Blues from The Great White North

JW-Jones Blues Band - My Kind Of Evil
(NorthernBlues Music)
3 stars (out of 5 stars)
Reviewed: May 12, 2004

Review by Tony Bonyata

Maybe it's the near-artic temperatures from his hometown of Ottawa, Canada that gives singer / guitarist JW-Jones the blues, but whatever the reason this young energetic 23-year old has certainly captured the essence of the many different styles of blues music on his third full-length release My Kind Of Evil.
Produced by Kim Wilson, My Kind Of Evil touches on jump blues, early rock 'n' roll and swing, but the predominate sound that Jones focuses on is more akin to that of Wilson's own band The Fabulous Thunderbirds. Although Wilson lends his big vocals and harmonica to two of the tracks ("I Don't Know" and a rollicking version of Fats Domino's "Blue Monday") it's the even larger guitar sounds laid down by Jones that makes this album shine.
From the stinging leads and barrelhouse piano on "I Don't Know" to the B.B. King-inspired guitar licks, jumping horns and rhythms on "Shake That Mess" and "Slow Down" to Jones' warm, although not yet fully realized, vocals, it's apparent that this boy has already paid his dues at a very young age.
The core band is rounded out by the able additions of electric and upright bassist Nathan Morris, drummer Bill Brennan (who's played with Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy and Junior Wells) and keyboardist Geoff Daye. Toss in the raucous four-piece horn section from The Wind-Chill Factor Horns on the two invigorating swing-driven instrumental numbers "Code Blue" and "Slow Down" and these guys could raise the roof at any Southern house rent party.
It may be cold enough in The Great White North to give most people a bad case of the blues, but as JW-Jones and company prove on My Kind Of Evil that isn't necessarily such a bad thing.