Son Jack Jr. & Michael Wilde
Kirkland, Washington, United States
Music
Press
Son Jack Jr. is still alive! Singer/songwriter/gitarist Son Jack Jr. lives in Seattle, WA. And has one great passion: the blues and mainly Delta Blues. In fact he grew up in London and played the guitar since the age of 9. Late in the 70s, early 80s he was continuously on tour but retreated from the music scene in 1983. But now, after 24 years, he is back with his debut âIntroducing⌠Son Jack Jrâ, earlier published in 2006, and now âwhen the devil callsâ. An unforeseen comeback by the man who proves with his National Resphonic and Martin guitars that he still knows how to play the guitar, and he gained in songwriting. Inspired by the guitar of (amongs others) Skip James and Blind Willie Johnnson, we see why tracks like Skip Jamesâ âdevil got my womanâ and Blind Wille johnsonâs âsoul of a manâ could not be missing on this record, also Eddie Vinsonâs âCleanhead Bluesâ may be the highlight of this surprising CD. 13 Tracks made it to âWhen the Devil Callsâ, 10 of which written by Son Jack Jr himself. As a whole this reminds you off the good old blues, a mix of inspirations by prewar blues masters, giving Son Jack Jr ample room to slide and finger pick. He plays calmly and sensitive, but is absolutely not aggressive anywhere, like in the opening tracks â Iâm Son Jack Jrâ and â Dance of the Living Deadâ, songs that set the tone for the full record. Personally I find, next to the appropriately named and rocking âDance of the Living Deadâ the calm old time country picking âIf I Should Fallâ, the guitar heavy ânorth windâ, the songs âit could be worseâ and the instrumental âThe Lynching treeâ that respectively could be written by Fred McDowell and Skip James, the most outstanding tracks on this album, songs where Son Jack Jr proves to be also an outstanding song writer. âWhen the Devil Callsâ is not something to party on, to the contrary, Son Jack Jr knows how to hold your attention, that much is certain. Moreover, he makes you shiver. His beautiful voice, his perfectly timed licks and his never ceasing love for the Mississippi Delta amaze me. To summarize: Welcome back, Son Jack Jr! Back with an album where his own songs impressed me from the first time I listened to them. He lives and tells the blues as he experiences them himself. Uncut blues in its purest form, passionate and full of life set the sound of when the devil calls. - Freddy Celis
Son Jack Jr. is still alive! Singer/songwriter/gitarist Son Jack Jr. lives in Seattle, WA. And has one great passion: the blues and mainly Delta Blues. In fact he grew up in London and played the guitar since the age of 9. Late in the 70s, early 80s he was continuously on tour but retreated from the music scene in 1983. But now, after 24 years, he is back with his debut âIntroducing⌠Son Jack Jrâ, earlier published in 2006, and now âwhen the devil callsâ. An unforeseen comeback by the man who proves with his National Resphonic and Martin guitars that he still knows how to play the guitar, and he gained in songwriting. Inspired by the guitar of (amongs others) Skip James and Blind Willie Johnnson, we see why tracks like Skip Jamesâ âdevil got my womanâ and Blind Wille johnsonâs âsoul of a manâ could not be missing on this record, also Eddie Vinsonâs âCleanhead Bluesâ may be the highlight of this surprising CD. 13 Tracks made it to âWhen the Devil Callsâ, 10 of which written by Son Jack Jr himself. As a whole this reminds you off the good old blues, a mix of inspirations by prewar blues masters, giving Son Jack Jr ample room to slide and finger pick. He plays calmly and sensitive, but is absolutely not aggressive anywhere, like in the opening tracks â Iâm Son Jack Jrâ and â Dance of the Living Deadâ, songs that set the tone for the full record. Personally I find, next to the appropriately named and rocking âDance of the Living Deadâ the calm old time country picking âIf I Should Fallâ, the guitar heavy ânorth windâ, the songs âit could be worseâ and the instrumental âThe Lynching treeâ that respectively could be written by Fred McDowell and Skip James, the most outstanding tracks on this album, songs where Son Jack Jr proves to be also an outstanding song writer. âWhen the Devil Callsâ is not something to party on, to the contrary, Son Jack Jr knows how to hold your attention, that much is certain. Moreover, he makes you shiver. His beautiful voice, his perfectly timed licks and his never ceasing love for the Mississippi Delta amaze me. To summarize: Welcome back, Son Jack Jr! Back with an album where his own songs impressed me from the first time I listened to them. He lives and tells the blues as he experiences them himself. Uncut blues in its purest form, passionate and full of life set the sound of when the devil calls. - Freddy Celis
Son Jack Jr. lives in Seattle, Washington and hails from London, Englandâas www.sonjackjr.com so aptly puts it: âDelta Blues. The Real Deal.â
Well, yeah, but donât be alarmed: he sure can play, and apart from many other deals of the 21st century, has developed a genuinely distinctive style of acoustic blues playing that mixes the real-real deal with folkish/rockish influences in a manner most pleasing to the ear.
Many reviewers before me have praised Son Jack Jr.âs âbeautiful voiceâ and âhighly original songwritingâ; unable to resist the opportunity to pick another fight with the world, I must say that the tracks that most impressed me on âWhen The Devil Callsâ were the Graham/Jansch-like instrumental âThe Lynching Treeâ and the covers of Eddie Cleanhead Vinsonâs âCleanhead Bluesâ and Blind Willie Johnsonâs âSoul Of A Manâ.
To start from the latter: if a guy can pull off a man-and-his-guitar arrangement of such an oft-covered piece and remind me of Jimiâs backward-looped rhythms on âAre You Experienced?â instead of Chris Thomas King in a Wim Wenders feature, he clearly knows what he is doing. Never all that popular with the long-hair guitar camp, âCleanhead Bluesâ has long been a favourite of mineâitâs great to finally hear a country blues version, and even if Mr. Jackâs vocal abilities are not quite on a par with the famed sax playerâs, his stripped-down arrangement is delightful, his delivery heartfelt.
There is one more cover among the 13 tracks on the album, Skip Jamesâ âDevil Got My Womanâ. Of the rest, the instrumental and compositional prowess displayed on âThe Lynching Treeâ easily steals the show, while Son Jack Jr. the singer-songwriter seems at his best on sparse tearjerkers like âIf I Should Fallâ. I must admit Iâm still having slight difficulties grasping the wealth of meaning behind lines such as âIâm Son Jack Jr., now you know what I meanâ on the musically excellent âIâm Son Jack Jr.â, but hey Bo Diddleyâitâs certainly comforting to know that at least Mr. Jackâs âgoldfish is good, so it could be worseâ (âIt Could Be Worseâ).
Depending on your personal preferences, this may be a positive or a negative thing, but it must be said that on the whole and from the sleeve design down, âWhen The Devil Callsâ exhibits two tendencies symptomatic of âmodernâ blues: exploring the days of old for subject matter, and stressing the grave seriousness of the whole sordid business. Luckily, the first does not reach the extreme escapism that rules most of todayâs metal scene, and the latter is not quite as overwhelming as with certain other, err, British blues guitarists, so please donât let titles like âDance Of The Living Deadâ scare you away. The music is good and the playing solid; in the late 60âs John Mayall tradition, Son Jack Jr. has even been considerate enough to specify the key for each song in the liner notes, so letâs get pickinâ!
ANDRES ROOTS
- www.Blues-Finland.com
On his new album, local guitarist, songwriter, and singer Son Jack Jr. tackles three classic blues songs and adds ten of his own. Jack learned well at the feet of the blues masters at Centrumâs Country Blues workshops in Port Townsend. His finger picking and slide playing are clean, punchy, yet subtle on Skip Jamesâs âDevil Got My Womanâ and Blind Willie Johnsonâs âSoul of a Man.â He pulls out all the humor on Eddie Vinsonâs âCleanhead Blues,â a rueful ode to the formerly hirsuteâreal roots music. (Judging from the picture on the CD, Jack is prematurely ribald.) His own tunes are tastefully played and well-conceived. âNorth Windâ features a kick-ass guitar part, while âIt Could Be Worseâ couldâve come from the fingers of Fred McDowell. The rocking âDance of the Living Deadâ will resonate with anyone whoâs ever worked a stultifying high-tech office job. The standout on the album is âThe Lynching Tree,â an atmospheric instrumental played in the open D-minor tuning associated with Skip James. From the evidence here, Jack knows how to compose and play; youâll want to loop this on your Zune or iPod. - Blues To Do
He eyed me with no discernable expression on his face. He saw my Mark Riley and raised with his Henry Cooper. I was holding aces over tens, so I bet the wad. I laid my Son Jack Jr. on the table. You canât lose if you are holding the debut offering of Son Jack Jr. Of the twelve cuts, only three are covers.
The artist demonstrates excellent guitar work, especially bottleneck style. His vocal phrasing is right on track on every cut. The record opens with âPeace of Mind Bluesâ. You know right away that his influences are some of the greats. I can hear some John Lee Hooker throughout, and his one instrumental, immediately reminds me of John Hammond. Cut nine is my personal favorite, âHowling Poppetâ. You might not really understand unless you listen closely, and then maybe not âtil the end. Itâs a double intraday going in the opposite direction from most songs.
This album is Delta Blues at its finest, and Iâm not particularly a Delta Blues fan as my first choice. Son Jack Jr. is an excellent writer, and the record has been endorsed by none other than Charlie Musselwhite. I can see Son Jack Jr. in contention in the 2008 BBs. Look for him to show in best songwriter and best acoustic blues guitar. - WA Blues Society
Every now and then a musical treasure arrives at my door. Not long ago 2 such treasures arrived by the name of "When The Devil Calls" and "Introducing...Son Jack Jr.", both courtesy of Son Jack Jr., an amazingly talented player and singer of the Delta Blues. Fans of the Delta Blues will quickly fall in love with the unique way Son Jack Jr. offers his special interpretation of that style. "When The Devil Calls" and "Introducing...Son Jack Jr." are both hypnotic in nature, and will bring a smile to face and yes maybe even a tear in your eye, especially Track 4 off of "When The Devil Calls", If I Should Fall. "When The Devil Calls" and "Introducing...Son Jack Jr." are a must have collection for any true fan of the Blues...
John Vermilyea (Blues Underground Network)
http://www.bluesundergroundnetwork.com/Son_Jack_Jr_CD.html - John Vermilyea
1) On "When The Devil Calls" (Feb 08)
I like it! It has the same raw personality as the debut disc but your singing and playing here sound more focused, resulting in deeper performances. Both original songs and great covers including one of my favorite songs, âSoul Of A Manâ, sound great. Its people like you who keep the Delta blues alive and well, congratulations Son.
2) On "Introducing...Son Jack Jr" (Dec 07)
It is hard to believe that âIntroducingâ is your debut album as you sound like a seasoned player, a kind that has paid his dues, the full time.
Your take on acoustic blues is true to the form but at the same time filtered through your own sensibilities â you donât try to be Robert Johnson or RL Burnside. Instead, you play with respect but you have courage to add something from yourself. It doesnât happen too often with this kind of blues. Your guitar playing, both acoustic and electric is raw and dirty, just the way I like it, and your vocal delivery is powerful too.
In a world full of guitar slingers and studio tricks, âIntroducingâ brought me music played the old way, with grit and passion. The real blues. - Przemek Draheim
On any given day, being buried up to your neck in the Blues is what Son Jack Jr. is all about, and now with his new release "Walk The Talk", with co-artist Michael Wilde, we all have the opportunity to buried up to our necks in the Blues, as well.
"Walk The Talk" is the first collaboration between Son Jack Jr., and Michael Wilde, and I for one really, really hope that this team continues to work together, putting out more Albums in the future. The two of these guys make for one heck of a great writing team.
"Walk The Talk" consists of 12 Blues Drenched Tracks, 8 Originals (6 by Son Jack Jr., and 2 by Michael Wilde) and 4 Covers, Crawlin' King Snake (Hooker), Miss Maybelle & Skinny Woman (Burnside) and Pony Blues (Patton). All Tracks are played lean and mean, doing more than justice to the Covers and showing us all how great Son Jack Jr., and Michael Wilde are, not only as writers, but as musicians as well.
Their are two things that are abundantly clear that you will get from listening to "Walk The Talk", and that is that Number 1, "Walk The Talk" is an astonishingly good Traditional Blues Album, which will have you no doubt, correcting your vision and seeing this style of blues in a whole new and appreciative light and Number 2, at even clocking in at over 43 minutes, it is still to damn short. Luckily that can be easily remedied simply by hitting the repeat button on the old CD Player.
"Walk The Talk" is by far the best Traditonal Blues Album I have listened to all year and beyond any Accolades I can offer, those will surely be dwarfed by the Accolades, yet to come from the Music Industry at large.
The highest rating I give Albums is 5*****, for which, "Walk The Talk" euthusiastically gets that from me. I somehow feel that as special as this Album is, I wish I had a higher rating for it. If you love Traditional Blues, sung right, played right, and written right, this Album is for you. Highly Recommended and more than Thoroughly Enjoyed... - Blues Underground Network
XM SATELLITE RADIO - CH74 BLUESVILLE
March, April, May 2008
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PULSIONS 70 RADIO ARIA (France, Belgium, Luxemburg, Germany) - January 2008
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KSER 90.7FM - Clancy's Bar & Grill - 6/14/07, 2, 21,08
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KPLU 88.5FM - John Kessler's All Blues - 3/18/07; 4/7/07
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RADIO SFERA (Poland)
January 2008
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WEBRADIO GOLDEN FLASH (Belgium)
March 2008
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KRVM 91.9FM Portland, OR
3/16/08
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SAINT FM 94.7 (UK) The Blues is Back with Tim Aves
March 2008
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KKZX 98.9FM Spokane
The Blues Show
April 2008
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BEAUB FM 89 LIMOGES
KAOLIN FM 88.4 CORREZE, DORDOGNE, HAUTE-VIENNE
RMJ FM 90.1 HAUTE-VIENNE, INDRE, VIENNE
RADIO VASSIVIERE 88.6 HAUTE-VIENNE, CREUSE,, & 92.3 HTE CORREZE
BRAM' FM98.3 TULLE & PAYS D'EGLETONS CORREZE
RADIO TROUBLE FETE 95.4 LIMOGES
May 2008
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Radio Gualeguay LT38 (Argentina)
Aug 2008 - Various
Country Blues From The Duwamish Delta, (04/23/08)
Solo acoustic artist Son Jack Jr. calls his music "Country Blues with Attitude." The Seattle-based guitarist, who originally hails from London, has obviously studied the legends of the genre. Charley Patton, Robert Johnson, Blind Willie Johnson, and also John Lee Hooker have all left their marks on his sound. This 12-song CD, which predates his current When the Devil Calls release, is a solid collection of mostly original material.
Save for the odd harmonica accompaniment, the guitarist does all the playing and singing. He's a strong resonator player with a warm, non-intimidating voice. Though vocally he occasionally comes across as a tad polite for the Blues, for the most part he takes an earnest approach, perhaps the result of his having returned to making music after an extended hiatus. That's evident right from the get-go on the Hooker-inspired "Peace of Mind Blues" and again a couple of tracks later on "Crazy Blues."
The mournful "Dearly Departed Blues," an instrumental, echoes Blind Willie Johnson's "Dark Was the Night" and is one of a pair of standout cuts. The other, "Howling Poppet" (according to one online dictionary "poppet" is a British term for "darling"), features some of his most impressive percussive guitar playing and an intriguing narrative. Serviceable covers of Robert Johnson, Charlie Musselwhite, and R.L. Burnside round out just over a half-hour of music.
Son Jack Jr. doesn't reinvent or embellish the Country Blues much on his debut release, but his accomplished playing and songwriting skills make him an artist to watch.
Vincent Abbate is a contributing editor at BluesWax. You may contact Vincent at blueswax@visnat.com. - BluesWax
Son Jack Jr. was raised in London, and recorded and performed extensively in the UK during the â70s and â80s. After a 20-year hiatus, he restarted his musical career in the U.S.
Heâs a singer/songwriter that specializes in country blues, mainly of the Mississippi Delta variety. Over the past couple of years, heâs released an impressive pair of CDs on his own label, 2006âs "IntroducingâŚ" and the just-released follow-up, "When The Devil Calls".
"IntroducingâŚ" features 12 tracks, nine of which are original compositions by Jack, highlighted by the moody opening cut, âPeace of Mind Blues,â and the meditative instrumental, âDearly Departed Blues.â The plugged-in âAll To Youâ is also a keeper, as is âThousand Miles Blues.â Also included are three excellent covers, âDust My Broom,â Charlie Musselwhiteâs âStingaree,â and R L Burnsideâs âBlack Mattie.â Jackâs vocals are solid, but his guitar playing is superior. Kim Field adds harmonica to three tracks. This is an outstanding set of Delta blues that you might have missed the first time out.
Even better is Jackâs second release, When The Devil Calls. He wrote 10 of the 13 tracks, ranging from the fiery âDance of the Living Deadâ to âThe Lynching Tree,â which sounds like a track from a Ry Cooder movie score. âIf I Should Fallâ is a beautiful, gentle track with one of Jackâs best vocals, and âIt Could Be Worseâ has a Hill Country feel to it. The three covers are well-chosen and well-done, and include Eddie âCleanheadâ Vinsonâs âCleanhead Blues,â Blind Willie Johnsonâs âSoul of a Man,â and Skip Jamesâ âDevil Got My Woman.â
Son Jack Jr. has plenty to offer guitar fans. He combines great fretwork, solid vocals, and highly original songwriting. Visit his website at www.sonjackjr.com and check out both of these CDs at www.cdbaby.com - BLUESBYTES
XM SATELLITE RADIO - CH74 BLUESVILLE
March, April, May 2008
+++++++++++++++++
PULSIONS 70 RADIO ARIA (France, Belgium, Luxemburg, Germany) - January 2008
+++++++++++++++++
KSER 90.7FM - Clancy's Bar & Grill - 6/14/07, 2, 21,08
+++++++++++++++++
KPLU 88.5FM - John Kessler's All Blues - 3/18/07; 4/7/07
+++++++++++++++++
RADIO SFERA (Poland)
January 2008
+++++++++++++++++
WEBRADIO GOLDEN FLASH (Belgium)
March 2008
+++++++++++++++++
KRVM 91.9FM Portland, OR
3/16/08
+++++++++++++++++
SAINT FM 94.7 (UK) The Blues is Back with Tim Aves
March 2008
+++++++++++++++++
KKZX 98.9FM Spokane
The Blues Show
April 2008
+++++++++++++++++
BEAUB FM 89 LIMOGES
KAOLIN FM 88.4 CORREZE, DORDOGNE, HAUTE-VIENNE
RMJ FM 90.1 HAUTE-VIENNE, INDRE, VIENNE
RADIO VASSIVIERE 88.6 HAUTE-VIENNE, CREUSE,, & 92.3 HTE CORREZE
BRAM' FM98.3 TULLE & PAYS D'EGLETONS CORREZE
RADIO TROUBLE FETE 95.4 LIMOGES
May 2008
++++++++++++++++++
Radio Gualeguay LT38 (Argentina)
Aug 2008 - Various
From the opening notes of When the Devil Calls, the sophomore record from Son Jack Jr., one thing is evident: This guy can play.
The obvious influence of the prewar blues masters can be heard throughout the record, but Son Jack Jr. doesnât really sound like any of them. He possesses a strong singing voice and his own distinct songwriting style.
Son Jack tends to pack more lyrics into his songs than did his prewar forebears. This rapid-fire approach works well on several songs, particularly the leadoff tracks, âIâm Son Jack Jr.â and âDance of the Living Dead.â But Son Jack is at his most powerful when he leaves more room for his lyrics to breath, as on the moving âIf I Should Fall.â When he allows his guitar to do all of the talking, as on the instrumental âThe Lynching Tree,â the effect is hair-raising.
Most of the 13 tracks on When The Devil Calls are originals, and the three covers are well-chosen, particularly Son Jackâs take on Skip Jamesâ âDevil Got My Woman.â
He experiments with various tempos and tunings throughout, resulting in a nicely varied record that avoids the slumber-inducing tendencies of too many solo acoustic albums.
For those in search of something both new and familiar at the same time, When the Devil Calls offers a fine solution. Itâll be interesting to see where Son Jack goes from here. - Jeff Konkel, Broke & Hungry Records
From the opening notes of When the Devil Calls, the sophomore record from Son Jack Jr., one thing is evident: This guy can play.
The obvious influence of the prewar blues masters can be heard throughout the record, but Son Jack Jr. doesnât really sound like any of them. He possesses a strong singing voice and his own distinct songwriting style.
Son Jack tends to pack more lyrics into his songs than did his prewar forebears. This rapid-fire approach works well on several songs, particularly the leadoff tracks, âIâm Son Jack Jr.â and âDance of the Living Dead.â But Son Jack is at his most powerful when he leaves more room for his lyrics to breath, as on the moving âIf I Should Fall.â When he allows his guitar to do all of the talking, as on the instrumental âThe Lynching Tree,â the effect is hair-raising.
Most of the 13 tracks on When The Devil Calls are originals, and the three covers are well-chosen, particularly Son Jackâs take on Skip Jamesâ âDevil Got My Woman.â
He experiments with various tempos and tunings throughout, resulting in a nicely varied record that avoids the slumber-inducing tendencies of too many solo acoustic albums.
For those in search of something both new and familiar at the same time, When the Devil Calls offers a fine solution. Itâll be interesting to see where Son Jack goes from here. - Jeff Konkel, Broke & Hungry Records
Discography
2010: "Walk The Talk"
2008: "When the Devil Calls" (WINNER "Best Self Produced CD" by South Sound Blues Association)
2006: "Introducing...Son Jack Jr"
Photos
Bio
Son
Jack Jr & Michael Wilde are an award winning traditional blues duo based out
of Seattle, WA. Neither are strangers
to the music industry, counting 30+ years of touring and recording experience
between them, both in the US and Europe.
They released their first joint album (Walk The Talk) in September 2010
and have received widespread and regular national airplay peaking at #2 Picks To
Click on XM/Sirius Radio and hit #49 on the National Roots Music blues).
duos spirited and energetic acoustic performances are what set them apart, and
live shows have been described as intoxicating, intense, exciting
experiences. We play blues in the way we believe it was
intended to sound back in the day, meaning rough and ready dance music, if you
know what I mean. Theirrepertoire consists of predominantly original
material but also pays respect to a carefully chosen set of covers by the likes
of Charley Patton, Mississippi Fred McDowell, Big Bill Broonzy, RL Burnside
and Tommy Johnson among others. The
songs we choose to cover are those that personally connect with us. When you come to a show youre guaranteed a
good time. However, were not your
typical weekend party band, so if youre looking for Mustang Sally were
probably not gonna make your night. However, this approach seems to work as
evidenced by the reaction of many at their live shows where dancing is common,
and many would say, unavoidable.
The
duo is much in demand and has performed at every major venue in Washington and
Oregon. Some of the highlights to date include sharing the stage with
Charlie
Musselwhite, Magic Slim, Coco Montoya, Sonny Landreth
and Candye
Kane. They appeared at Portlands Waterfront Blues
Festival in 2009 and again in 2010. As
if that wasnt enough, they also earned the right to compete at the
International Blues Challenge semi-finals in Memphis, TN in 2009 and 2010. In February 2012, they had the honor to
travel to St Louis to open for Chuck
Berry.
After an 18 month performing hiatus to work on a new album the duo is delighted to be back on the road to play some deep, down home blues.
Band Members
Links