Bryce Janey - Delta Road

2015 –Grooveyard Records

By Phillip Smith; Sep 5, 2015

I’m engrossed with the latest album from Bryce Janey, Delta Road.  This outstanding collection of bodacious guitar blues is jam-packed with exceptional songs and great musicianship.  Bassist Dan Johnson and drummer Eric Douglas both return to back Janey once again in the studio, keeping that signature sound intact. 

Right from the beginning, Janey delivers the goods. “Keep Marchin’ On” takes the listener on a musical journey.  A funky rhythm and a dab of psychedelic undertones enhance the phenomenal guitar jams he lays down.  This track is surely at the top of my list of favorites. While singing about the strong kinship between himself and his instrument, Janey lays down a catchy smooth bluesy groove in “This Old Guitar”.  This is a great platform to launch some really nice, attention-grabbing guitar licks.

Don’t let the song title “Same Old Thing” fool you.  The song is anything but that.  Once the ignition key is turned, the funk is released and Janey steers the song skyward.  The sound he conjures out of his guitar is simply amazing.  Janey digs in deep with lots of tasty slide on title track, “Delta Road”, a rich and swampy homage to The King of the Delta Blues, Robert Johnson.  I love the harmonica bursts provided by Peter Welsh.  While on the subject of Robert Johnson, I have to mention the stripped-down rendition of Johnson’s classic tune, “Hellhound on My Trail” which Janey closes the album with. This one is clearly remarkable.  

Delta Road keeps the groove moving from beginning to end, and in my humble opinion is Bryce Janey’s best work yet.        

Photos : Tinsley Ellis & The Janeys

Cedar River Blues Festival

McGrath Amphitheater

Cedar Rapids, Iowa

  Aug 1, 2015

All Photos by Phillip Smith

BillyLee Janey

Bryce Janey

Dan Johnson

Tom "T-Bone" Giblin

Bryce Janey

Dan Johnson, Bryce Janey, Eric Douglas 

Bryce Janey

BillyLee Janey, Tom "T-Bone" Giblin

Bryce Janey

Bryce Janey, BillyLee Janey

Bryce Janey, BillyLee Janey

Dan Johnson, Bryce Janey, BillyLee Janey

BillyLee Janey, Bryce Janey

Eric Douglas

Dan Johnson, BillyLee Janey

BillyLee Janey

BillyLee Janey, Tom "T-Bone" Giblin

BillyLee Janey

McGrath Amphitheater

Tinsley Ellis

Jonathon Holland

Tinsley Ellis

Tinsley Ellis

Erik Kaszynski

Tinsley Ellis

Tinsley Ellis

Jonathon Holland

Tinsley Ellis

Tinsley Ellis

Tinsley Ellis

Tinsley Ellis

Erik Kaszynski

Tinsley Ellis

Tinsley Ellis and Jonathon Holland

Jonathon Holland, Tinsley Ellis

Jonathon Holland, Tinsley Ellis

Tinsley Ellis

Tinsley Ellis

Tinsley Ellis

Tinsley Ellis

BillyLee Janey - Got Them Iowa Blues

2015 –Damn Good Tunes

By Phillip Smith; July 12, 2015

In 1975, BillyLee Janey recorded the critically-acclaimed psych-blues album Truth and Janey’s No Rest For the Wicked. Give his latest album, Got Them Iowa Blues a listen and one will find out very fast, Janey is still pushing the envelope of sound, producing some of the best electric guitar blues around.  Joining Janey in the making of this album is his son, Bryce Janey on bass guitar, and drummer Eric Douglas.

From the get-go on “Damn Good” Janey breaks out his satchel full of swagger, and delivers some of the most wickedly interesting guitar licks I’ve heard.  Listening to “Superstar” sends chills down my spine.  I don’t know how he does it, but his guitar speaks a different language than most.  It’s simply amazing to hear all these cools sounds immersed in a big bowlful of blues.  I love the driving funky beat from guest drummer, John Wilson on “Mean Ole Twister”.  Janey channels the chaos and furious force of an F5 tornado into this tune, and drops a subtle Wizard of Oz reference which makes me smile.  

Those who have ever lived in Iowa will surely understand where Janey is coming from as he sings about frigid winters, hail storms, and Midwest tornados in the slow-simmered “Iowa Blues”.  The man knows how to play the blues, that’s for sure.  I could listen this all day.  

For more info about BillyLee Janey, vist his website: www.billyleejaney.com

http://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/

Bryce Janey - Blues in my Soul : From the Archives #17

2010 – Grooveyard Records  

By Phillip Smith; July 10, 2010

Blues in my Soul, the latest release by Bryce Janey, shows true grit as it showcases his skillful song writing, fine guitar slinging, and deep soulful vocals.  There is a huge Texas blues presence on this album, akin to the likes of Billy Gibbons, Johnny Winter, and Stevie Ray Vaughan.   Accompanying Janey are Dan Johnson on bass, and Eric Douglas on drums.  Both are excellent musicians and assist in making Blues in my Soul the enjoyable listening experience that it is.  

The bass line Dan Johnson provides for “Walkin’ on a Live Wire”, is infectious and ominous.  I could listen to this song all day long.  It is my favorite track.  Janey has a talent for making his Strat sing, and the way he exhibits that talent makes this song a treat to listen to.   Another great song, “Mission For Love”, with its’ funky trance-inducing groove, is pure enjoyment. 

“City Under Water” stirred up a lot of emotion, as it unleashed memories of the flood of 2008 which hit Cedar Rapids very hard, and left an unfathomable amount of destruction.  The feeling of helplessness we all had as we saw the river rise out of its banks are duly expressed as Janey sings,  ‘The sky is falling.  The ground is coming up.  Water at my knees.  I’m running out of luck.’ 

Other notable cuts include a pair of really cool cover songs, Johnny Winter’s “Medicine Man”, and Robin Trower’s spacey ballad “In This Place”.   Blues in my Soul is a fine album.  Pick it up and have a good listen.

For more information about Bryce Janey :  http://www.thejaneys.com/


http://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/

The Janeys - Get Down With the Blues

Grooveyard Records,  2013

By Phillip Smith; December 22, 2013

It has always been a pleasurable treat when Billylee Janey and Bryce Janey join forces to play as The Janeys. With Get Down With the Blues, their third studio release playing together, they continue a family tradition of producing outstanding blues.  Accompanying the talented father/son team is bassist Dan ‘DJ’ Johnson, and drummer Eric Douglas.  Also joining the crew on four tracks with his Hammond organ is Tommy ‘T-Bone’ Giblin.

Get Down With the Blues opens strong and closes even stronger as the Janeys cover Jimi Hendrix’s “Beginnings” on track one, and serving up a very cool rendition of ‘Third Stone From the Sun’ on the last track.  I love the dual electric guitar sound riding atop the percussionary bus driven by Douglas on “Beginnings”. Billylee and Bryce trade licks back and forth as if fighting it out in a psychedelic guitar-centric ‘Thunderdome’. 
I consider “Third Stone From the Sun”, the desert at the end of the meal.  I just want to close my eyes and listen when it comes on.  Johnson and Douglas keep the trance-friendly rhythm going while the Janeys totally let loose on their guitars.  This one is the crème de la crème.

The Janeys offers up quite a soulful rendition of “It’s Not My Cross to Bear” from the Allman Brothers Band’s self-titled album.  I like the way it witfully ends with the closing riff from “Whipping Post”, also from that same Allman Brothers album. Giblin and his Hammond, gives this one authenticity.   Still on the subject of covers, I have to smile when I hear “Mind Bender”, the classic ditty from Stillwater about a mind-bending guitar whose father was a Gibson and mother was a Fender (that’s why they call him Mind Bender).  The Janeys also nail down “The Good Love”, a track from Johnny Winter’s Second Winter album.  Bryce’s deep vocals fit this one very well. 

There’s some really nice originals on the album too.  I really like the slightly unsettling track, “When the Devil Comes Out to Play”.  It has a retro Seventies Blues Rock vibe and just the right amount of fuzz.  “The Rose” is another one that made me perk up and take notice.  Marinated in a big bucket of Southern Rock, I hear a definite Allman Brothers influence running through this one.            

The Janeys scored big with the appropriately titled, Get Down With the Blues. This collection of Blues Rock is a sweet blend of deep covers and interesting originals.            

Bryce Janey - “Burning Flame”

By Phillip Smith

 

Bryce Janey’s newest CD, Burning Flame has been the only disc in my vehicle all week, and I haven’t had the urge to pop in a different disc yet.  That’s just how good this album is.  Chock full of Texas style blues, about motorcycles, guitars, bootleggers, and lost love, with a little swamp thrown in; this eleven track album features the Dan “DJ” Johnson on bass guitar, Eric Douglas on drums, and Tommy T-Bone Giblin on the Hammond organ.      

Janey brings us in with a strong opener, “Chrome Horse”, a blues-ridden rocker, sure to be a favorite of motorcyclists everywhere.  When I hear this one, I think of how great it would be to hear it on the FX television show, Sons of Anarchy.  

If you asked what songs really jump out, I would certainly include, the Jimi Hendrix influenced “Can You Feel It?”  Johnson’s killer bass line drives this one, while Janey lays down some smoking guitar licks.  “Guitar Playing Fool” is one I really feel.  Giblin’s Hammond shines through as Janey sings about making a living playing music.   

There are a couple of covers on the album worth mentioning. The first is “Special Ryder Blues” by Skip James, which Janey has definitively made his own.  I love the bass line on this one, and overall this is one of my favorite cuts on the whole album.  The second cover, “The Stealer”, a Free cover originally recorded in 1970, which has a new more eerie swampy personality.  Another nice selection from the swamp is “The Last Goodbye”, and this is one I am instantly drawn to.  Janey lets loose and the guitar seems to play itself.   I really like this one a lot.

      

Janey has set the bar up another notch, one upping himself again.  Burning Flame is absolutely enjoyable from start to finish.  It is definitely worth exploring.