It’s very clear the new JW-Jones album High Temperature continues to build upon the solid foundation of his last album Belmont Boulevard.
However, on High Temperature producer Colin Linden makes an immediate impact by condensing Jones natural blues talent into a more traditional roots southern style.
You can hear this all over the album starting with the first two tracks. Price You Pay and How Many Hearts a superb rave-up duo with country singer-songwriter Jaida Dreyer.
Jones’ B.B. King-esque lead guitar solos and fills are still played with the same passion even as he dips into the amplified Chicago vibe of the Little Walter title track.
Working with his very capable touring band of Laura Greenberg and Mathieu Lapensee this album is integrated with the big addition of Kevin McKendree’s keyboard playing on almost every track.
The layering of organ to tracks like Who I Am, Away Too Long and the fantastic R & B Memphis vibe of Same Mistakes brings in a very Reese Wynans vibe.
The teaming up of Jones with songwriter Dick Cooper (The Cooper Brothers) produces sparks on the excellent Leave Me Out and Already Know which reminds of me mid seventies Elvin Bishop.
The covers of Moby Grape’s Murder In My Heart for The Judge and Charlie Rich’s Midnight Blues are excellent Americana choices although as noted they expand out of Jones live trio format.
Mixing Americana with blues is not new, but it feels simply righteous on this album.
JOHN EMMS is a veteran music journalist, singer-songwriter and Sun and Post Media contributor.
JOHN leads his own blues rocking band THE SHAFTMEN who are now working on their fourth release.
JOHN is on Twitter
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