Blues Blast Magazine, February 2011
Son Jack Jr was born and brought up in the UK. He left in 1997 and around that time he decided to revive a musical career that had been dormant for 20 years. In the ‘70s and ‘80s he had recorded, performed and toured extensively in the UK. Wise move. Since the renascence he has recorded three albums, all of which have been well accepted and this one will expand his fan base and may even win some awards.
Here Mr Jack is working with harp man Michael Wilde and a small band; Mark Davies (b) and Billy Barner (d) with ‘special guest’ Eric Robert (keys). The CD consists of 12 tracks many of which were written by Jack or Wilde. But the album includes covers of music by John Lee Hooker, Charley Patton and R.L. Burnside (twice!)
I’ll come back to the covers in a moment, but first let me say that some of the self-penned songs are just terrific. For example, the wonderful emotional and controlled solo that opens ‘Crying Time’ (written by Wilde) is just outstanding. In addition the harp playing on that track (chromatic, I think) is an exemplar for any aspiring blues harmonica players. Check out too the title track “Walk The Talk” a ‘walking blues’ with a vengeance! Try keeping your feet still while this is on the CD player.
This CD is a nice mix of originals and covers. Often, CDs that fall through my letter box, by bands on the edge of ‘making it’ are all covers or all originals. Now, I can understand why folks want to push their own stuff and I can equally well understand how some people want to recognize, laud and promote the music of people they admire and seek to emulate. But when it is ALL original it is almost impossible (unless you know the musician from live performances or some such) to judge how they think about the music of others who have inspired them.
The major strength of this CD is that the covers tell you ‘how deep is the love’ that these musicians have for their Delta roots. An accomplished acoustic player Son Jack Jr has some strenuous workouts here on electric guitar including slide (‘Miss Maybelle’ is enough to make the dead get up and dance). All in all, this could be work by folks born and raised in the Delta or the Mississippi Hill country, rather than by an ex-pat Brit and a bunch of musicians from Seattle.
Some nice finger-clicking music that will make your feet tap and satisfy your soul. Recommended.
www.thebluesblast.com
DamnGoodTunes.com, October 2010
From the shuffling and progressive title track of " Walk The Talk " to the thumping beat and growling harmonica in " Maximum Insecurity " and the driving old-school boogie of " Skinny Woman " where you just wanna hit the floor shaking all the change out of you pockets and into the tip jar, Son Jack Jr. and Michael Wilde have hit it all the way out of the ball park! This new progressive Blues and traditional crossroads of a Blues album is the best we've heard in a very long time. Follow the links to CD Baby today and pick up or download your own copy. This is what the Blues is supposed to sound like!
www.damngoodtunes.com
Living Blues Review, October 2010
A product of London, England, now hailing from Seattle, Washington, Son Jack Jr. is back with harp sideman Michael Wilde for his third album, Walk The Talk.
With a mixture of tracks that include covers and originals, it’s obvious that Son Jack Jr. is flexing his blues talents on his latest release. While this disc offers more electric guitar than his previous releases, he by no means abandons the Delta blues style that earned him critical acclaim. Tracks such as Howlin’ Poppet and a cover of Charley Patton’s Pony Blues reveal Son Jack Jr.’s Delta blues chops have not slipped one bit. On most of the rest of the album Jack shifts to the electric guitar where his playing has a decidedly North Mississippi/John Lee Hooker feel.
Down So Low, Crying Time, and an excellent cover of Hooker’s Crawlin’ King Snake are the highlights of the disc. Don’t look for blazing fast, intricate, or over-the-top guitar fills or solos here. Son Jack Jr. carries most of the tracks with his slow, often hypnotic guitar playing. His vocals have matured and are much sharper, not wavering as they did on some of his previous work. Michael Wilde’s harmonica works nicely with Jack’s groove and again is not too over the top. His slow, heart-wrenching solo that kicks off Crying Time is his best work on the disc.
Going in a little different direction has worked out well for Son Jack Jr. here. Walk The Talk stacks up well with his other work and gives listeners a little bit more variety. Son Jack Jr.’s and Michael Wilde’s styles mesh well and are satisfying to the ear.
BluesNotes, September 2010
After multiple listens to Walk The Talk by Son Jack Jr. & Michael Wilde, I keep finding myself asking, “Just where in Mississippi is Seattle located?” It’s not? Then why do these guys sound like first cousins to folk like Kenny Brown or Lightnin’ Malcolm or Mississippi Morris? I swear you could picture yourself sitting on the front porch of a shotgun shack outside Senatobia cooling the heat and humidity with a nice cool glass of sweet tea while listening to this album. It just sounds that down-home authentic.
Outstanding readings of selections from the songbooks of R.L. Burnside, Charley Patton and John Lee Hooker drive the mix with believability that there has to be a mistake on where they actually live. Further driven home when you hear their original material. Ain’t no way that was written by anybody that hasn’t been brought up around cotton fields or strolling down Highways 49 and 61. These songs are modern blues classics. Great themes. Feeling down so low that you’d have to get up just to die? Their baby howls for them in the middle of the night. And you’d better listen to these guys, because they mean everything they say. They walk the talk! And it’s a serious conversation!
Instrumentation is A-1 throughout, start to finish. Michael Wilde’s chromatic workout on “Crying Time” is powerful and grasps at your heart with its intense somberness. On “Maximum Security” he can whoop things up just like Sonny Terry. Son Jack offers multiple blues guitar approaches from Delta fingerpickers, to sizzling slides, to Hill Country trance. But he can also surprise you with a track like “Requiem” on which he comes across more like Leo Kottke or John Fahey with his solo string beauty that tells you there is more behind this man than just the blues. The pair are joined nicely throughout the disc by drummer Billy Barner and bassist Mark Davies, with keyboardist Eric Roberts joining in on a pair of tunes. It adds the proper flavoring. Just the right piquant to get you snapping your fingers. This music is so tasty you might be smacking your lips trying to savor that deliciousness.
Walk The Talk is more than just a good CD. It’s exceptional. Kick back and throw the disc on your player. More than likely you won’t be sitting long. The groove here will make you move whether you plan on it or not. Son Jack Jr & Michael Wilde will make you believe that Seattle really is in Mississippi. The far Northwest corner that is. A run-out-and-buy-it record for anybody who loves Southern blues music. Top shelf material! Need I say more?
http://cascadeblues.org/joomla/index.php/bluesnotes-online/cd-reviews/542-walk-the-talk
Victory Music Review, January 2009
Listen up: There’s a new old sound in this town. He’s Son Jack Jr., and he’s aiming to be king of the blues. Don’t stand in his way or bet against him. His kind never goes out of fashion, and When the Devil Calls is classic.
Jack needs no backup: he is so fleet and facile on the reso that at times it’s as if two or three are playing at once. He has an honest, natural, fitting voice for the idiom, sounding earthy and unpretentious but without aping the unrefined or illiterate blues masters of yore. The same goes for his lyrics, which are modern yet timeless, with the simple directness the music demands but with a contemporary sensibility and erudition. The album starts off with the classic bluesman’s intro, “I’m Son Jack Jr.,” then delves into some dark themes: old worries
that never go away, like the nagging unease of Black folks even in our most hopeful, enlightened era.
Jack covers Eddie Vinson’s “Cleanhead Blues” and also Blind Willie Johnson and Skip James (the latter a clearinspiration for much of his work) impressively – he could probably have himself a handsome career just recreating those sounds, say, for documentaries or for Hollywood. It’s Jack’s originals that stand out here, though, and they are why you should hustle out and get this album and watch for him live in the year to come. (Tom Petersen)
http://victorymusic.org/pdfs/2009/vr_jan09.pdf
Bluesbytes. July 2008
Son Jack Jr. was raised in London, and recorded and performed extensively in the UK during the ’70s and ’80s. After a 20-year hiatus, he restarted his musical career in the U.S. He’s a singer/songwriter that specializes in country blues, mainly of the Mississippi Delta variety. Over the past couple of years, he’s released an impressive pair of CDs on his own label, 2006’s Introducing… and the just-released follow-up, When The Devil Calls.
Introducing… features 12 tracks, nine of which are original compositions by Jack, highlighted by the moody opening cut, “Peace of Mind Blues,” and the meditative instrumental, “Dearly Departed Blues.” The plugged-in “All To You” is also a keeper, as is “Thousand Miles Blues.” Also included are three excellent covers, “Dust My Broom,” Charlie Musselwhite’s “Stingaree,” and R L Burnside’s “Black Mattie.” Jack’s 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 Jack’s second release, When The Devil Calls. He wrote 10 of the 13 tracks, ranging from the fiery “Dance of the Living Dead” to “The Lynching Tree,” which sounds like a track from a Ry Cooder movie score. “If I Should Fall” is a beautiful, gentle track with one of Jack’s best vocals, and “It Could Be Worse” has a Hill Country feel to it. The three covers are well-chosen and well-done, and include Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson’s “Cleanhead Blues,” Blind Willie Johnson’s “Soul of a Man,” and Skip James’ “Devil Got My Woman.”
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
http://www.bluenight.com/BluesBytes/wn0708.html
BluesWax, April 2008: 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.
http://www.visnat.com/entertainment/music/blueswax/mp3/album.cfm?aaa=zzz&reviewnumber=2603
Rootstime, April 2008
Son Jack Jr. is alive and well! Singer/songwriter/guitarist 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 has played the guitar since the age of 9. Late in the 70s and early 80s he was on tour but retreated from the music scene in 1983. But now, after 25 years, he is back with his debut album ‘Introducing… Son Jack Jr’, published in 2006, and now ‘When The Devil Calls’. 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 has gained in songwriting. Inspired by the guitar of (amongst others) Skip James and Blind Willie Johnnson, we see why tracks like Skip James’ ‘Devil Got My Woman’ and Blind Wille johnson’s ‘Soul of a Man’ could not be missing on this record, also Eddie Vinson’s ‘Cleanhead Blues’ may be the highlight of this surprising CD. 13 Tracks made it to ‘When the Devil Calls’, 10 of which written by Son Jack Jr himself. As a whole this reminds you of 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 sensitively, but can also be totally aggressive, as in the opening tracks ‘ I’m Son Jack Jr’ and ‘ Dance of the Living Dead’, songs that set the tone for the full record. Personally I find, next to the appropriately named and rocking ‘Dance of the Living Dead’ the calm old time country picking of ‘If I Should Fall’, the guitar heavy ‘North Wind’, and the songs ‘It Could Be Worse’ and the instrumental ‘The Lynching tree’ that respectively could be written by Fred McDowell and Skip James, to be the most outstanding tracks on this album, songs where Son Jack Jr proves to be also an outstanding song writer. ‘When the Devil Calls’ is not something to party on, on 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 are the sound of 'When The Devil Calls.'
http://www.rootstime.be/CD%20REVIEWS/2008/2008-APRIL2.htm#11
Blind Man's Blues Forum, April 2008
Just finished listening to the Son Jack Jr. album "When the Devil Calls" which I received courtesy of the last BBF giveaway (Thanks Blue Boss & Son Jack Jr.) I've only listened through it once but I like what I hear so far. There are a few nice covers including Blind Willie Johnson's "Soul of a Man" and Skip James "Devil Got My Woman" but the standout tracks are really the originals. Son's compositions are all done in a very traditional country/Delta Blues Style without being so reverent that they lose their edge. My favorite tracks include a dark atmospheric instrumental called "The Lynching Tree" and "It Could Be Worse" which chugs along with a powerful Mississippi Fred McDowell inspired guitar. In fact, the guitar playing is excellent throughout. However, to my ears the best song also has the least guitar - the gentle ballad "If I Should Fall" shines for it songwriting and the honesty in the vocal delivery. It's a good effort from one of our own. Napoleon Tabion - www.myspace.com/naptabion
http://blindman.forumhoster.com
Blues Underground Network, March 2008
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
REVIEW OF "When The Devil Calls" - Bluesletter, April 2008
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. doesn’t 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, “I’m Son Jack Jr.” and “Dance of the Living Dead.” But Son Jack is at his most powerful when he leaves more room for his lyrics to breath, as on the moving “If I Should Fall.” When he allows his guitar to do all of the talking, as on the instrumental “The Lynching Tree,” 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 Jack’s take on Skip James’ “Devil Got My Woman.”
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. It’ll be interesting to see where Son Jack goes from here.
REVIEW of 2/12/098 Highway 99 show - Bluesletter, March 2008
He's originally from London and has merged into the soil of the Mississippi delta. Original back porch, acoustic blues that's flavored with the founders of this art form. If you have a soul his music connects to it. While listening I closed my eyes and the music reached as deep as the music of Aric Riley or Terry Robb, two big time names in Portland's blues scene. His song "Poor Man" was my personal favorite and he said it came from his personal life. He also performed some music deeply rooted in Gospel, which is a solid twin sibling of the blues.
REVIEW OF "When The Devil Calls" - Blues To Do, March 2008 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 Centrum’s Country Blues workshops in Port Townsend. His finger picking and slide playing are clean, punchy, yet subtle on Skip James’s “Devil Got My Woman” and Blind Willie Johnson’s “Soul of a Man.” He pulls out all the humor on Eddie Vinson’s “Cleanhead Blues,” a rueful ode to the formerly hirsute—real roots music. (Judging from the picture on the CD, Jack is prematurely ribald.) His own tunes are tastefully played and well-conceived. “North Wind” features a kick-ass guitar part, while “It Could Be Worse” could’ve come from the fingers of Fred McDowell. The rocking “Dance of the Living Dead” will resonate with anyone who’s ever worked a stultifying high-tech office job. The standout on the album is “The Lynching Tree,” 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; you’ll want to loop this on your Zune or iPod.
Cruising for Blues blog - October 2007
Son Jack Jr seduced the audience with his old time blues. With his vocals and instrument he's a one man act which is simple, sofisticated, brash and confidently intoxicating.
http://cruisingforblues.com/2007/10/06/michael-powers-at-the-tulalip.aspx
REVIEW OF “Introducing….Son Jack Jr.” - June 2007 - Bill Mattocks (www.billmattocksband.com)
My good friend Roy Brown introduced me to Son Jack Jr. at the April WBS meeting this year. I’ve had the pleasure of listening to his debut CD “Introducing….Son Jack Jr.” for the last two months. It features Son Jack playing twelve tracks of mostly acoustic Country and Delta style Blues.
Son Jack shines on his slide guitar proficiency. My favorite is solo instrumental track four called “Dearly Departed Blues” and to me is somewhat reminiscent of Ry Cooder. I love the slide overtones. I also like the third track a lot. It’s called “Crazy Blues” and fits right in with my philosophy of life. Of course part of the reason I like this track so much is it includes the very talented Harp Man, Kim Field. He also adds to track one “Peace of Mind Blues” and track 12 “Thousand Miles Blues”. All of the tracks are Son Jack Jr. originals except tracks six “Dust My Broom” (Robert Johnson), seven “Stingaree” (Charlie Musselwhite) and eleven “Black Mattie” (RL Burnside). These are excellent versions of these classic blues songs.
All in all Son Jack Jr. is a very talented man and he is a great addition to our already wonderful palette of Acoustic Blues performers in the greater Seattle area. I highly recommend the addition of this CD to any music lover’s library. I look forward to seeing this very talented musician in a live performance.
Washington Blues Society - May 2007
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 can’t 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 “Peace of Mind Blues”. 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, “Howling Poppet”. You might not really understand unless you listen closely, and then maybe not ‘til the end. It’s a double intraday going in the opposite direction from most songs.
This album is Delta Blues at its finest, and I’m 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.