JW-Jones is one slick guitar slinger from north of the border. Â Cut from the mold of a Jimmie Vaughan or the late Johnny Winter, Jones hails from Ottawa, Canada, an unexpected cradle for an artist sure to be recognized for his impressive guitar skills.
Somewhat of a prodigy, Jones recorded his first album, Defibrilatin’, in 2000 when Jones was not yet 20 – and that was after only receiving his first electric guitar in 1996 when he decided to switch from drums to guitar.  Within a few short years of taking up the guitar Jones (whose initial song-writing credits were for “Josh Wynne-Jones”) was winning regional competitions on the instrument. Among Jones’ earlier albums, 2008’s Bluelisted stands out as an example of what this young man could do.
Belmont Boulevard, Jones’ first release on the prominent blues label Blind Pig, shows what a mature artist can do. There are some great songs on the album, including the opener “Love Times Ten,” which was written by album producer and drummer Tom Hambridge and Colin Linden; Bobby Parker’s “Watch Your Step,” which features some searing guitar work; Jones and Hambridge’s “Don’t Be Ashamed,” with more hot guitar work; Jones’ monumental instrumental “Magic West Side Boogie,” with Jones’ guitar prowess on full display; “What Would Jimmie Do?” by Hambridge and Jones, an homage to Jimmie Vaughan employing a style reminiscent of the former Fabulous Thunderbird and solo guitar icon; and Buddy Guy’s “What’s Inside of You,” on which Jones demonstrates his ability to capture the musical soul of the blues.
Jones’ band features Reese Wynans on keyboards, Rob McNelley on guitar, Dave Roe on bass and Hambridge on drums, with Laura Greenberg on bass on four tracks and Jamie Holmes on drums on those tracks. Give a listen.
Audio Stream: JW-Jones, “Magic West Side Boogie”
[audio: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/7770435/07%20Magic%20West%20Side%20Boogie.mp3]
About the author: Bill Wilcox is a roots music enthusiast recently relocated from the Washington, DC area to Philadelphia, PA and back again.