James Opstad is a bassist and composer based in Stroud, UK. Once a regular fixture on the London jazz scene, his wide ranging musical interests and unique versatility have since seen him perform in a broad range of styles and settings. As a member of the experimental music ensemble, Apartment House, he has featured on numerous recordings for the Another Timbre label and performed at venues including Wigmore Hall and Café Oto. Other collaborations have included the free-improv trio, duck-rabbit, the Balkan folk band, Paprika, and the Nuevo Tango ensemble, Fugata Quintet, as well as performances with the classical guitarist, Miloš.
As a composer, James works closely with a tightly-knit group of performers that include Apartment House, Heather Roche and the GBSR Duo. His recent works explore intricate layerings of tempi and are rooted in a fascination with time, timbre and counterpoint.
James is also passionate about early music and in his free time can be found playing the viola da gamba.