Rockin’ Texas blues recorded live at Music City Texas Theater in Linden Texas. For those unfamiliar with Wes Jeans he was once touted as a “Texas Young Gun” but is now a seasoned musician and has shared the stage with blues rock notables like B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Billy Gibbons, Jimmy Vaughan, Hubert Sumlin, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Kenny Wayne Shepherd. Live At Music City Texas marks his third release and his first live album after “Forest of the Pine” which gained tremendous commercial success especially on XM radio.
The live album revisits a few of the powerhouse blows which gave the prior release such popularity with “Forest of the Pine”, “Move on”, and a cover of Johnny Winter’s tune “Dallas.” It also showcases Wes’ guitar talent while Lance Lopez covers vocals on the Lucky Peterson tune “Locked Outa Love.” Lopez also provides vocals on “El Paso Sugar” and my funky favorite “Somebody” which creates a groove that refuses to let you sit still! Guest vocalist Jason Helms joins Wes on the song “Devil In Me” as Wes throws down the piercing licks and soulful vocals rounding out the songs accompanied by Lopez and Helms.
Wes shreds through a tune and sound familiar to ZZ Top fans with the cover “Nasty Dogs & Funky Kings” making it his own with a down and dirty duo of vocal and strings! What remains is a melodic instrumental which soothes the soul and hits a spiritual climax from the tone of his Fender Strat, a classic roadhouse favorite “Champagne & Reefer” and “Five Long Years”, another familiar classic.
Wes begins the instrumental “Boomerang” with a slow delicate stroke of the strings then increases the intensity until you’re caught in a hypnotic riff before he backs it down to allow you to breath. He then kicks in the intensity and speed which flows from the Strat grabbing you once again as the strings cry out and carry you to the songs soothing and patient end. This is now one of my most favorite instrumentals and for me is best enjoyed while sitting in the dark completely focused on it!
On the final song of the disc Wes adds his own style and licks to the classic “Champagne & Reefer” finishing out a live performance Which starts off heavy, grooves you, moves you, and finishes out as it started, Rockin’ Texas Blues! Wes Jeans is working dates across the country so keep an eye out for him to appear in Indy in support of his live album! You can pick up his new release at his website www.wesjeans.com or at one of his shows.
Wes Jeans: Vocals & Guitar
Lance Lopez: Vocals & Guitar
Syd Hydro: Bass Guitar
Jack Miller: Drums
Jason Helms: Guest Vocal
Track List:
- Forest of the Pine
- Move On
- Dallas
- Locked Outa Love
- Five Long Years
- El Paso Sugar
- Nasty Dogs & funky Kings
- Devil In Me
- Somebody
- Boomerang
- Champagne & Reefer
Support blues by getting out to the venues to see musicians like Wes, as you have read, the shows really rock!
Mark Bastin
