CD Review
JW Jones - Bluelisted
Canadian and NorthernBlues Music veteran JW Jones has released a CD that is, simply put, a great “feel good” release. It has the blues (both covers and originals) and a couple of what I consider to be old time feel rock and roll songs. There are no modern day special effects that tend to ruin many of today’s releases. All in all, it’s just darn good music.
Jones has a lot of people's attention. The blues community just loves this guy.
Charlie Musselwhite stated, “JW Jones is one of the best guitar players I’ve heard in a long time. He and his band do great tunes with cool arrangements and I love listening to them. They play with a taste and fire at the same time.”
Kim Wilson of The Fabulous Thunderbirds said, “He’s already unbelievable and he’s only going to get better.”
Both of those sentiments are good enough for me.
It should also be noted that fellow Canadian Dan Akroyd (Elwood Blues) provides the liner notes.
Let's get started…
The CD opens up with “Double Eyed Whammy”. I honestly never thought I would hear a better version than the one provided by Tinsley Ellis. I was wrong. I am instantly struck by the clear guitar attack and the easy-going vocals that set this tune up to be as good an opener as I have heard in a long time. Blues veterans Little Charlie Baty and Junior Watson join him on this track. They trade 4’s and 2’s. Have fun figuring it all out.
The 2nd tune is a Jones original, “Looking The World Straight in The Eye”. Again, Jones' pure singing style allows me to just sit back and let him testify. I love the lyrics to this song...
“I laugh when I wanna cry, because it’s the only way to get by. There’s just no answer, just a series of lies”.The whole song is full of remarkable blues musings such as these.
“Can’t Play a Playboy” follows with shuffle so solid, even I could solo over it. OK, maybe not. But it is solid.
“I’ve got eyes all over town and I know just where you lie”.Jones just seems so comfortable in his skin.
The 1st horn work appears on the 4th track and 2nd cover called “Mad About You”. Jones’ rendition of the Richard Berry tune takes you back. The accompanying sax and guitar work has that 50’s feel to it. Like everything else on this CD, it is tasteful and has an energy that will keep me listening for a long time.
Skipping ahead to “Somebody’s Got to Burn”, this track has a real edge to it that I like, both lyrically and musically. The song starts out with a great guitar riff that sets the stage for the rest of the song. Next comes Jones’ straightforward vocals that says to the listener, “here it is, if you don’t like the song, go home!” The lyrics don’t say that, but the song has an attitude and feel that do.
The next track is very intriguing. It is called “Heavy Dosage”. The track is completely instrumental. Truth be told, this track could be found on any jazz guitar CD. Yes, it has the blues structure, but Jones shows off his guitar chops in a way that proves to me that he could cross over to the jazz world if he wanted to. I am very impressed by his light and tasteful feel and touch.
The rest of the CD follows suit. There are two B.B. King covers (“That’s Wrong Mama” and “Waiting on You”) that Jones does a great job on. This is the kind of blues CD that should stay in your rotation for a long time. If you appreciate a fat guitar sound with a rockin’ fluid energy then this CD is for you.
05.18.08