James Raymond born
to make music

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By Tim Ryan
tryan@starbulletin.com

Heredity is oh so important, weaving its mysterious genes while we go along for the ride. Here was little James Raymond growing up in Southern California, who by age 6 liked playing piano more than punting. Of course there was conflict. Not baseball vs. Beethoven, but Three Dog Night versus Beethoven.

"No one ever had to push me very hard to play music," says Raymond, 39. "I had an immediate connection to music. I figured it had to be in the genes somewhere back there."

It was a genetic connection he wouldn't fully understand until he was nearly 30. Raymond, who had been adopted as an infant, was the son of David Crosby, of Crosby, Stills & Nash fame. Raymond was getting married and with his adoptive parents' blessing decided to try to make contact with his birth parents.

"It tied up a lot of loose ends for me, it made a lot of sense so I wasn't totally surprised."

But this tale is more than one of mere discovery. Crosby and Raymond, with guitar/vocalist Jeff Pivar, perform as CPR in the group's Hawaii debut at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center tomorrow.

Crosby is the two-time Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Famer, a former member of seminal folk-rock band The Byrds and current player with CS&N.

CPR Featuring David Crosby, Jeff Pivar and James Raymond: In concert: 7:30 p.m. tomorrow Place: Maui Arts & Cultural Center Tickets: $23.50 Call: (808) 242-SHOW (7469)

Long before CPR, James was a well-established, in-demand session musician, keyboard soloist, musical director and composer. James studied theory and composition in college before playing the L.A. jazz scene. Pevar has performed with Rickie Lee Jones, Ray Charles, James Taylor, Joe Cocker, Jimmy Webb, Carly Simon, Shawn Colvin, Bonnie Raitt and Kenny Loggins and five years with CSN.

It turned out that when Raymond was trying to find his birth mother she was doing the same.

"I never had a real burning desire to pursue this because I didn't want to hurt my birth parents' feelings ... make them think I wasn't happy," Raymond said. "My dad said it would be a good time because I was getting married."

It was so OK that Raymond invited his birth mother to the wedding. Connecting with daddy David took more than a year.

"I didn't want to be this guy coming out of the woodwork or have him think I was trying to get something out of him. And I needed some time to see how I felt about things."

Then Raymond heard news about Crosby's pending liver transplant.

"My dad said it would be a shame if I never got to meet the guy," Raymond said. So while Raymond was taking his time getting a message to Crosby, his adoptive dad wrote the hospitalized singer a letter. Crosby called his son a few weeks later, arranging to hook up when the singer came to L.A. for treatment.

"We hit it off right away," Raymond said. "But the first thing I told him was I had had a great family and a great life so I have no ill will toward you."

During subsequent meetings, Crosby and son played music. Dad gave Raymond some lyrics to put music to.

"I was scared to death he would hate it; I didn't want to disappoint David the musician," Raymond said.

Crosby loved the song that would be named "Morrison" and find a place on CPR's first album.

The group has recorded three CDs, including the latest release and second studio album for Gold Circle Records, "Just Like Gravity."

The trio was also Crosby's idea.

"It's amazing how life works out if you just take those risks," Raymond said.

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