Jay Willie Blues Band - Jay Walkin'

Size: 100,9 MB
Time: 41:20
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Electric Blues, Blues Rock
Art: Front

01. Wish I Hadn't Called Home (Feat. Jason Ricci) (3:39)
02. Jay Walkin' (3:25)
03. Hitting On Nothing (Feat. Malorie Leogrande) (2:13)
04. The Other Side (Feat. Malorie Leogrande) (3:56)
05. 44 Blues (Feat. Jason Ricci) (4:26)
06. I Feel So Good (3:02)
07. Move Over (3:01)
08. Sinner's Prayer (3:02)
09. Step Aside (3:01)
10. Go To Guy (2:26)
11. How Blue Can You Get (4:55)
12. Soul Of A Man (4:09)

We are proud to release Jay Walkin', the Jay Willie Blues Band's fifth consecutive release with Jochen Becker and his New York based ZOHO Music label.

What is consistent with all these releases is that the cover songs on them pay tribute to the 1950s and 60s Soul and Rhythm & Blues artists who created some of the best music of our time.

This time we dug even further back to 1929, featuring a song by Roosevelt Sykes, and 1930 with a song by Blind Willie Johnson.

This eclectic mix is complemented by our originals that we trust you will find infuriating, crude, and tasteless .... no, just kidding ! ... edifying, dance-able, and entertaining.

While we believed that our last release from 2016, Hell on Wheels (ZOHO ZM201612) would be a tough act to follow for us, our opinion is now that this record is our best to date. This was our first project with Engineer Paul Opalach and Long Hill Recording Studio here in Shelton, CT. Our drummer Bobby T Torello had worked with Paul on past projects and suggested that I talk with Paul about a session. The studio might not be fancy to look at, but it was proof that a book should never be judged by its cover.

The first track that we did together during the free session was Dale Hawkins' recording of Wish I hadn't Called Home. I am a fan of Dale Hawkins' best known for his song Suzy Q and wanted to record this less popular song from 1961 that still has that Louisiana Swamp Rock boogie vibe that Dale is noted for. I had sent Paul the original Dale Hawkins acoustic version to familiarize him with the song. After Bobby made the introductions with Paul, I plugged in my guitar to play our interpretation of the track with Bobby T.

Review:
To my surprise, Paul had already recorded the bass and electric drums to a click track so that he had a good baseline to work with. Bobby then did his drum track, Paul did the bass track over and I finished overdubbing the guitar and vocals.

A wise man once said that there will always be the blues. The blues are timeless and are as much a child of the city as it was of the country. The blues will therefore always have its followers and they are likely to find much to enjoy within the musical walls of ''Jay Walkin' '' by the Jay Willie Blues Band.

This album is a solid effort that plays very much to the crowd with the selection of covers and originals equally likely to please both the blues club and roots festival audiences. There are no surprise song choices here, and none were expected, because the Jay Willie Blues Band are all about the performance and that, on the evidence here, is their area of expertise. Complementing their down to the crossroads musicianship is a guest voice the energetic ''Malorie Leogrande'' who duly adds a sassy style to both the lively ''Hitting on Nothing'' and the reflective ''The Other Side'' to thus ensure that your ears don't get twelve bar blues bored.

Like I said, the blues are timeless and the Jay Willie Blues Band are the kind of band who won't ever need a watch. --Blues Bunny Music Reviews

Jay Walkin'

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Jay Willie Blues Band - Hell On Wheels

Released: 2016
Size: 101.5 MB
Time: 43:45
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Styles: Blues Rock
Art: Front

1. Willie And The Hand Jive [3:26]
2. The Horse [2:48]
3. Hell On Wheels [3:35]
4. You Left The Water Running [2:56]
5. Alive Again [5:30]
6. The Hunter Captured By The Game [2:56]
7. Take Me To The River [3:39]
8. This Is The Thanks I Get [2:50]
9. You'll Lose A Good Thing [3:00]
10. Everybody [2:31]
11. A Million Tears [3:03]
12. 21 [4:37]
13. The Horse (Instrumental) [2:48]

I love this record and the musicians who support the Jay Willie Blues Band. The band has been performing together for over a decade and includes some of New England's most impressive performers. Vocalist Malorie Leogrande is a performing five-octave range vocalist who holds a MALS degree in Arts and Humanities from Wesleyan University. Drummer Bobby T Torello has been the driving force of bands featuring Michael Bolton, Jefferson Starship's Grace Slick and the iconic bluesman Johnny Winter. He's toured the globe sharing the stage with Aerosmith, Foreigner and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Recently he has performed with Bobby and former Winter bassist Jon Paris at BB Kings Club in New York City to pay a special tribute to the late Johnny Winter's 72th birthday celebration. Bassist Steve Clarke has performed with two-time Grammy nominee Sherry Winston, The Coasters, The Drifters, Mary Wells, Sam & Dave, toured Europe with trumpeter Laco Deczi's & Celula New York band and the Chris Tofield Blues Band. Vocalist and Guitarist Bob Callahan has shared the stage with prominent musicians including James Cotton, Matt Murphy, Colin Tilton, Andy Powell, and James Montgomery. Saxophonist Teddy Yakush can be seen regularly with many local bands performing varied genres of music. This is the fourth consecutive Jay Willie Blues Band album which features blues harmonica ace Jason Ricci. Jason has had some great career successes since our ZOHO previous release Johnny's' Juke Joint (ZOHO ZM 201510). Most notably, Jason contributed to the Johnny Winter 2015 Grammy-winning Best Blues Album Step Back. Jason also performed at the 2015 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction of The Paul Butterfield Blues Band where he gave a slaying performance of Born In Chicago along with Tom Morello on guitar and Zac Brown on vocals.

Hell On Wheels

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Jay Willie Blues Band - Johnny's Juke Joint

Size: 103,8 MB
Time: 40:39
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Electric Blues
Art: Front

01. Wooly Bully (2:25)
02. You Got Me Dizzy (3:01)
03. One More Mile (3:09)
04. Upside Of The Ground (3:28)
05. Barefootin' (2:27)
06. Hold On To Watcha Got (3:03)
07. People Get Ready (3:42)
08. I Love Everybody (3:42)
09. I Got A Stomach Ache (4:04)
10. Nobody But You (3:26)
11. Succotash (4:01)
12. Me And The Devil (4:05)

The recording of Johnny's Juke Joint was encouraged by our continued success and worldwide rave reviews associated with the Jay Willie Blues Band's previous releases, The Reel Deal, New York Minute (ZOHO Roots, 2013), and Rumblin’ and Slidin’ (ZOHO Roots, 2014). The band is proud of such recognition as well as the frequent airplay on Sirius XM BB Kings Bluesville.

It is no secret and probably redundant to mention the huge influence Johnny Winter has exerted over our recordings in many ways. We are honored to have with us on this album his former band mate Bobby T Torello on drums and Jason Ricci who is featured on Johnny’s 2014 Grammy-winning CD “Step Back”.

It was shocking and very sad to learn of Johnny Winter’s passing on July 16, 2014. During the pre-production of Johnny's Juke Joint, there was some discussion of producing a tribute CD to the compositions of this late great blues legend. After further consideration, we realized that all of our music is in a sense a tribute to Johnny. As Johnny's originality and individualism is unparalleled, a direct interpretation of his work in the style of a "covers band" would not do him justice.

We did include one original JW track titled I Love Everybody from his 1969 studio album ” Second Winter”. This is in my opinion one of the rawest examples of both Johnny’s powerful vocal ability and slide guitar mastery. Our individual approach to the originality of I Love Everybody was to include our featured vocalist Malorie Leogrande on this track. Malorie is also featured on four additional tracks including the 1965 Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs mega-hit Wooly Bully, Jimmy Reed's You Got Me Dizzy, Lil’ Bob and the Lollipops' Nobody But You, and the Jay Willie original Upside Of The Ground.

Malorie offers a stunning, high-energy youthful approach, combined with the professionalism and experience you’d expect from a seasoned veteran. Malorie is an internationally-performing five-octave range vocalist and holds a MALS in Arts and Humanities from Wesleyan University, Connecticut.

We are excited to include for the third consecutive release our featured artist Jason Ricci on Harmonica. Jason graciously told me that the Jay Willie Blues Band should consider him as its harmonica player for all our recording needs, and he is proud to be included. The incorporation of Jason’s incredibly powerful playing has been a very significant compliment to the tracks that he is featured on. I am also proud of Jason and his strength to overcome his life challenges and being back on tour, exceeding the expectations of his fans worldwide. Jason is featured on four tracks, including Wooly Bully, You Got Me Dizzy, James Cotton’s One More Mile, and Robert Johnson’s Me And The Devil.

Our regular gigging band consists of Jay Willie guitar, slide guitar and vocals, Bobby T Torello drums and vocals, Bob Callahan, guitar and vocals, Steve Clarke, Bass, and Teddy Yakush, saxophone and harmonica.

Each of the album's track selections have story that is relevant to our band members. For instance: Bobby T performed with Junior Wells during a gig at Chicago’s legendary Checkerboard Lounge, and he does a great vocal rendition of Juniors’ I Got A Stomach Ache.

Succotash is a high energy jam that Johnny Winter, Bobby T, and Jon Paris often opened a show with. One More Mile is a funky, classic James Cotton tune and we felt it would be very interesting to hear how a contemporary harpist would interpret it, and Jason Ricci rose to the occasion and went the extra mile.

What can one do to re-interpret an iconic, classic song like Wooly Bully? Our take on it incorporates the powerful and expressive vocals of Malorie Leogrande, and we asked Jason to put his virtuosic harmonica icing all over it. Again the result is for an exciting and unique personalized rendition.
People Get Ready My loving brother Tod Willie is a featured vocalist on this track and for good cause. This is a very deep and inspirational song. Tod, Bob Callahan and I spent several years in a successful cover band together and we were always blessed to have an assembly of loving family and friends. This song is dedicated to our parents Andy and Rita who are responsible for the procreation of the majority of that assembly.

The Jay Willie Blues Band is confident we have achieved our goal of creating a greater production with each new release. There are two original songs and 10 traditional covers. A good recording is as much about taste as it is about musicianship. Paying homage to the founding artists of the Blues is a privilege and offers endless opportunities to integrate our characteristics to some very tasty music. -- Jay Willie

Johnny's Juke Joint

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Jay Willie Blues Band - 2 albums: The Reel Deal / Rumblin' & Slidin'

Album: The Reel Deal
Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 25:51
Size: 59.2 MB
Styles: Rockin blues
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[3:20] 1. Hey Hey Baby
[2:15] 2. The Reel Deal
[3:26] 3. Rainin In My Heart
[3:12] 4. Mary Lou
[3:19] 5. Aint Gonna Walk Your Dog Anymore
[2:59] 6. Liar
[3:57] 7. Stoop Down Baby
[3:19] 8. A Woman Named Trouble

Bob Callahan’s soulful vocals, the driving rhythm section of Johnny Winter and Stevie Ray Vaughan alumni; drummer Bobby T Torello and bass player Tommy Shannon, and last but not least Jay Willie’s ripping slide and guitar solos, make the Jay Willie Blues Band an exceptional experience of modern Blues.

New England based Jay Willie Blues Band has been playing clubs, and festivals for nearly a decade. Jay started playing the guitar at the age of 12. His uncle Tony gave Jay some Blues records to listen to, including Muddy Waters, Roy Buchanan, Ry Cooder, BB King, and Johnny Winter, and from that point on all Jay wanted to do was spend hours listening to these records and emulating the guitar parts. Growing up, one of the artists that Jay respected the most for his commitment and understanding of the blues was Johnny Winter. In 2001 Jay, along with vocalist and guitar player Bob Callahan, formed the Jay Willie Blues Band, with former Johnny Winter Bobby T Torello on drums. After releasing two albums they contacted Tommy Shannon, another Johnny Winter sidekick from the early years, including the original Woodstock Festival, who’d later become even better know for his work with another giant of Texas Blues; the late great Stevie Ray Vaughan. Tommy liked what he heard and ended up playing bass on “The Reel Deal”

Although the Jay Willie Blues Band writes very good original songs, they pride themselves in recognizing and tastefully performing songs of the early Blues and Roots artists, while always injecting their very own personality, intensity and groove in their performances and recordings.

The Reel Deal mc
The Reel Deal zippy

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Album: Rumblin' & Slidin'
Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 55:23
Size: 126.8 MB
Styles: Rockin blues
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[3:20] 1. Rumble
[3:27] 2. Dirty Two Thirty
[6:11] 3. Key To The Highway
[3:36] 4. Bad News
[2:44] 5. Rotten Person
[3:00] 6. Fly Away
[2:45] 7. Come Back
[2:48] 8. The Leetch
[4:18] 9. It Hurts Me Too
[3:38] 10. Caballo
[5:04] 11. Hold Me Tight Talk Dirty
[4:01] 12. Tore Down
[4:42] 13. Mercy Mercy Mercy
[5:42] 14. For What It's Worth

Creating a CD, at least comparable to our 2013 ZOHO release New York Minute was a definite challenge. The worldwide reviews were all extremely complimentary and our challenge was what would we do for an encore. I contacted harmonica extraordinaire Jason Ricci who was a featured artist on New York Minute and he was very willing to participate on a new project. That alone gave me great incentive and a basis to create another smokin' recording. Bob Callahan, Bobby Torello and I wrote some new material and chose some tasteful covers that we believe are expressive of our musical spectrum from early delta style music to high energy blues rock, but performed with our individual enthusiasm and piquancy. We are not your typical Snooze Blues band nor do we want to be. If you like blues that is repetitious and holds on to one guitar note for 10 seconds this record may not be for you.

A recent addition to the regular gigging Jay Willie Blues Band is bassist Steve Clarke. Steve is one of New England's most talented and sought after bassists/composers with a resume of performances or recordings with The Yellow Jackets, Theresa Wright Quartet, Patxi, Tower of Power, Melvin Sparks, Pieces of a Dream, Esteban and his own Funky-Jazz-Fusion Band The Steve Clarke Trio with seven successful CD’s to its credit. Steve’s creative style elevates the band to a new level, and this is clearly demonstrated with his solo at the conclusion of Dirty 2:30.

We are proud to introduce our newest feature artist, singer Suzanne Vick. Suzanne has been voted “Best Singer/Songwriter” in the New Haven Advocate’s 2010 & 2011 Grand Band Slams. She teaches voice, piano and music theory at the RVP Studio in West Haven, CT.

Rumblin' & Slidin' mc
Rumblin' & Slidin' zippy

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Jay Willie Blues Band - New York Minute

Released: 2013
Size: 126.2 MB
Time: 52:23
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Styles: Texas Blues / Rock
Art: Front

1. Hollywood (feat. Marlou Zandvliet) [3:43]
2. New York Minute [2:40]
3. Chain Smokin' [3:00]
4. You Hurt Me (feat. Jason Ricci) [4:57]
5. It's Your Thing [3:36]
6. Devilbones [4:36]
7. I Can't Be Satisfied [3:21]
8. Champagne & Reefer [3:29]
9. The Wobble [2:37]
10. Tattoed You [2:36]
11. Watch Pocket [3:57]
12. Goin' Down Slow [5:32]
13. Hoodoo [3:55]
14. Best Side of You [1:43]
15. That Ain't It [2:32]

This recording is a combination of original and cover songs which are a mixture of Texas Blues, Rock, and ballads. Our featured guest artists are Jason Ricci and Marlou Zandvliet. I first met harmonica player Jason Ricci in 2008, performing at the Green Parrot in Key West, FL. Jason is an extraordinary talent and like Bobby T Torello, our drummer, he puts his whole being into his performance. Jason’s contributions to harmonica design and techniques have had a great influence on many players worldwide, and he has expanded the boundariesand perceived limitations of a great instrument. He performs on tracks Hollywood, The Wobble, You Hurt Me and New York Minute. Because of his passion on the song You Hurt Me, we decided to eliminate the initial vocal track and let the harmonica speak for itself throughout the entire song. I had just finished reading an older interview about Jason where he talks about some of his life challenges, and I felt every one of them through this compelling performance. Jason was very cool about doing the project and he is totally about his craft and there was no ego to deal with. He recently signed with a major talent booking agency and will be extensively touring in the USA and Europe.

New York Minute

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