Disc Descriptions

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U.P. Wilson is one of the most exciting, unruly and uncompromising talents presently on the scene. He is one of the hottest and well known of the Texas bluesmen."to have the unfettered, unprincipled and decidedly unpredictable U.P.Wilson - a truelife Texas bluesman with an edge all his own"
Tim Schiller Blues Access. 

Byther Smith, a veteran guitarist, personifies the sort of nails-tough, no-nonsense blues attack that was once taken for granted around Chicago. That it is no longer, is due to the ongoing diminution of the Chicago Blues genre itself in a torrent of tourist dollars and rock based genericism; Byther is doing all he can to keep the authentic Blue flame shining bright.

Kenny has to be one of the most inventive and expressive blues guitarists working today. He has a deep style and a strong feeling for the music. The combination of Kenny's song writing and the expressive singing of Darryl Nulisch and Clarence Butler makes this an album to look out for.

Genius is the only fitting description for Roy Gaines,, he has been called the blues guitar superman. The album is produced by Jimmy Morello, and the blues guitar work by Roy stands out among all others. 

Tutu Jones has that great undefinable something that separates a great bluesman from all the rest. He comes from a family of blues players, both parents and an uncle were renowned blues players in their own right.. This is his first album as lead man; prior to this, he gained experience as a member of a number of other bands.

Another great album from Randy, all his songs are original and written with a lot of humour and passion.. A gem of undercurrents and surprises. He is, hands down, the reigning king of harp in Texas.

The romanticism of Johnny Rawls music is only made richer by the soulful blues roots that he upholds. His music has the earthiness of a BB King with the Memphis soul of Al Green. This album has some of the best soul music of 1998.

Hubert Sumlin, originally Howlin' Wolf's guitarist, has produced some "average" albums, but this one's brilliant. Musically, it's all tough Blues, but within that there is a variation ranging from some nice modern touches to a couple of Jimmy Reedish tracks with just two guitars and drums. It's altogether a very cohesive whole and a total revelation.

Johnny Marshall is the newest blues guitarist on the scene. His is a remarkably mature and multi faceted style. It's a mixture of rockin' blues, steaming Southern Soul and the feel of R & B. Johnny lived the blues, and only recently discovered the musical equivalent of that life.

THE Gator, alias Dougie Levitas, is music director for the Mid Atlantics biggest dance club, The Potomac Swing Dance Club, he has deejay'd for just about every major swing dance event from DC to Boston, his collection includes the very best dance tracks in Blues, 50's style Black R&B and Big Band Swing.

Album features guest artist Jon Cleary on piano. Styled on Prof. Longhair and James Booker, Jon has developed a method of his own, played masterfully on this album. Louisiana Red is a renowned guitarist, they combine to produce an underrated but brilliant album.

Randy McAllister oozes soul and natural high intensity blues power from every pore. He deserves every bit of applause and attention he gets. Not only is he a superb harmonica player, he has strong vocal skills and has exceptional song writing ability. A worthwhile effort to follow on from his previous CD's "Diggin for Sofa Change" and" Grease Grit Dirt and Spit", also available on JSP.

Lurrie Bell is a phenomenally talented blues guitarist and is the son of harmonica man Carey Bell, the two have often recorded together. Lurrie's career has had some ups and downs, but these recordings come from a period when things looked good and some great recordings were made. This was a time when he was working the international circuit regularly.

Phil Guy is Buddy's brother, but he makes a point of being quite different to his famous brother. " The 1990's are gone, and in the year 2000 everyone's back on the floor dancing. To me, this disc is a step in that direction. I always could do this music but I was always into the slow blues. I'm ready to boogie to stay in the game" Phil Guy 2000.

This album was made for sax maniacs, it's fantastic. Otis Grand has an ever growing stature as an arranger, producer, band leader and guitarist and in this album is teamed with Joe Houston, one of the last true honking saxmen, he is also regarded as one of the best.

Produced by Johnny Rawls and Bruce Feiner, this album heralds the arrival of the lovely and seriously talented Mary Taylor on the musical scene. The combination of these two well known producers and Mary's vocals has resulted in one of the finest recordings of the year. A superb album of deep Southern soul from a singer with gospel roots.

Charlie joined the army as a teenager, and it was in Vietnam that he discovered the harmonica. Man and instrument were made for each other and he soon developed a prodigious talent and ability. His kind of blues is desperately needed where thumping rock blues and copyism still dominates far too much.

Here you will find Lucky's deep felt Mississippi guitar styling mixed with his fondness for funky bass lines. Lucky's time with Howlin' Wolf left an indelible impression that is evident on this disc.

Various Artists - Rockin' This Joint Tonight

Vintage R&B! There's a wide variety of music - from the wild "Rockin' This Joint" and "Wail Baby Wail", through urban blues styling, to Tex-Mex of "Me Quieres". Features tracks by Kid Thomas(murdered 1970), Ace Holder (he defies all attemts to be located), Floyd Dixon/Johnny Guitar Watson, and Jimmy McCracklin. Recorded between 1960-1969. Originally released on vinyl in 1980 - 23 Tracks

Carey Bell is the Number One blues harmonica player today; powerful, inventive and with a tone that most blues harp players would sign a pact with the devil to get! He's a great singer with a voice a little like Jr Wells. This is the re-release of an acclaimed and popular album containing masterful and fluent Blues from one of the great masters of the music.

These days, it's hard to find Blues this real, it's often too slick, too polished, too calculated to sell, rather than to show feelings. This album is real Texas blues played by a master with over 40 years experience in the business. It is classic U.P.Wilson at his best.

These are from the first and only recordings that brought the entire legendary Bell family together into the recording studio. Carey as the patriarch, plays lead harp, Lurrie is blues guitarist, Steve plays second harp and his younger sons Tyson and James together provide the rhythms. Together they create a masterful mix of great blues.

Deitra Farr shot to fame as the singer with Mississippi Heat, a Chicago All Star band which has played both national and international gigs over the past few years. This is her debut album, and demonstrates her unique song writing abilities. It is the start of what promises to be a successful solo career.

A collection of classics: U.P. Wilson, J.B. Wynne, Henry Qualls, Bobby Gilmore and Andrew "Junior Boy" Jones are the featured artists on this album. A good collection to buy if you are just getting into JSP music.

Recorded at JSP with special artists Phillip Walker, Rosco Gordon, Guitar Shorty, Jimmy "T99"Nelson and Joe Houston. This album can be called a line-up of some of the best blues men of the era. Well worth a listen… regularly!

Randy McAllister is a harp player and vocalist who has played R&B and Blues across the USA before returning to his home state of Texas to find his own unique sound. All of the songs are originals and you'll find both his harp playing and stylings all his own. Find yourself some sofa change, buy this CD and relax with the most satisfying blues around.

Lonnie Shields is a bluesman intent on breaking down barriers. . This is a new brand of Blues artistry, incorporating Funk, R & B and modern Soul/Blues. He has been able to reconcile and incorporate his blues leanings with his gospel background and strong religious faith. Musically, the juke joint and the black church have always reflected each other, and this is apparent in this album.

Lil' Dave Thompson - C'mon Down To The Delta

When he first recorded for Fat Possum, a young and inexperienced Thompson was rushed in the studio and asked quickly to write some songs to get something on a recording. But now 5 years later, this JSP recording is a much more representative look at Dave Thompson.Like most Delta musicians, Thompson has spent vast amounts of time coming to understand the relationship between guitar and inner voice. So now after woodsheddin' in the Delta, Thompson is primed to show off some of the most hellacious string ripping you'll ever hear. Whether your taste is blues rock,blues jazz, Marvin & Tammi, slow blues - you'll be well catered for on this disc.

Lisa Bourne - Bluehipnotik

The musical connection between New Orleans and Los Angeles has a long and funky history. As a child growing up in New Orleans Lisa was immersed in the blues music and traditions of that area.In 1996, after 10 years in Washington,DC, where she attended college and honed her chops on the local club and coffee house circuit,it was time to heed the call of those who came before - Lisa headed to Los Angeles. Since then she's been making a name for herself as a club performer, and also for her work in musical theater. On this, her first CD, she's surrounded herself with a stalwart crew who both prod and support her in all of the myriad stylistic directions she's chosen to explore.Lisa said, "Blues and Jazz flow naturally through my veins..." Suppoted by Kirk Fletcher, John Marx, Ricky Reed, Paul Fasulo, Jonny Viau and Troy Jennings. Produced by Jimmy Morello

The music celebrated on these two CD's had it's origins in the clubs and bars and on the streets of the various sections of Chicago, wherever the Blues was played.The sessions from which these titles have been chosen span 20 years, from the acoustic blues of John Lee Granderson to the ultra-modern techniques of Tre. They reflect the changes that have taken place in Chicago Blues, the ways in which outside trends are assimilated into the broader tradition. Featured artists include - Jimmy Rogers, Hubert Sumlin, Walter Horton, Johnny Littlejohn, Lefty Dizz, Louisiana Red, Big Moose Walker, Carey Bell, Hip Lankchan, Jimmy Dawkins, Phil Guy, Byther Smith, Mojo Buford…and more. 32 tracks

Disc one features - the Illinois Jacquet All Stars. Illinois Jacquet - tenor saxophone, Slam Stewart - bass, Vic Dickenson - Trombone, Grady Tate - drums, Grey Sargeant - guitar, Barry Harris - piano.

Disc two features - The Junior Mance Trio. Junior Mance - piano, Marty Rivera - bass, Walter Bolden - drums. Both discs recorded June 1980 at Downtown Sound NYC.

Disc one - 16 tracks featuring Bud Freeman, Eddie Cleanhead Vinson, Eddie Durham, Gene Mighty Flea Connors. Recorded London 1980-82

Disc two - 13 tracks featuring Al Casey, Hal Singer, Eddie Durham. Recorded London 1981-85

The blues world currently has a wealth of great guitar players, but a dearth of good harmonica men. This makes Carey Bell doubly important as a top ranking player. As a player, Carey stands head and shoulders above just about everyone else and his fluent tone is legendary. These recordings show the toughest of tough real Blues.

In 1978, Professor Longhair was a minor legend, not the cult artist he has become today. The concert and this recording of it may have become legendary, but nobody knew it at the time.

On first release this recording justly won best Blues album of the year. A bluesman, yes, but also a musician who transcends all musical categories and definitions. Professor Longhair is at his creative best on this album. Recorde at the New London Theatre, Drury Lane, London 26^th March 1978

Tim Schiller, Blues Access.

Blues and Rhythm Magazine, England.

In the late 60's he formed part of Howlin' Wolf's band, and toured with Jimmy Rogers during the 70's. Johnny's slide work was some of the finest of the post Elmore James era; unlike many sidemen, he was also a highly competent lead player.