Solid Blues Records artist: JW-Jones - Everything Now - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Everything Now, by JW-Jones and it's a solid mix of blues, R&B, rock, and pop. Opening with title track, Everything Now, JW-Jones on lead vocal and guitar has penned a cool, pop rocker with a strong melody, featuring Stanton Moore on drums, Gordie Johnson on harmony, rhythm, bass and keys making this a super opener. Blues rocker, Papa's In The Pen has a cool rhythm and Jones' vocals are strong with a tight guitar solo pushing the track nicely. With Eric Eggleston on harmony vocal, rhythm guitar and percussion, Aaron Sterling on drums and Jeff Rogers on keys another solid entry. Shuffle track, Take Your Time features Jimmie Vaughan on guitar with his signature style, and includes Jason Corbiere on drums. My favorite track on the release is To Tell You The Truth (I Lied) with Jones' best vocal on the release and it's supple bluesy feel. Cutting loose on guitar Jones really gives this track an extra boost, joined by Jacob Clarke on bass, Eggleston on rhythm guitar and percussion, and Jesse O'Brien on keys. Very nice. Another favorite is R&B influenced, When You Left, with a real nice melody and with Kaz Kazanoff, John Mills and Al Gomez on horns working in support of Jones on vocal and guitar. Wrapping the release is rocker, Good To Be True, with a contagious melody and driving beat. JW has a solid rocker here with plenty of diversity and soul. 

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Stony Plain Records artist: HOROJO Trio - Set The Record - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Set The Record, from HOROJO Trio and I really like it. Opening with rocker, Man of Steel, lead vocalist Jeff Rogers who also plays keys leads the way, with well known guitar slinger JW-Jones on guitar and Jaime Holmes doing a great job on drums really get it ramped up. R&B track, Set The Record Straight has a lightly funky rhythm and the real richness of Rogers vocals shine through. Jones, who lead the vocal charge on his own solo releases and Holmes do a terrific job blending backing vocals making this a tight vocal effort.  One of my favorite tracks on the release is Stay Crazy with it's soulful feel and terrific lead vocals. With it's radio melody and Jones tasty guitar riffs, this track is very nice. Another particularly strong track is The Night with has a terrific melody, strong lead vocal by Rogers who adds warm organ backing and includes a sweet guitar solo by Jones. Very nice. Contemporary blues rocker, Give and Take gives Jones a real chance to show his blues roots with excellent riffs highlighting the track. Holmes takes charge on "James Brown" like rhythm as Jones and Rogers trade vocal/guitar lead on Something You Should Know. This track really moves out and Jones slides right in with a crisp guitar solo that really capps the track and Holmes showboats a little himself adding real icing to this cake.  Real Deal begins as a high intensity rocker with HOROJO firing on high but slows to a really nice blues giving Jones a great opportunity to show his blues chops and that he does. Rogers is just what Jones needed to give him a wider audience with excellent pipes on this new release. 

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Robert Billard & the Cold Calls - Stop - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Stop, from Robert Billard, and it's a pop rocker wiith some edgy guitar. Opening with Road To NoWhere, Robert Billard shows his traditional ballad vocal style with side guitar vamps, and thumping kick drum. JW-Jones lays down some real nice melodic guitar lead on Waiting For The land To Dry, joined by A-Train Boynton on bass and Clayton Hill on drums. No Shape For Talking is a cool radio hit with aggressive rock guitar soloing by Wild T Springer and Murray Peter on keys. Groove is a modified boogie with a lot of that George T. vibe. With JW-Jones grinding the guitar lead, Tobin Frank on bass, Porter on keys and Hill on drums, a cool blues number. Nothing Can Stop Me Now is an upbeat jazzy number featuring Jones on guitar, Kenny Blues Boss Wayne on keys, A Train on bass and Hill on drums. With over 6 minutes, these guys get a chance to jam a bit with nice piano passages from Wayne. Wrapping the release is Home, featuring Tonye Aganaba on additional lead vocal, Porter on keys, Springer on lead guitar, Frank on bass and Hill on drums. This is a strong ballad and presented somewht like an anthem running over 9 minutes. A firm closer. 

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Solid Blues Records artist: JW-Jones - Sonic Departures - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Sonic Departures, from JW-Jones and it hits solid on the radio track styling with great guitar soloing. Opening with Blue Jean Jacket, a pop rocker with a shuffle beat, JW-Jones is up front with solid vocals and joined by Jesse Whiteley on keys, Will Lauin on drums, Jacob Clarke on bass Brendan Cassidy, Jim John, Daniel Koelsch and Rolf Rogde on sax, Scott McGonigal, Rob Williams, Rob Mee and Rob Scott on trombone, and Bob Clegg, Noel Methven, Jim Shea and Brad Harrison on trumpet. Jones does a funky overlay on classic blues number, Drowning on Dry Land and I like it. Whiteley's organ work, along with the tight rhythm work of Laurin really make this track move. Jones stabs in some real nice guitar riffs, working really well with sax and trumpet accents. Very cool! Big swing track, It's Obdacious has great feel and dynamics with harmonies by Brit Wynne-Jones. Jeff Pighin really wails on sax on this one giving it a great kick. On Guitar Slim's, The Things That I Used To Do, Jones maintains Slims original trademark guitar riffs which give it great presence and his own twists, with the addition of sax and trumpet which work really nicely. Possibly my favorite track on the release. Wrapping the release is rock shuffle, When It All Comes Down with Jones' solid lead vocals and warm sax work maintaining the balance. His lead guitar work on the track is concise and well blended making this a solid closer for a solid release. 

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Solid Blues Records artist: JW - Jones - Live - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Live, from JW- Jones and it's terrific. Opening with A Memo, a cool, well written rocker with a solid melody. Jones' band is Laura Greenberg on bass and vocal, Will Laurin on drums and vocals and Don Cummings on Hammond and vocals. Jones gets the opportunity to stretch a bit and with nicely phrased blues riffs, punctuates this fine opener. On BB King's Need You So Bad, Jones' vocals are firm and his guitar playing sure footed. I have heard each of his previous releases and this one really shines. Howlin' Wolf's Moanin' At Midnight has a steady rolling tempo with aggressive blues stance, breaking into a Hendrix "Voodoo Chile" posture and letting the pyrotechnics fly. Very nice. Dylan's Tonight I'll be Staying Here With You has an approach that blends Dylan, Beck and Garcia styles. Another BB King track, Early Every Morning, has a hard driving bass line putting Jones into boogie mode, dancing across the fretboard in the manner of Gatemouth Brown, but using his own phrasing making it all his own. Very nice.  Albert King's, You're Gonna Need Me, sets up nicely with a cool undertow on bass and subdued King styling on rhythm, allowing Jones to lay it out there "All Jones". Excellent! Reworking Jimmy Rogers' That's Alright, you got pure slow blues. Some of Jones best vocals in years shine here and Muddy Waters styling on slide is extremely effective. Wrapping the release is I Might Not Come Home At All with an extended guitar exploration including the Walk Don't Run, Wipeout, Daytripper, Satisfaction, James Bond Theme, Secret Agent Man, Communication Man, Baracuda, Hawaii 5-O Theme, Batman Theme, Spider Man Theme, Apache, Pipeline,  Brown Sugar, Oh Pretty Woman, Misirlou and Johnny B Goode. Excellent closer for a really solid release. I think his best yet!

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Ottawa’s JW-Jones Releases First Live Album on September 28, 2018

Ottawa’s JW-Jones Releases First Live Album on September 28, 2018

Canadian and USA tour dates announced

New Video:  JW-Jones - LIVE (Official Promo Video) here The improv magic you hear on JW-Jones’ 10th album, Live, is the spark that has awakened new sonic frontiers for the veteran Maple Blues Award-winning Ottawa bluesman.  “I cranked up my overdrive in concert one night for fun, and it opened up this new world of ideas for me,” admits the JUNO-nominated Jones, whose searing axemanship has been praised by Blues Revue Magazine as “a fluid amalgam of T-Bone Walker’s big, bright chords; Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson’s slashing leads and Clarence ‘Gatemouth’ Brown’s jazzy sting.”  “I felt a new sense of freedom.” That sense of freedom resonates through Live, an exciting collection of 11 previously-unreleased songs lovingly recorded over two nights at a sold-out Gatineau, QC theatre by producer Zach Allen, fresh off his Best Contemporary Blues Album Grammy Award victory for the Taj Mahal/Keb’ Mo collaboration TajMo.  “This album is a big departure for me,” Jones explains. “Especially on songs like ‘I Don’t Believe A Word You Say’ and ‘Moanin’ at Midnight:’ both of those songs clock in at over six minutes and I’m playing that overdriven guitar in a way I’ve literally never played on record before.”  As he continues to evolve as one of Canada’s most versatile bluesmen, with one foot in the terra firma of the traditional blues espoused by the likes of Howlin’ Wolf sideman Hubert Sumlin and harmonica legend Charlie Musselwhite (who both guested on Jones’ memorable Midnight Memphis Sun, recorded at the historic Sun Studio) and blues contemporaries Robert Cray, for whom the JW-Jones band has occasionally opened, he continues to challenge and raise his standards through his recordings and the 130 dates on average yearly that he clocks in on the road.  With the last JW-Jones studio project, the Colin Linden-produced High Temperature, capturing the coveted Memphis Blues Foundation’s International Blues Challenge honours for Best Self-Released CD, the frequent resident of Billboard’s Top 10 Blues charts and Canadian roots radio favourite continues to accelerate his career momentum to new heights, whether it’s as a personally-requested sit-in with the likes of blues legend Buddy Guy, opening for blues rock icons Johnny Winter and George Thorogood or entertaining thrilled audiences in 23 countries and four continents.  “Audiences get excited because it’s all so organic,” notes Jones, who stretches out on Live with his Goldtop Gibson Les Paul. “The blues is such a universal language, and the fact that we never play the same solo twice just adds to that vibrant energy, which I think we really capture on this album.”  Live also embraces Jones’ continuing appreciation of modern days blues music, best illustrated by the album’s opening number, a rendition of Robert Cray’s “A Memo (Nothin’ But Love.)” “The first time I heard that tune, written by Robert’s bass player, Richard Cousins, I fell in love with it,” says Jones. “It’s a really great contemporary blues song because it doesn’t sound traditional and it’s got a great chorus and harmonies. Robert saw a video of our version and gave us the thumbs-up.” It also represents progress, reflecting Jones’ growing modern tastes.  “When I first started out, I studied old blues records and wanted to be accepted by my heroes. I wanted them to notice that I was staying authentic to the sound. Over the years things have changed, and I want to play and write music that moves me, even if it doesn’t sound like a Chicago blues tune cut in 1956. I feel that I need to play the music that speaks to me personally.”    An additional highlight is the inclusion of the JW-Jones showstopper – the 17-song medley that rifles through snippets of classic guitar riffs backed by the energetic support of 2018 Maple Blues Award Bassist of the Year Laura Greenberg and the inimitable Will Laurin on drums.  “It’s been a staple of our live show for years,” says Jones. “People have been asking us to record it forever, so now we’ve finally captured it for everyone to enjoy!” And everyone will enjoy Live, an album for the ages that captures the JW-Jones lightning in a bottle. - Nick Krewen  (freelance contributor for Toronto Star, Globe & Mail, Grammy.com, and Billboard)  QUOTES “This young man is one of the people who will keep the blues alive” - Buddy Guy (7 time Grammy winner)  “His evolution as a musician and vocalist shine through... JW is the real deal." - Chuck Leavell (The Rolling Stones)  "This is an amazing blues band" - Dan Aykroyd (Elwood Blues)  TRACK LISTING  1.  A Memo (Nothin’ But Love)  (5:04) 2.  Need You So Bad  (4:05) 3.  I Don’t Believe A Word You Say  (5:59) 4.  Moanin’ At Midnight  (9:37) 5.  Tonight I’ll Be Staying Here With You  (3:42) 6.  Early Every Morning (4:20) 7.  You’re Gonna Need Me  (4:41) 8.  Catch That Teardrop  (4:46) 9.  That’s Alright  (5:25) 10. Way Down Inside  (3:08) 11. I Might Not Come Home At All / Medley  (5:25) JW-JONES – LIVE ALBUM - TOUR 28-Sep   Live On Elgin – Ottawa, ON  CD Release Party 29-Sep   Van Aukens Inn – Old Forge, NY 30-Sep   Wakeley’s – Utica, NY 10-Oct    Buddy Guy's Legends - Chicago, IL 11-Oct     Shank Hall - Milwaukee, WI 12-Oct     Ore Dock Brewing Company - Marquette, MI 13-Oct     Famous Dave's - Minneapolis, MN 14-Oct     Ramada By Wyndham - Bismarck, ND 16-Oct     Blues on Whyte - Edmonton, AB 17-Oct     Blues On Whyte - Edmonton, AB 18-Oct     Blues On Whyte - Edmonton, AB 19-Oct     Blues On Whyte - Edmonton, AB 20-Oct     Blues On Whyte - Edmonton, AB 21-Oct     Blues On Whyte - Edmonton, AB 22-Oct     Wild Bill's Saloon - Banff, AB 23-Oct     The Dream Café - Penticton, BC 25-Oct     The Flying Steamshovel & Gastropub - Rossland, BC 26-Oct     Finley's - Nelson, BC 27-Oct     Osborne Bay Pub - Crofton, BC 28-Oct     Guilt & Co - Vancouver, BC 1-Nov      Torch Club - Sacramento, CA 2-Nov      Poor House Bistro - San Jose, CA 3-Nov      Covo La Jolla - San Diego, CA 4-Nov      O'Hennings - Bakersfield, CA 8-Nov      Sand Dollar Lounge - Las Vegas, NV 9-Nov      Private Party - San Diego, CA 10-Nov     Tucson Blues Society - Venue TBA - Tucson, AZ 16-Nov     Katie's - Bacliff, TX 17-Nov     Big Easy - Houston, TX

Solid Blues Records artist: JW - Jones - High Temperature - New release review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, High Temperature, from JW - Jones and it may be his best yet. Opening with rocker, Price You Pay, JW-Jones seems to have taken a new direction with tighter riffs and more relaxed vocals. Joined by Colin Linden on guitar, Kevin McKendree on keys, Dominic John Davis on bass and Bryan Owings on drums this is a solid opener. On How Many Hearts, Jones is joined by Jaida Dreyer on second lead guitar and in addition to slick lead guitar riffs and a nice groove, I really like the over saturated tones on the rhythm guitar. Title track, High Temperature is a great blues shuffle and that over driven guitar tone is through the roof. Along with McKendree's key work, Jones lets the guitar off the leash with some real string lashing making this one of the best tracks on the release. Excellent! Who I Am is a really cool track with an almost Robert Cray feel. With it's heavy bass and tight drums, Jones is way out front on vocal and his guitar seems to be a mad dog held back by a string. Very nice. Loping, Away Too Long has a bit of that familiar country blues rumble and McKendree's organ work is real nice. Harmony vocals by Liam Russell give this track yet another dimension and pure radio appeal. Midnight Blues is a swinging rocker with a snappy rhythm. Jones does some of his best vocal work on this track with Russell and McKendree's keys are sweet. He steps up with really a nice guitar solo making this one of my favorites on the release. Leon Russell's Out In The Woods, is up next and with some of the coolest drum work you're likely to hear. Keeping that swampy feel that Leon conjured and with bluesy riffs, this track floats. The releases closes with Lonnie Mack's Wham. A terrific guitar twister, this track gives Jones the opportunity to really turn it loose and away he goes. This is an excellent closer for a really strong release.



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JW-Jones CD hits Billboard chart!

JW-JONES RELEASE MAKES BILLBOARD CHART! Belmont Boulevard debuts at #9 on sales chart   Belmont Boulevard, the new Blind Pig release from Canadian guitarist and songwriter JW-Jones, debuted at #9 on the Billboard blues sales chart this week. JW & Jamie & Laura's Excellent Adventure... JW and his band, Jamie Holmes on drums and Laura Greenberg on bass, are currently touring the U.S. in support of the album.   So far it's been an eventful tour: In Sacramento, California, local favorite Little Charlie Baty came down to the Torch Club and sat in with JW's band. Said Charlie, "Catch them if you can - they are an impressive band of young Canadian blues performers."   In Southern California, labelmate Jimmy Vivino, bandleader of The Basic Cable Band on the Conan TV show, jammed with JW's band at the Maui Sugar Mill in Tarzana. To watch video, click HERE. The next day, JW and his bandmates attended a taping of the Conan show in Burbank, where they got to meet Conan O'Brien and rub shoulders backstage with Miley Cyrus.   And to top it all off, the band ran into Paris Hilton on the street and posed together for a photo.   Only in Beverly Hills!   Here are the remaining dates on JW's U.S. tour: Nov. 4 Austin, TX Continental Club Nov. 7 Houston, TX Shakespeare Club Nov. 8 Houston, TX Big Easy Nov. 9 Dallas, TX RBC Nov. 12 Lincoln, NE Zoo Bar Nov. 13 Omaha, NE 21st Saloon Nov. 14 St. Louis, MO BB's Jazz Blues & Soups Nov. 15 St. Louis, MO Blues City Deli Nov. 24-30 Key West, FL Hog's Breath Saloon

Blind Pig Records artist: JW-Jones - Belmont Boulevard - New Release Review

I just received the newest release, Belmont Boulevard, from JW-Jones and I think it's his best yet. Opening with Love Ten Times, a contemporary blues/rock number with a pinch of country, Jones and drummer Tom Hambridge handle the vocal part. On Bobby Parker number, Watch Your Step, Jones throws a bit of sixties rhythm to a classic R&B track with hot guitar riffs. Very Nice! Blue Jean Jacket has a fresh, southern blues rock feel with Reese Wynans on keys and Jones rips hot riffs on guitar. On Coming After Me the band lays down a really nice slinky groove with a strong bass line from Dave Roe and some of the best vocals on this release from Jones. Particularly nice guitar work by Jones on this track makes it one of my release favorites. Don't Be Ashamed has a bit of a British blues feel with Laura Greenberg on drums and Jamie Holmes on drums. Thank You has a pop rock feel with a R&B basis. Flaming guitar riffs highlight this track with it's driving beat. Really cool Magic Slim like riffs open Magic West Side Boogie. This is a slick instrumental with a cool boogie beat. I really like Jones' fretwork on this track highlighting it as a clear front runner on the release. What Would Jimmie Do? is a slower boogie with a Latin twist and a cool swing. A true rocker this track gives Jones another opening to show what he can do. Very nice! If It Feels This Good Tomorrow is definitely the radio track for the release. A catchy hook and sweet melody drives the song. Buddy Guy's What's Inside Of You is a hot number with a lot of the flash of Mr Guy himself and the right funky push that Jones needs to break loose. This is the guitar man's track and a definite cooker! Never Worth It is structured around the basic early Rock and Roll pattern and keeps it solid like TYA. A bit more polished that Mr Lee, Jones does a real nice job of articulating his riffs and adding some cool reverb and chords. Wrapping the release is Cocaine Boy is a raw blues number with echo guitar effects and staggered drumming with quite pleasant results. A real nice track to complete Jones' first release on Blind Pig Records.

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High Energy Act coming to Phoenix, AZ!

HIGH ENERGY PERFORMER BRINGING HIS SHOW TO PHOENIX, AZ!  JW-Jones, a red hot young Canadian guitar slinger/singer known as a high-energy crowd-pleaser, will bring his dynamic show to Phoenix as follows:  SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 1ST RHYTHM ROOM 1019 E INDIAN SCHOOL RD.  9:15 PM $10   Jones, a popular and highly acclaimed artist in Canada, widely regarded as one of that country’s premier touring blues acts, is set to break out in the U.S. and worldwide markets with his first release on acclaimed American roots music label Blind Pig Records, entitled Belmont Boulevard. The album was produced in Nashville by Grammy-winning producer Tom Hambridge, who’s helmed projects for Buddy Guy, George Thorogood, and Susan Tedeschi.   Jones said, "Signing with Blind Pig is truly an honour and major milestone in my career.  I am ecstatic to be on a label that is a fixture in roots music." Jones has played in nineteen countries in his brief career, and recently opened tours for the late Johnny Winter and Jimmie Vaughan, one of his strongest influences. Canada’s national newspaper, the Globe and Mail, based in Toronto, referred to Jones as "one of this country's top blues guitar stars."  Billboard called JW part of "a new wave of young talent moving onto Canada’s blues stage."

Blind Pig signs Canadian artist JW-Jones!

JW-JONES SIGNS WITH BLIND PIG! CANADIAN ARTIST SET FOR U.S. BREAKOUT JW-Jones, a red hot young Canadian guitar slinger/singer, is set to break out in the U.S. and worldwide markets with his signing with acclaimed American roots music label Blind Pig Records. His first release for the label, entitled Belmont Boulevard, was produced in Nashville by Grammy-winning producer Tom Hambridge,  who’s helmed projects for Buddy Guy, George Thorogood, and Susan Tedeschi.   Jones chose Hambridge to produce because “This CD is all about getting out of my comfort zone musically and lyrically, working with a big producer and creating a high-energy experience that matches our live show, and I knew Tom was the man to make that happen.”  For the songs on the album, Jones decided for the first time to delve deep into his personal life and tell some of his stories that had never been told before.   He co-wrote many of the songs with Hambridge, a noted songwriter whose tunes have been recorded by Lynyrd Skynyrd, Rascal Flatts, and Delbert McClinton, among others, and featured in movies, commercials, and television. "Digging deep into some very serious personal stories from my past and turning them into songs has been liberating and part of the healing process.  I hope these songs resonate with listeners that have been through similar experiences," said Jones. Known as a high-energy crowd-pleaser, Jones has played in nineteen countries in his brief career, and recently opened U.S. tours for Johnny Winter and Jimmie Vaughan, one of his strongest influences.   Looking forward to his association with Blind Pig and the release of the album in October, Jones said, "Signing with Blind Pig is truly an honour and major milestone in my career.  I am ecstatic to be on a label that is a fixture in roots music.  I've been listening to their records since I was a kid!"

DAWN TYLER WATSON & JW-JONES TO HOST 17TH ANNUAL MAPLE BLUES AWARDS

DAWN TYLER WATSON & JW-JONES TO HOST 17TH ANNUAL MAPLE BLUES AWARDS Performers include nominees MonkeyJunk, The 24th Street Wailers, Charlie A'Court, David Vest, and Little Miss Higgins   (November 18, 2013) Toronto, ON – Montreal’s Queen of the Blues Dawn Tyler Watson and Ottawa’s JW-Jones, both accomplished and internationally recognized blues artists, are set to take command of the "blues goes uptown" not-to-be-missed night out.   Watson and Jones will both perform at the upcoming 17th annual Maple Blues Awards gala on January 20, 2014 at Koerner Hall in Toronto. The Maple Blues Awards is Canada’s national blues celebration, recognizing outstanding musical achievement and gathering blues musicians and music fans from across the country each year. In addition to performances from the hosts, a cast of some of Canada’s notable and emerging new blues talent will be performing at the gala concert and are all current or past nominees. This year the performers include Juno Award winners MonkeyJunk from Ottawa, The 24th Street Wailers from Toronto, Nova Scotia bluesman Charlie A'Court, British Columbia’s David Vest, and Saskatchewan’s Little Miss Higgins, all backed by The Maple Blues Band featuring current and past Maple Blues Award nominees and winners Gary Kendall, Michael Fonfara, Teddy Leonard, Al Lerman, Tom Bona, Chris Whiteley, Pat Carey and Chris Murphy.  Following the awards and concert will be the popular after-party featuring live music and performances from some of the evening’s winners.   The January 20th gala event is considered to be the premier blues event of the year. Tickets for the not-to-be-missed Maple Blues Awards, held at The Royal Conservatory's Koerner Hall in Toronto, are on sale now for $35 - $65 and can be purchased at the Weston Family Box Office, located in the TELUS Centre for Performance and Learning at 273 Bloor Street West, Toronto, by phone at (416) 408-0208 or online at https://tickets.rcmusic.ca/public. Charter members of Toronto Blues Society can purchase tickets at a discount of $28.00.   Voting for the Maple Blues Awards started on November 1, and over 1300 blues fans from across Canada have registered their votes. Voting is open to Canadian blues fans until 12AM Pacific Standard Time on December 7th, 2013. Visit www.mapleblues.ca.   Toronto Blues Society is a registered charity organization dedicated to the promotion and preservation of the Blues. The Royal Conservatory's magnificent Koerner Hall is a 1,135-seat venue designed in the tradition of the classic “shoebox” venues of Europe. Recognized as being among the world’s greatest concert halls, the Toronto Star has called it "the best concert venue in Toronto."

Blind Raccoon & Earwig Music Showcase & A Bunch Of Other Happenings In Memphis This Week!

Blind Raccoon & Earwig Music Showcase Friday, May 10, 2 - 8:15 p.m. Purple Haze Night Club, Downtown Memphis, One Block South of B.B. King's on Second Featuring Andy Cohen, Leo Hull, Tommy McCoy, Guitar Mikey RB Stone, Johnny Drummer & Chris James and Patrick Rynn Blues Hall of Fame Tribute Jam Wednesday, May 8, 10 p.m. onwards B.B. King's on Beale, Memphis Yellow Dog Records All Star Showcase Thursday, May 9, 12:45 - 3:45 p.m. B.B. King's on Beale, Memphis VizzTone Label Group's Blues Party On Beale Friday, May 10, 10 p.m. onwards Rum Boogie on Beale, Memphis

Exclusive With Interview - JW - Jones - VizzTone Artist

Bman: Hi JW. I appreciate you taking the time out from what little time you must have right now to talk with me. You just released your new cd, 'SEVENTH HOUR', on March 27, 2012. I had a chance to review it and it was quite good. I noticed a departure from what I percieve as you style on earlier releases. Tell me about your new cd.

JW: The main focus for this disc was to not put limitations on the music. I wrote songs that feel good to me, and if they are not 100% traditional blues, that's just the way they came out. I think it's a great mix that pleases both camps, but the more contemporary/different material will appeal to a younger audience. Steve Dawson mixed this record, and it was the first time since working with Kim Wilson in 2004 that I've had a third-party do mixing. It was a great experience and the results are amazing, Steve knocked it out of the park!


Bman: Yes , you both did! It may just be me but did you hold back a little on guitar for this recording and push a little harder on the vocals?

JW: I try to play whatever feels best for the vision of the song. On a song like "So Long I'm Gone", it was more melodic where as on "You Got Caught", I let loose more and let the passion flow.

Bman: What has the initial reception been to this new release?


JW: So far it's received great reviews, and fans tell me it's their favorite yet!

Bman:That's what it's all about!! I know when we spoke 6 months or so back you were working on the recording. How do you feel about the final product. Would you change anything?

JW: Each recording is a snap-shot of where I was in my life and as an artist. So, the way it comes out is exactly as it should be. Already, I feel like I could make a better record next time, and it's that constant desire to out-do the previous release that keeps things challenging and growing.


Bman: It takes so long to get stuff done and the artistic juices continue to flow. Once we've done something we move on. I had heard that you are getting ready to hit the road. Europe is it? Is there a schedule that I can share for this? Do you have other bands that you are set to tour with?



JW: We're already one show into the tour, dates are all on facebook page and website. Last night I jammed with Raphael Wressnig and Alex Shultz, their organ trio is amazing. I've seen Raph once before, and I grew up listening to Alex on the Rod Piazza and the Mighty Flyers recordings. Always an amazing experience to play with my heroes, and especially when they are such nice guys too!


DATES ANNOUNCED - EUROPEAN TOUR - APRIL 2012
April in France, Germany, Belgium, Italy
Apr 14 Ambon Music Festival - Ambon, France
Apr 15 Le Bacardi - Callac, France
Apr 16 --
Apr 17 Taverne L’Hotel de Ville - Chatelet, Belgium
Apr 18 Herzog Ernst - Celle, Germany
Apr 19 Savoy - Bordesholm, Germany
Apr 20 Café Tach - Nettetal, Germany
Apr 21 --
Apr 22 Caf' Conc' - Ensisheim, France
Apr 23 Stile Libero - Cento, Italy - ITALY IS THE 18th COUNTRY WE'VE TOURED!

Bman: Are you going to hit the states? Is there a schedule for that?

JW: Next US tour will be January/February 2013... keep your eyes on the website for details!

Bman: Are you already working on material for your next release or do you knuckle down and do it in spurts?

JW: Right now, I am in the mode of gathering ideas for the next album, but mainly want to make sure I put the focus on getting this one out there first.

Bman: I appreciate you taking the time to talk with me. Is there anything else that you'd like to share with your fans?

JW: Thank you! Without all of the support we get from audiences, media, and venues everywhere, I couldn't live this dream. I consider myself very fortunate, lucky, and grateful for being able to do what I love. Readers should keep in touch on the facebook page - www.facebook.com/jwjonesblues - I post photos and stories on there several times per week... a little insight to life on the road! - JW

If you like what I’m doing, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! - ”LIKE”

Solid Blues Records artist: JW-Jones - Seventh Hour- New Release Review

I just received a copy of JW-Jones new release Seventh Hour. Jones is taking a slightly different approach to this release and it could garner larger appeal. The 10 track release starts off with Ain't Gonna Beg which is rooted in R&B styling but actually bringing to mind early Yardbirds recordings. Of course there is a healthy scoop of blues guitar staying to JW's roots. Let It Go, a poppy tune, comes out with a jazzy step and produces some really tasty riffs on guitar. In A Song begins with a heavy tom tom rhythm and defines the pace of the tune but JW changes it up for the chorus with the full band breaking to more a rock beat. The guitar solos are all blues, double stops and bends, in reference to Jones' roots and pushing the track into a full rocker. You Got Caught has it's roots in the early R&B blues tracks and really gets a good groove going. I especially like the guitar solo on this with the surf tremolo sustains and articulate picking. All Over Again continues in the R&B style. I don't recall hearing any keys solos on earlier tracks but the Hammond cuts through. JW whips out a cool solo on this tune as well. Heartbreaker is another new path at the edge of Texas swing... with steel guitars and all. Now you have to understand that I hear the similarity in music and this could also be jump blues if you omitted the steel guitar, but JW does some of his most fluid guitar riffs and runs on this tune. Its a tapper! Do For You is back in the R&B / Blues groove. This gives JW the opportunity to really stretch his playing and you can sit back in your chair and close your eyes... and nod along. He gets a really cool groove going on this one...possibly my favorite solo on the release. I'm Trying gets into the Texas groove and we all know that JW can pound this track every which way from Sunday! He gets on that stinger note and rides it. The guitar work is great on this song is terrific... JW...sure you ain't from Texas? What Is Real returns to the R&B style feel. So Long I'm Gone is like a honky tonk rocker and is a great conclusion to the set. JW gets those rockabilly riffs (and the Hawaiian style) steel parts cranking. This is a different release from JW-Blues and one that I think will be well received!

If you like what I’m doing, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! - ”LIKE”

Somebody - Little Jimmy King JW Jones & Fernando Noronha

Manuel Gales, 4 December 1968, Memphis, Tennessee, USA, d. 21 July 2002, Memphis, Tennessee, USA. Citing Albert King and Jimi Hendrix as influences, King’s guitar style exhibited an uneasy amalgam of both disparate elements, which he struggled to mould into a recognizably individual sound. He and twin brother Daniel received acoustic guitars for Christmas when they were six. Being left-handed like his mentors, he learned to play ‘upside-down-and-backwards’ and graduated to an electric model soon afterwards. As a teenager, he played in whichever Beale Street clubs would let him in. In 1984, he was seen by Albert King and worked with his band for four years, at the end of which he changed his name legally to King and was ‘adopted’ as a grandson by his band leader. After King’s death, he took over the band and renamed it the Memphis Soul Survivors, with whom his 1991 debut album was made. For his second, King recruited the Hi Rhythm Section, calling them the King James Version Band, and also cut several tracks with Double Trouble, the late Stevie Ray Vaughan’s band. More noticeably than his debut album, this was caught between traditional blues and its rock equivalent. The following year he recorded an album with his guitar playing brothers, Eric Gales and Eugene Gales. He teamed up with soul veteran Willie Mitchell for his third studio album, Soldier For The Blues. King’s rising career was cut short by his untimely death in July 2002.
Write on our Facebook Wall or post your Photos of great blues events! - ”LIKE”

'Seventh Hour' Preview 2 - JW - Jones

You like me are probably awaiting JW - Jones new cd to be released in March. Stay tuned for our 2nd interview with JW - Jones soon!
This is an opportunity to support real music. In a time where so much has gone to the digital world, we're playing real grooves through tube-amps and Hammond organs to keep everything right in the music world. We've been playing blues, rock'n'roll, and swing for over a decade. Though we're slowly moving up the food chain, we can't do it without a little help... your help.

We're looking to raise $5,000 to cover the costs of manufacturing and shipping of promo CD's to radio, television, venues, and blues societies that will help us create a buzz about this wicked project. It's not cheap to get the CD into the hands of each contact, but it's important! They are the people that make it possible for us to continue writing, recording, and playing live music... and we like making music, to entertaining good folks like you!


The best part about Indie GoGo is that no pledge goes unrewarded! On the right hand side of the screen you will notice a list of "perks" that we will offer in return for pledging your support.

We hope to reach our goal within 15 days. Please read over all of the info, and check out our photos and videos, and feel free to comment on whatever you feel is worthy while you're at it!

Write on our Facebook Wall or post your Photos of great blues events! -  Here

JW-JONES - BREAKING BOUNDARIES WITH THE NEW CD 'SEVENTH HOUR' - March 2012

Canada's Top Touring Bluesman, JW-Jones is moving up with a boundary breaking CD. On his 7th release, aptly titled 'Seventh Hour', Jones has teamed up with multi-Juno award winning artist/producer, Steve Dawson, to mix the album. Previous releases have featured legendary guests Hubert Sumlin (Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters) and David "Fathead" Newman (Ray Charles); heavy-hitters Kim Wilson (Fabulous Thunderbirds) and Charlie Musselwhite; two of the most innovative guitarists of our time, Little Charlie Baty and Junior Watson; and Canadian billboard favorite, Colin James. Jones has cut records from Hollywood to Sun Studios in Memphis. Guitar World Magazine featured a CD called ‘Guitar Masters Vol. 2’ that put Jones alongside guitar stars B.B. King, Jimmy Page, and Carlos Santana among others, and he recently landed an endorsement deal with Gibson guitars. After performing in 17 countries, 4 continents, and releasing 6 critically acclaimed discs, it's time for a change. No famous guests. No fancy studios. This is JW-Jones and his band doing what they do best - right at home, recorded in J-Dub's living room by his go-to engineer for the last decade, Jason Jaknunas. Tracked on a crisp fall weekend, this cool release is sure to stir up some discussion about where his music is going as he soars in a vibrant new direction. Shattering visual boundaries is also an integral part of this project. Art director and commercial photographer Mitch Lenet (Panasonic, Subaru, Bell), has developed a concept for this package with cutting edge technology that is guaranteed to turn heads in the music and fashion world. While keeping one foot firmly planted in the roots he came from, Jones believes that appealing to a younger audience is the most important way to ensure the evolution of blues-based music. .
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Ruf Records artist: My Home is a Prison - JW-JONES

Here's a cool blues tune from JW - Jones!JW-Jones has one of the most energetic and exciting live shows on the scene. It is no surprise that he has played throughout the world (CANADA, USA, EUROPE, AUSTRALIA, BRAZIL) and some of the biggest names in blues today, including The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Little Charlie & The Nightcats, Rod Piazza, Anson Funderburgh with Sam Myers, The Mannish Boys and the legendary Hubert Sumlin have invited him to join them on stage.

JW Jones Blues Band

JW-Jones (born July 15, 1980) is a Canadian blues guitarist, singer and band leader. Jones is signed to the NorthernBlues Music label in Toronto, Canada, CrossCut Records in Europe, and Ruf Records in USA. In the last decade, he has released six albums and played in 17 countries, 4 continents, over 260 cities and over 1000 appearances. Jones, who lives in Ottawa, Ontario, has performed at blues festivals and clubs in Canada, US, Europe, Australia, and Brazil. He records and tours with drummer Jeff Asselin, and Hammond organ player Jesse Whiteley. "J-Dub" endorses Gibson Guitars.
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