Tuesday, 7 May 2013

Review: Jeff Jones – The Rooster Crows: The Bank Sessions


Jeff Jones – The Rooster Crows: The Bank Sessions (Independent)
Playing almost 200 shows a year in and around Lake Tahoe, Nevada, Jeff Jones has built a substantial fan base, and has earned himself a well-earned reputation as a promoter of his local music scene. Perhaps it’s an outsider’s enthusiasm, as Jones was originally from New Mexico, and he only arrived in Nevada after a stint in the army and an extended sojourn in Europe. His early musical influences were gospel, and reflected his Baptist upbringing, playing hymns on the piano. That inherent soulfulness is still present in his music, though its now part of a broader package, which has much in common with the classic rock tones of the Faces, The Rolling Stones and The Black Crowes.

His latest album “The Rooster Crows: The Bank Sessions” continues his musical journey in some style. The combination of soul, R&B and ‘70s rock motifs suits his rich, honeyed voice to a tee, and songs like “Soul Healing Love” and “What She Is” are funky enough to appeal to Shuggie Otis fans. Rockier numbers like “So Much for Rock and Roll” and “Texas” bring to mind Stevie Ray Vaughan, and his stripped back acoustic take on the Stones’ “Sympathy for the Devil” is nothing short of a revelation.
Phil S.

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