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.