Reviews of the latest Jamie Williams Band CD

'Blues In Heaven'

Being asked to review an album can be a daunting task. What happens if you don’t like it? Well luckily this is not the case. Jamie and his band bring all their years of experience to this excellent and well-crafted debut album.

This album may be short, being just eight tracks long, but what it lacks in quantity it certainly make up for in quality.

All the tracks except the opening track “Midnight Train” are self penned originals.

From start to finish this is a strong album, and it’s hard to find a bad track.

That said, my favourite tracks are: “Life Is Hard” and “Lonesome Howl From The Heart”. Being a debut album all bodes well for the future for this band.

I look forward to hearing more from this band, and sharing their talents with my radio listeners.

Bernie - Future Radio (Norwich)

http://www.myspace.com/berniedollery

With an excellent track on the new Essex Delta Blues – Vol ll – A-Z CD serving as an appetite whetter, this 8 track offering from the Jamie Williams Band is very welcome.

Opening with the only cover, ‘Midnight Train’ is a lovely mid-tempo funky number which appeared on the first Essex Delta Blues CD and received some very favourable comment.

The band is a four piece featuring the prolific singer/songwriter Jamie on vocals and the very talented and skilful Ian Woolway on guitar and it is they who have written all the other tracks on this CD. Sean Collyer is rock solid on drums along side the band’s newest member, the excellent bass player, Josh Graham.

‘Honey Chile’ is the aforementioned Vol ll contribution and ‘Life is Hard’ is a very much more traditional blues reflecting the band’s move towards more blues based songs. With some gorgeous National guitar from Ian the track has very much lighter feel than many of the band’s offerings, I really like this one.

‘Don’t Hold Back’ has a much rockier feel and has some lovely bass embellishments as well as seeing Ian showing his versatility, particularly as the track ends. ‘Fix Your Soul’ again has a lovely bluesy feel to it whilst ‘Rolling Back’ is a right rocker, opening with some wild and stinging guitar and sets a pace that defies you to stay still, a complete contrast to the penultimate track, the gorgeous ‘Lonesome Howl From the Heart’, a cracking acoustic offering with some gorgeous guitar from Ian and a real Delta feel to it (and I don’t mean the Thames delta!). The final track is the title track and is a much rockier affair with a lyric with which all blues lovers will identify; ‘If they don’t play blues in heaven, then I’m going to hell!’ Amen to that Jamie.

So, the first collection from the Jamie Williams Band was certainly worth waiting for and leaves me eagerly wanting more. This CD can only serve to, deservedly, further enhance their growing reputation and status.

Ashwyn Smyth - Digital Blues

http://www.myspace.com/digitalbluesuk

The Jamie Williams blues band reside in the heart of the English Delta, Essex! Their new CD ‘Blues in Heaven’, upholds the tradition of bluesmen from this fertile breeding ground, but they are not stuck in the past, they embrace it and attempt to take it forward.

8 tracks 36 minutes. Very Good All the songs are vibrant and played with a good mix of solos and tight rhythm.

Highlights include the opening track ‘Midnight Train’ where the mood is set, a good back beat, nice instruments but all the time allowing the strong voice of Jamie to lead and the rest follow well.

‘Rolling Back’ nice laid back song, good guitar soloing, has the ‘Tommy Castro’ feel to it.

‘Lonesome Howl From the Heart’ Has that slow Delta feel to it, that gets you your whole body starting to sway.

‘Blues in Heaven’ the final track, it comes around so quickly, sentiments shared by all blues lovers ’If they don’t play blues in Heaven then I’m going to hell’

The first track is the only song not written by the band, which goes to show they really are a complete package not just another ‘cover band’

This is a well recorded and mixed CD, that focuses on the band and the music, not on gimmicks done in the studio.

If you ever get the opportunity to see these guys live then make sure you do, otherwise buy the CD you won't regret it.

Geoff Barton

aka DJ: Catnadja - Helsinki's Blues Cafe