Tutu Jones

Tutu Jones - Blue Texas Soul - 1996 - Bullseye Blues

The son of Dallas-based R&B guitarist Johnny B. Jones, “Tutu” Jones was truly a product of his environment -- growing up in a house frequently populated by guests including Freddie King, Little Joe Blue and Ernie Johnson, his own future as a bluesman was never in doubt. Born John Jones Jr. on September 9, 1966 in South Dallas, Texas. As a child, Tutu was constantly surrounded by blues luminaries such as Ernie Johnson, Little Joe Blue, and even Jones’ uncle L.C. Clark who was a fine guitar player in his own right. Tutu grew up steeped in in-house jam sessions of truly stellar quality. He was 4 ½ years old when he first began his musical career as a drummer. “Next thing I know, I’m playin’ drums in some club in Southeast Dallas,” says Tutu. Jones turned pro with R.L. Griffin, with whose band Tutu took on the road. He became a professional drummer while still a teen, backing his uncles Curly "Barefoot" Miller and L.C. Clark before moving on to work with the likes of Z.Z. Hill and R.L. Burnside. His life became a dizzying mélange of tours and Texas dates, hiring out as drummer for Z.Z. Hill, Al “TNT” Braggs, Ernie Johnson, and Little Joe Blue. One night, Tutu was fooling around with Joe Blue’s guitar backstage at a gig in the part of Dallas called Oak Cliff (turf to T-Bone Walker and more recently, the Vaughn Brothers). Joe Blue told him, if he could play guitar that well he should be fronting his own band. Not long after, Tutu started showing up at the myriad blues jams in the clubs in North Dallas. Joe Blue’s advice had been good, and things started happening for Tutu Jones. As Jones steadily honed his guitar and songwriting skills, he eventually began fronting bands of his own; he cut his solo debut “I'm for Real” in 1994, followed by “Blue Texas Soul” in 1996. Two years later, he released “Staying Power”. Tutu is more than the sum of his influences (though distinguished influences they are!) He is first and foremost an individualist, who puts a very personal stamp on every note that he plays and every syllable that he sings. You could call him the living personification of the sound of South Dallas, where Blues and Soul meet and are stronger for it. Tutu Jones has just released his brand new red hot CD aptly titled “Tutu Jones Live”. This CD contains what many of the critics have called “One of the hottest live Blues to be released in quite some time”. Tutu is truly one of our brightest stars in the future of the blues in the 21st Century. © http://www.tutujones.com/bio.html

Although he recorded "I'm For Real" for JSP Records in 1994, "Blue Texas Soul" was Tutu Jones' official debut American release. He is not a well known blues artist, but in 1997, he was nominated for the W.C. Handy Award, in the Soul Blues Album of the Year category. Tutu has been featured prominently in many music mags and books around the world. For example: Roadhouse Blues (Stevie Ray Vaughn and Texas R&B) by Hugh Gregory, London 2003. Although Tutu is obviously influenced by artists like Freddie King, Albert King, and Magic Sam, he is first and foremost an individualist, putting his own personal stamp on every note he plays and sings. Tutu composed six of the ten songs on "Blue Texas Soul". He also covers songs by Elmore James, Ron Levy, Billy Myles, and Jerry Beach. This is a good album, by an artist who needs more exposure. Buy his "Staying Power" album which is arguably his strongest album, and is really worth hearing

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1 The Sky Is Crying - Elmore James
2 Chronic Late Arriver - Ron Levy
3 Check Out Yourself - Tutu Jones
4 Have You Ever Loved a Woman - Billy Myles
5 It's Been A Mistake - Tutu Jones
6 You Never Had Love - Tutu Jones
7 Things Are Looking Up - Tutu Jones
8 I've Been Loving You - Tutu Jones
9 I'll Play The Blues For You - Jerry Beach
10 I'm Not Ashamed to Play the Blues - Tutu Jones

MUSICIANS

Tutu Jones - Guitar, Drums, Guitar (Rhythm), Vocals
Carl Caldwell - Bass
Ron Levy - Piano, Organ (Hammond)
Brent Nance - Drums
Andrew Love - Sax (Tenor)
Wayne Jackson -Trombone, Trumpet

REVIEWS

This Dallas-based guitarist-singer has an impressive resume, having served as sideman as drummer, guitarist, and warm-up singer for a number of Texas-based blues and soul men like Z.Z. Hill and Little Joe Blue, and having grown up with the blues (his dad and two uncles were active on the local Dallas scene). But on the basis of this and his prior CD (I'm For Real on JSP), he has yet to forge his own distinctive sound. His guitar solos, which rely on heavily plucked, long sustained notes, tend toward monotony over the 45 minutes length of the disc, although fans of contemporary blues guitar will be impressed by their muscular quality. © Steve Hoffman © 2010 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:wxfuxqyhldje~T1

**** An even stronger sophomore effort from this extremely-talented bluesman sports an unforgettable cd cover, with Tutu looking possessed as he stares at his guitar! This Texas blues, soul blues and jazzily-spiced platter starts off with a stylized take on Elmore James' "The Sky is Crying" with Jones' band speeding up the tempo and Tutu slashes guitar licks in and out and around the groove. The same goes for "I'll Play The Blues For You". Instead of a Stax-like Memphis soul groove Jones and band give it an uptown blues feel. The clever "Chronic Late Arriver" is a forceful Albert King-breathed number. He ain't cheating folks...he's just tardy. "Check Out Yourself" is a cleanly-produced soul blues with a addictive melody. © 2009 by Blues Critic Media www.bluescritic.com

...Jones demonstrates a wicked Albert Collins-influenced six-string attack and a robust, Southern soul vocal in the vein of Z.Z. Hill or Little Minton....Armed with sizzling guitar chops and a gutsy vocal style, Tutu Jones makes a strong mark on the blues scene with this solid, soulful debut. - JazzTimes (12/01/1996)



SHORT BIO

The son of Dallas-based R&B guitarist John Jones, Tutu Jones was truly a product of his environment — growing up in a house frequently populated by guests including Freddie King, Little Joe Blue and Ernie Johnson, his own future as a bluesman was never in doubt. Born John Jones Jr. on September 9, 1966, he became a professional drummer while still a teen, backing his uncles Curly "Barefoot" Miller and L.C. Clark before moving on to work with the likes of Z.Z. Hill and R.L. Burnside. At the same time, however, Jones was also honing his guitar and songwriting skills, and eventually began fronting bands of his own; he cut his solo debut I'm for Real in 1994, followed by Blue Texas Soul in 1996. Two years later, he released Staying Power. © Jason Ankeny © 2010 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll