WHEN Colchester’s James Hunter wrote and recorded People Gonna Talk - he was spot on.

Because since his 2006 debut album, that’s exactly what people have been doing, the latest of which is Gabriel Roth, aka Bosco Mann, bandleader and songwriter for legendary funk/soul group, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings.

As a recording engineer and producer, Gabriel has won two Grammy awards, the first in 2008 for Amy Winehouse's acclaimed Back to Black album, and then in 2012 for recording Booker T. Jones' The Road From Memphis.

So when Gabriel approached James to record his fourth album, Hold On!, the Colchester bluesman didn’t hesitate.

“He’s into the same stuff as me which is always a good start,” James jokes. “The great thing about working with Gabe Roth is that he can get our tunes on tape exactly the way I heard them in my head when I was writing them. It’s a rare thing when a producer knows what you’re going for before you’ve told him.

“A good indication of this kind of empathy is he’ll dig a record out, and he’s got a few, and say, ‘You’ll like this’, and be right every time. Finally working with someone who gets what you’re about is so refreshing and I think you can hear that in this album.”

Recorded at Penrose Recorders (Daptone West) near Gabriel’s home in Riverside, California, Hold On! cements even stronger James’ international reputation as a rhythm and blues troubadour with a voice that Van Morrison described as one of the best in British R&B and soul.

James adds: “He and I have both had our respective battles to make music that evokes the style and feel of the records that grabbed us and both have resisted the well-intentioned journalistic shorthand of terms like ‘vintage’ and ‘retro’ that sometimes greeted our efforts.

“The fact is, some time ago, recording techniques changed in a way that enhanced some styles of playing but not others. Gabe once said he doesn’t want to make ‘old records,’ he wants to make good records and his definition of ‘good’ chimes with my own.”

Born and raised in Colchester but now living in Brighton, James is completely self taught.

“I showed no talent at school,” he confesses, “except I was an aspiring triangle player, but it came to nothing. I never thought about being a musician. I fancied myself acting. Neither happened.

“I left school in 1979, when I was 16, and got a job at a furniture store at Severalls (industrial estate),” he continues. “I lasted a week. I think they thought I was overqualified with my one O-level.

“Then I went to work for British Rail, eventually as a signals maintenance assistant. I suppose this is when I came to look at music as some sort of alternative to the railways. I certainly didn’t want to work for British Rail for the rest of my life.

“But I didn’t have too much of an epiphany. It all happened very slowly.”

James was now in a trio. He was teaching himself the guitar and attempting songwriting. He sent a demo to a record label in London who passed it to more “accomplished” musicians.

“They got in touch with me, and we ended up busking in London at weekends,” he explains.

By 1986 he was fronting Howlin’ Wilf (a tribute to Howlin’ Wolf, another Mississippi blues singer) and the Vee-Jays, had appeared on Channel Four’s The Tube and was touring the UK and Europe. He had also parted company with British Rail.

Eventually, Howlin’ Wilf and the Vee-jays turned into James Hunter, he moved to Camden and, in 2003, was given the opportunity to cut People Gonna Talk at the Toe Rag studios thanks to American record producers Steve Erdman and his wife, Kimberley Guise.

“That’s when the problems started,” he reveals. “There was a lot of resistance to putting the album out on a big record label, mainly because I was 40 and the content wasn’t mainstream enough.”

With its affectionate echoes of Sam Cooke and Jackie Wilson, the disc finally made it out on the US indie label Rounder Records, which specialises in Roots music, and slowly it became an airplay staple on some of America’s most influential radio stations.

By the year’s end, People Gonna Talk was among the Top Ten ‘Best Albums of 2006’.

It was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album and James himself was nominated as Best New/Emerging Artist in the annual Americana Music Awards.

“I was really suited up for the Grammys,” James says. “I always wear a suit for gigs, but not like this. I had a black shirt, white tie and a black pinstripe suit. I looked like a gangster. Or maybe a penguin.”

Now he’s getting ready for more people talking about his latest release, which he’s supporting with a very small number of gigs.

As well as live dates close by to his Brighton home at St Leonards On Sea Masonic Hall and Dingwalls in London, James will be playing the New Wolsey Theatre in Ipswich on February 5.

“I don’t really decide where the gigs are,” he says, “so the Ipswich one is nice coincidence. I’m hoping a few old friends from the Colchester days will make the journey across the Suffolk border for it. Should be a really good night.”

Hold On! is released on Daptone Records On February 5.