Jay Tamkin Band

Jay Tamkin Band - Sorted - 2009 - Rokoko Records

"Jay Tamkin is one of the finest blues based musicians performing in the UK today. He has developed a large array of inventive and excellently crafted songs while his live show demonstrates his explosive skills on guitar and keyboards". © Duncan Beattie-Reviewer for Blues Matters Magazine: "Jay is one of the most talented and multi faceted musicians of his generation. He's currently making a name for himself as a guitarist, but his abilities extend well beyond this. His career could take many musical directions including jazz piano and song writing. A modern day Stevie Winwood!" © John O'Leary

An excellent debut album by the Torquay, England based Jay Tamkin Band. Jay is only 23 y.o, but displays a talent way beyond his years. This album displays a wide range of musical elements, but predominantly its a mix of jazz and blues rock. Jay is influenced by great blues rock musicians like Albert King and Walter Trout, and also by the jazz rock genius, Donald Fagen (Steely Dan). "Sorted" is a diverse album, with some wonderful funk grooves, some Latin flavoured acoustic guitar pieces, and also some straight melodic rock. There are shades of the late SRV running through the album. The great Stevie Ray greatly influenced Jay Tamkin's guitar style, and will always be a model for many aspiring young guitarists. "Sorted" is HR by A.O.O.F.C. Watch out for future JTB releases, and think about buying them. This is a band worthy of promotion. For music in a similar style, listen to Aynsley Lister's great "All or Nothing" album

TRACKS

01 Get In Your Way
02 I Remember When
03 Love Dont Keep Me Down
04 Intermission One Nice N Jazzy
05 Jedi
06 Troubles
07 Your Friends Are Mine
08 Intermission Two The Frescura
09 Tomorrow
10 You Need A Woman
11 Got A New Reason
12 Leavin This Town

All songs composed by Jay Tamkin

BAND

Jay Tamkin - Guitar, Vocals
Rik 'Howling' Christiansen - Keyboards
Nick Ramos Pinto - Drums

REVIEWS

"An album that delivers on electric shock both in style and effect". Whether it's the rock 'n' roll that has seeped into the blues of Jay Tamkin or just his natural style that makes this album an exciting ride.But it's also an album that's built on more than just play it loud and play it fast. 'Troubles' for me,for instance is about six minutes of hypnotic blues,that slowly reveals itself. However,lurking underneath is the same unstoppable energy of the showstopping 'Get in Your Way'. However there's still room for a little jazz relief with the aptly named 'Nice'n'Jazzy'which delivers everything it's tilte suggests it might. In fact, there are two moments of 'light relief'.Because joining 'Nice'n'Jazzy' is 'La Frescura' and again,if the title suggests romantic, exotic latin rhythms, that's exactly what you get.While both tracks are in sharp contrast to the adrenaline fuelled blues of the rest of SORTED they are so beautifully executed that they work perfectly, cleansing the palate before it's time to savour the main feast again. The rest of SORTED is all about 'blues/rock' including the puzzlingly titled 'Jedi',which may lean on modern culture but is huge fun.Thankfully SORTED has been left pretty much as nature intended,untouched and raw. The producers have left well alone,'Leavin This Town'is undoubtedly the Jay Tamkin Band at it's best, untamed and free, it's also the perfect way to sign off. © MM-Maverick Magazine

“Sorted” from Jay Tamkin is a highly impressive release, particularly from a 22-year-old. Twelve imaginative tracks, showing great musical maturity from such a young man. His influences are easy to identify, but Jay is no mimic, and although the obligatory SRV influence rises to the surface, on the Texas groove laden ‘Got A New Reason’, it’s impossible to criticise him for it. The CD is littered with great guitar moments. Just listen to the solo on ‘I Remember When’ for just one example. But it’s not just his solo work that impresses me. Jay uses catchy melodic rock riffs and picked phrases to weave an interesting tapestry into his work, the excellent opening track, ‘Get In Your Way’, is a fine example of what I mean. There are also two tracks showing Jay’s diversity. Tracks four and eight (or intermission one and two) are acoustic work outs showing Jay’s jazzy background - the bustling Django Reinhardt style ‘Nice ‘n’ Jazzy’ and the Latin laid-back feel of ‘La Frescura’. “Sorted” is an impressive debut release, and Jay is certainly in danger of getting some serious recognition. © Davide Styles, Blues Matters! - Issue 50 - Aug 09

In the monthly trawl through wheat and chaff, this album almost ended up as a coffee mug coaster, thanks to a title and sleeve that imply a belated homage to the Madchester scene. With our hand guided irresistably by a higher power, though Classic Rock gave the CD a cursory spin...and was surprised to unearth a bum-fluffed British guitar-slinger,22 year old Jay Tamkin,there's no doubt that congenital talent is at work here,from the instinctive guitar mangling of 'Love Don't Keep Me Down' and the hip-bucking groove of 'Get In Your Way',to 'Intermission One's' Django Reinhardt-esque cafe jazz. Our mug of coffee might have left a ring on the desk, but this album left a smile on our face. © HENRY YATES, classic rock magazine

Hailing from 'The English Riviera' town of Torquay comes this first release from The Jay Tamkin Band,fronted by the 22 years old guitarist and vocalist, with the rhythm section of Pete Searle (bass) and Nick Ramos Pinto (drums) firmly in the blues-rock camp, but with enough variation and subtlety to make it an interesting listen. Jay Tamkin seems to be well on the way to establishing himself and band firmly on the scene, with support slots already with Ian Siegal, Sherman Robertson and Chris Farlowe, and a healthy number of gigs forthcoming, including three at the prestigious Maryport Blues Festival in July. Those admirers of the likes of Aynsley Lister, Ian Parker will find plenty to like in the twelve tracks on offer here, kicking off with the melodic rocker 'Get In Your Way' followed by the moody blues of 'I Remember When' and the funky groove of 'Love Don't Keep Me Down' with its spiky lead lines and Tamkin's gutsy vocals. The two tracks that show his diversity are 'Intermission One ' Nice'N' Jazzy' an acoustic Django Reinhardt-style instrumental; and later,'Intermission Two' La Frescura', another delightful acoustic piece with a nice Latin tinge to it, and some very fine fingerpicked guitar work. Elsewhere the band rock hard on 'Jedi', and Tamkin lays down a Texas shuffle on 'Troubles' and he freely admits that listening to the late, great Stevie Ray Vaughan inspired him to pick up a guitar. Another tough rocker is 'Your Friends Are Mine' with more funk grooves on 'Tomorrow' showing off his fluid guitar lines. The SRV influence is stamped on 'Got A New Reason' and the closing 'Leavin This Town' two driving blues-rockers, but containing enough 'light and shade' to make them not self indulgent, with the solid rhythm section of Pete Searle and Nick Ramos Pinto being really tight behind Tamkin. © GRAHAME RHODES

Jay Tamkin apologised to me just after he recorded this CD because he didn’t think it would be ‘Bluesy’ enough for my tastes. Having first met this engaging young man about two years ago , I have followed his blossoming career with a proprietary interest and not a little excitement. Make no mistake. This debut album marks the arrival of someone very special on the British music scene. Jay Tamkin has met and exceeded our expectations every time and I am confident he will continue to do so. Yes, he is an exciting performer. Yes, there is an inventiveness to his music. He writes good tunes, he is a fleet-fingered guitarist when the moment demands (not to mention a very good singing voice too) but there is so much more. There is a sense of adventure evident throughout this CD. But it is not a gung-ho experience either. Jay is willing to experiment with both sound and fills. There is a solid musicianship evident in this youngster’s songwriting but there is a musicality too. Each track is very different, each a considered blend of ideas and execution. And then, just to confound us, there are a couple of surprises too. Jay Tamkin has class and this CD clearly demonstrates that he is not a ‘one-trick pony’. There is absolutely no necessity for apologies about this fine piece of work. I believe that, with the right promotion and encouragement, this young man could become a major performer. © Blues Show Bob/GTFM RADIO

'SORTED' is an exhilarating musical journey that admirably lives up to its title.Comprising 12 imaginative tracks full of musical twists and turns, here is an album that is routed in the powerful rock - blues tradition but is never constricted by it. And while Jay Tamkin explores trademark 12 bar blues and impressive power shuffles, he thinks nothing of striking out with a mix of lilting funk, acoustic instrumental gypsy jazz, unexpected Latino flourishes and enough strong melody lines topped by fluid guitar grooves to satisfy most musical palettes." © PETE FEENSTRA www.getreadytorock.com

There is no shortage of fine young guitarists, all vying to join the likes of Ian Siegal, Matt Schofield or Aynsley Lister as the great British guitar hope and there seems to be no shortage of people willing to listen to them. Into all this comes Jay Tamkin and if he is given the right guidance and assistance he could be as big as any of them. His guitar playing is fast and funky and he isn't a half-bad vocalist while his songs are fine examples of the craft but it is his variety and maturity that, at only 22 years old, points to a stellar future. Among the little gems on this album are the opener, 'Get In Your Way', a funk/Blues workout with an excellent vocal performance and 'Jedi', an unclassifiable love song (really!). His acoustic dexterity is also shown on 'Intermission Two - La Frescura' where he freshens the musical palette with some Spanish flavoured solo guitar work. He has it in him to become a serious player and this is a damn fine start. © Andy Snipper, FATEA MAGAZINE

ABOUT JAY TAMKIN / ALBUM

22 year old Jay Tamkin describes 'Sorted' his debut album on Wienerworld as 'a documentary of my musical steps so far'. It's a significant observation for while this 22 year old West Country guitarist and multi instrumentalist is grounded in the blues he's got the song writing ability and musical chops to fulfil his huge potential in a very contemporary way. Indeed Classic Rock magazine recently likened the front cover of his album as resembling something from 'the Madchester scene', before commenting on his 'instinctive guitar mangling' and his 'hip bucking grooves'. For make no mistake Jay Tamkin may be an up and coming rock/blues guitarist of the highest order but at heart he remains a fiercely independent musical spirit but firmly grounded in the blues. Influenced on the blues side by SRV, Walter Trout and Albert and Freddie King, he cites Steely Dan's Donald Fagen as being equally important influence on the jazz side. Jay was further inspired by Paul Jones's BBC 2 Blues show before finding his musical conduits in the shape of Popa Chubby and John Mayall's guitarist Buddy Whittington. Significantly perhaps, he's already managed to play with both of his heroes. Jay learned his craft in the best possible environment spending 6 years with the esteemed Devon Youth Jazz Orchestra as principal bass player, a position that enabled him to combine musical theory and serious practice with such musical heavy weights as Jools Holland, Dennis Rollins and Roy Ayers. And it is the combination of his musical confidence, a surprising mature song writing style and a willingness to explore musical boundaries that makes 'Sorted' such an impressive debut album. 'I was going for an eclectic mix of styles' says Jay. But while there are some wonderful musical tensions pulling him in the diverse directions of rock, funk and acoustic flavoured Latino styles, it's the blues that lies at his core. 'I enjoy a lot of different contemporary music,' says Jay, 'but blues takes real feeling and soul to express it properly. My songs tend to be little stories, based around real life experiences. In fact Popa Chubby virtually gave me the song 'You Need A Woman', when he gave me some much needed personal advice. I just transcribed what he told me into the lyrics of the song' (laughs). In an era when guitar heroes have made a strong comeback, Jay Tamkin isn't about to make his pitch solely as a guitarist. Rather it's his rich musical persona that marks his out as unique. For while his restless imagination may push him into variety of styles via some fiery notes and melodic grooves, JT is treading his own path. Indeed as his album title suggests he's just about 'Sorted'. © http://jaytamkinband.com/ver1-0/page.php?11