan Sorenson Thursday, August 5, 2010

Tucson Weekly “Short Takes” Review

During his 20 years living in Austin, Chris Miller played guitar for a virtual who’s-who of roots performers. During a break from playing guitar and lap steel for Dave Alvin and the Guilty Men, Miller returned to his native Portland, Ore., where he teamed up with songwriter and golden-throated singer James Sasser. The collaboration runs the gamut from full-fledged honky-tonk to songs that could have come from the ’70s AM gold era, and it’s all pretty damn great. Thursday August 5, 2010

Fensepost

James Sasser always seems to transcend the typical country stereotype. Andrew Fenstermaker May 2009

Miles of Music

The Melcliff shimmers, vibrates and swirls as if it was recorded in the halcyon folk-rock days of Los Angeles in the 1960s, not Portland in 2006. Sasser combines a soft croon with minor chords, chiming acoustic guitars and a warm reverb. Think an Everly Brothers record without the harmonies or a Mamas and Papas record, with just one Papa. Sasser’s engaging songwriting makes The Melcliff one of the terrific surprises of the year.  Jeff Weiss April, 2007

West Coast Performer Magazine

The title of this self-released CD is a reference to the apartment building where James Sasser lived and wrote most of the songs on the album. It’s an apt title, as these warm, homespun country and folk tunes have the intimate feel of a small living room performance.
What is immediately striking about this album is its simplicity. The playing and recording style of most of the material on it is free of any fancy fretwork or studio trickery. In fact, the lo-fi production sounds like it was actually put together at The Melcliff. This feature isn’t a limitation, however, as it gives the songs the immediacy of eavesdropping on a conversation in the next room. The accompaniment (brother Greg Sasser on drums, Phoebe Osborn on bass) adheres to a “straight line” policy, as well, adding only the barest essentials to move the songs forward. This tendency is especially true of the percussion - Greg Sasser’s drumming is wisely restrained, bolstered instead by a healthy dose of tambourine and shakers. Bob Hamm March 2007