The Soul of John Black

John "JB" Bigham has had a long and varied career, a far ranging background reflected on his debut The Soul of John Black solo album. That set was a masterpiece of eclectic styles, in contrast, his follow-up, The Good Girl Blues, hones in on only one - the blues, in all its shades of glory.

In fact, the set is virtually a dissertation on traditional blues, as Bigham explores its many variations whilst deftly connecting it with more modern sounds. He does this brilliantly on "Swamp Thang", at its core a porch pickin' blues piece that surreptitiously threads its way straight into hiphop, a style accented by the beats and Bigham's slipping towards rapping his lyrics. Likewise "Slipin' and Slidin'" is pure swamp blues, except for the eerie effects and a touch of hiphop scratching that slithers through.

"The Moon Blues" is traditional blues to its very core, with a sensuous, smokey jazz club aura, but with Bigham's lead guitar licks hinting at the rock'n'roll that eventually expropriated it. "Fire Blues" gives a further nod to that progression, blues filtered through white hands for a decade and landing fore square in the mainstream, although Bigham's vocals remind us, that simultaneously Black soul artists were pulling the sound back home. The fabulously funky "Feelin's" tips a hat to one of the first Black acts to cross the divide between blues and rock, Sly & the Family Stone.

Widening his net, Bigham crosses the border, digging "The Hole" with Lead Belly's sweat and a shovelful of Latin rhythms. "Moanin'" digs even deeper to find a link between the blues and flamenco, capturing the emotion of both, amidst a blur of guitar strumming.

It's all the blues, and Bigham plays them with a passion and delivers them at times with a decided humor, as on "One Hit", where gospel gets its due with a wickedly witty look at a crack whore. Then there's "Deez Blues", which arrives like an unannounced and unwanted houseguest that just won't leave, with the ever more desolate Bigham moaning out a litany of hilariously country fried complaints, in a desperate attempt to chase the blues out of his home.

The perfect blues primer, Good Girl makes learning both effortless and effortlessly entertaining. Bigham's guitar work is stunning throughout, his drumming not so much, but more than good enough, with guesting musicians flawlessly filling in the gaps. Together they create the blues as they once were and still are, an integral part of the landscape that's colored virtually every genre since, all seen through the prism of one of it's most devoted fans and talented practitioners.

These tracks do cook...TSOJB have created a distinctive collection of polished, very hip tunes.

The acoustic serenade “Time(Losing My Mind)” sends a hundred magic fingers down your spine.

It's blues for a new generation, crafted by a mature spirit who is adept at acoustic, electric, and slide guitars as well as soulful singing... Bigham and his crew are at the forefront of a small but (one can hope) potent movement that's bringing blues up to date without sacrificing authenticity.

At times as edgy as some of the hardest rap, at times as musically experimental and rocking as Hendrix.

A testament to the strength of African American music and the undeniable influence of the blues... Bigham's anguished wail will grab your gut and turn it inside out.

This expertly and perfectly crafted blues rock record is one of the best listens of the year...

Ok, this cat went directly from parking cars in a condominium complex to being asked to write songs for Miles Davis. Miles immediately made John "JB" Bigham his protege - touring and playing together - knowing that if he passed on this obviously untapped talent, someone else would snatch him as soon as they heard a pair of notes...and he was right. It wasn't long before he was asked to join Fishbone to rock stages the world over. "The Good Girl Blues" is his debut solo effort, and people, make sure you pick up everything this guy gets his hands into, for this expertly and perfectly crafted blues rock record is one of the best listens of the year. The pains and pressures and heartbreaks and losses and tragedies changes and stresses and all (y)our everyday-life turds are transformed into something, well...quite beautiful. We all feel the same things...JB just happens to embody our troubled spirits in a fashion that makes you want to cry smiling.

This hip-hop/soul/jam-rock fusion outfit colors every shade of it’s songs right inside the lines, so the thrill is in the zesty precision of the group’s playing.

Achieves a real-right surreality, blending blaxploitation, black water and Blue Velvet... Working mainly in haunted blues but dipping freely into other harmonic honeypots, Bigham sings the love, lust and lamentations of a complicated cat: himself.

Old-school funk pulsed through this debut…the results are spine-tingling.

…very tight band brings the sweetly old-school funk-rock with that kinda rare relaxed feel…there’s something countrified about it all, like they can’t be bothered to heed the trends. Pure pleasure.

The Soul of John Black sometimes sound as if they're channeling the same ancestral ghosts as Otis Taylor... both embraces and transcends the blues tradition.

(Cadabra Records)

All hail one of the new faces of soul: John “JB” Bigham. The roots of deep Southern, African-American music slither their way across Bigham’s sophomore release, The Good Girl Blues, which is filled with impressive songwriting, intricate guitar lines and soothing bass bumps. Bigham’s past credits include writing songs and playing percussion for Miles Davis, as well as handling guitar and keyboards for the eclectic rock/funk/ska band Fishbone, so he brings a lot of interesting experience and influences to his music. The first SOJB album was a full collaboration with Chris Thomas—he makes an appearance here as a bassist on two tracks—but this time Bigham has taken the production reigns himself; this is clearly his show now. He even recorded the album at home. Among the standout tracks are “The Hole,” the funky/sexy “I Got Work,” the B.B. King–inspired “Good Girl” and Memphis groove of “Feelin’s.” The Good Girl Blues is evidence that Bigham has grown dramatically as an artist and songwriter—his fusion of soul and blues sounds new, even as it hearkens back to the classic feel of past styles.

Must Play: “Fire Blues”

Producer: Bigham. Studio: Whitley Manor. Mixer: Richard “Segal” Huredia. Mastering: Robert Hadley/Mastering Lab (Hollywood).

Starting at the crowded intersection of r&b and hip hop,they gather in elements of the blues and psychedelic rock and stevie wonder-ish vocal improvisation,yet never sound pretentious.

Soul music sounds so strong played on acoustic guitars, it’s a shame more artists don’t take advantage of it. The Soul of John Black plays it for all it’s worth.

Goes straight to the roots of American music, paying a shrewdly contemporary tribute to the likes of Leadbelly, John Lee Hooker, and Muddy Waters

The Soul of John Black uncovers a stripped bare but solid little band fusing soul, blues-rock and hip-hop flavas. A+

Takes place at the crossroads where soul, blues, swamp and African-American folk music mingle to produce a sound that's primal and modern, streetwise and sophisticated.