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"First step in making a driving guitar record: bring in two more guitarists
of first-rate caliber. JW-Jones didn't even think about second-tier players, he went after the big guns, Little
Charlie Baty and Junior Watson. Step Two: Bring in the bass of Larry 'The Mole' Taylor and the drums of Richard
Innes. Umm... this sounds like a dangerous concoction. Well, it down right is!
"The interesting side is that there are so many rhythms that reflect the Fabulous Thunderbirds through the
years. I can't name the exact songs, but you can hear some of the early T-Bird rhythms as well as the later ones.
But they are only hints and should give you an idea of the sound on this disc. Rockin' Blues with a bit of a West
Coast Swing at times. This is the more traditional sound of Blues Rock.
"Bluelisted moves
you from beginning to end. Even with two groupings of musicians, they are both concrete units. The three guitarists
all play on six of the fourteen cuts. Taylor and Innes play rhythm section on eight of the songs. Jeff Asselin
and Martin Regimbald pick up the drums and bass on the remaining six.
"The liner notes include who is playing the lead strings through each part of every song. Granted, the section
is titled Road Map for Fellow Guitar Geeks,
but that is a nice touch when 22 strings are ringin' at the same time! When you listen to the album it doesn't
matter who is playing the lead part, it's blazing hot. The songs are full and not overloaded on guitar; every guitar
chop is placed well and speaks volumes, not in volume. This is one tasty guitar album.
"Jones' offerings are fresh with well-written lyrics. The band supports the guitarists by laying back and
groovin' so they could flex their fingers. Jones has nice, seasoned vocal chords. His voice is smooth with a shot
of road dirt. When Jones is at the mike, the musicians respectfully keep the beat solid and wait their turn to
rip loose.
"The guitar tones echo the likes of Jimmie Vaughan, Robert Cray, or Duke Robillard. Jones' chops are lively
and straightforward without being clichéd. The instrumental track, "Bogart Bounces Again," has
a nice catch riff and the lead guitar tangents are well-worked pieces that still lead the song, not allowing it
to grow stale.
"In the contemporary Blues scene, this album is a welcome addition. It has a nice blend of traditional sounds
with a fresh twist. Jones was looking to record a rockin' guitar Blues album and he did. Mission accomplished."
-Kyle M. Palarino
BluesWax
September, 2008
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"This young Ottawa guitar-slinger/singer has earned serious kudos and
a growing following over the course of four earlier albums. His fans include Dan Aykroyd (Elwood Blues, who contributes
language-mangling liner notes here). Jones’s audience is set to expand thanks to this highly accomplished new disc.
The virile sound of his band is fleshed out with horns on some tracks but it’s the guitar interplay of Jones and
such high-profile guests as Junior Watson and Little Charlie Baty on tracks like Double-Eyed
Whammy, Heavy Dosage (an album highlight) and Wasted
Life that really catch the ear. Jones wrote most of the songs, and
he does such influences as the guitar-playing Kings and Kim Wilson (also a Jones fan) proud. Another reference
point would be fellow Canadian Colin James and, like James, you can expect Jones’s vocals to gain a little more
authority as his career develops."
-Kerry Doole
Exclaim
June, 2008
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"So many emerging blues artists seem intent on making their mark by altering
the genre beyond recognition. Ottawa 's JW-Jones, still relatively young by blues standards, takes a more conventional
approach. Working within, rather than trying to tear the twelve-bar idiom apart, he just keeps making better and
better recordings. And with Bluelisted,
his fifth for Canada 's NorthernBlues label, he's crafted a disc that ought to be utterly ubiquitous when the year's
best lists are compiled.
"Still in his twenties, JW has long been a confident, mature artist. Never one to overplay in the first place,
his guitar work has simply become more fleet, fluid, and inventive. Here he's joined by two of the best in the
business – Junior Watson and Little Charlie Baty – and proves quite capable of holding his own in such esteemed
company. Also on hand for roughly half the disc's tracks are bassist Larry Taylor and drummer Richard Innes, stalwarts
of the west-coast scene that proves JW's primary inspiration. (The rest of the cuts find his own working band handling
rhythm chores quite capably indeed).
"JW states up front that he set out to assemble a guitar-oriented collection this time around, so apart from
horn accents and a single guest turn by Baty on harmonica, guitar is what we get here. Liner notes even provide
a 'roadmap' for guitar geeks, with solos, players, and channels listed to help listeners determine who's who.
"But Jones is wise enough to put the music first, so it's the songs, not the fretwork, that stand out. The
focus is tight, with easy-going grooves in support of succinct solos that serve the song, rather than the other
way around. His writing has continued to mature - his musical ideas here are fully developed, and he marshals available
forces to excellent effect, working with long-time cohort Frank Scanga on horn charts that add harmonic sophistication
without sacrificing rhythmic urgency.
"Despite the virtuosic talents of JW's guests, most tunes clock in under the four-minute mark, with a few
short 'n' sweet at less than three. Variety is ample, from the strutting funk of Double-Eyed
Whammy that kicks things off, to the Texas shuffle of Can't Play A Playboy. The furious romp
of Little Richard's Mad About You Baby
is followed by the easy swing of Wasted Life.
Heavy Dosage is pure jazz
(and pure delight, as the three guitarists trade riffs while Innes and Taylor comp furiously), and JW revisits
the titular tune of an earlier outing with Bogart Bounces Again. There are back-to-back covers of B. B. King, the stop-time swing of That's Wrong Mama and the shuffling Waiting On You, and deep blues by way
of Out Of Service Blues,
Baty providing masterful accompaniment on harmonica that leaves one wishing for more.
"Jones' vocals have improved with each recording, and while his voice lacks natural power he's learned to
work well within his range, with carefully considered phrasing coloring his lines with nuance and shading rather
than bombast. He's worked hard and it shows in every note.
"From writing to performances, sound to packaging, this is a first-rate effort that shows craft, care and
attention to detail at every turn, yet exudes a palpable sense of joyous exuberance in every track. Swinging like
mad from beginning to end and featuring some genuinely jaw-dropping fretwork, this one's utterly essential listening.
"Highly recommended!"
-John Taylor
Canadian Blues
May, 2008
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"JW-Jones’ latest release,
Bluelisted (NorthernBlues) features Jones teaming up with two noteworthy
guests, Little Charlie Baty and Junior Watson, for a solid set of guitar-driven blues. Jones’ four previous releases
have all been pretty strong and diverse sets, considering he’s only 27 years old. The urban, sophisticated blues
are his specialty, but he’s also capable of getting down in the alley as well with his considerable guitar chops
and his smooth, refined vocals. Bluelisted
stands out as his best set to date.
"Though Jones has guitar chops to burn, he almost underplays at times, preferring to let the song carry the
day. There are no wasted notes, no endlessly meandering solos. In addition, Jones wrote all but four of the songs
here and he’s as good with a pen as he is with a guitar. Highlights of the originals include “Can’t
Play A Playboy,” “Wasted Life,” “The Doctor,” and “Out of Service Blues,” which features
Watson on guitar and Baty on harmonica. “Bogart Bounces Again” features some of Jones’ best guitar work as well.
"All of the tracks featuring Jones, Baty, and Watson are first-rate, but the jazzy instrumental “Heavy Dosage” really gives them all room
to stretch out. Amazingly, this album marks the first time Watson and Baty have ever played together on a recording.
Hopefully, it won’t be the last.
"The cover tunes include a jump-blues take on “Double Eyed Whammy,” and a fast and furious take on Richard Berry’s “Mad
About You.” Happily, rather than digging out the same old, same old
B. B. King tunes that have been done to death, Jones tackles a couple of rarely-heard King tunes, “That’s Wrong, Little Mama” (featuring
a scorching break from Baty), and “Waiting On You.”
"Lending strong support on the disc are current Hollywood Blue Flames drummer Richard Innes and bassist Larry
Taylor, and Jones’ bandmates, bassist Martin Regimbald and drummer Jeff Asselin. Keyboard whiz Jesse Whiteley makes
the most of his appearances as well.
"Blues guitar fans will enjoy Bluelisted
for sure, but there’s something for everyone on this top-notch release."
-Graham Clarke
Blues Bytes
May, 2008
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"So many emerging blues artists seem intent on making their mark by altering
the genre beyond recognition. Ottawa ’s JW-Jones, still relatively young by blues standards, takes a more conventional
approach. Working within, rather than trying to tear the twelve-bar idiom apart, he just keeps making better and
better recordings. And with Bluelisted,
his fifth for Canada ’s NorthernBlues label, he’s crafted a disc that ought to be utterly ubiquitous when the year’s
best lists are compiled...
"...From writing to performances, sound to packaging, this is a first-rate effort that shows craft, care and
attention to detail at every turn, yet exudes a palpable sense of joyous exuberance in every track. Swinging like
mad from beginning to end and featuring some genuinely jaw-dropping fretwork, this one’s utterly essential listening.
"Highly recommended!"
-John Taylor
Canadian Blues.ca
May, 2008
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