 |
| Edgar Jones |
Edgar William Jones, singer-songwriter, was born in Liverpool on the 4th of December 1970 and has also been known as Edgar Summertyme. He ditched the Summertyme pseudonym when, in 2005, he released his first solo album as Edgar Jones, 'Soothing Music For Stray Cats'. This album was a particular favourite of Noel Gallagher who said of it, "This blew me away when it was released. It's a collossal mix of jazz, blues and voodoo jibber-jabber. The best-sounding record to come out of Liverpool ever."
Before then Edgar had been a figure in the Liverpool music scene in many ways since he was 18 years old. Originally filling a role as a bassist in Ian McCulloch's 'Echo and The Bunnymen', he then formed his own band with Ged Lynn and Paul Maguire. As their bass player and singer-songwriter, this cult Liverpudlian garage band 'The Stairs' achieved cult status in 1992 with their album, 'Mexican R'n'B'. He then went on to play with 'The La's' before he and Sean Payne formed 'The Isrites', a band he also fronted.
There followed a spell when he was 'a stylish gun for hire', performing with the likes of 'Saint Etienne', Paul Weller, 'Love', 'Ocean Colour Scene' and Johnny Marr, before returning to Liverpool to form 'The Big Kids' in 2001. However they also had a restricted life span as there was just too much talent for one band to contain. Drummer Sean Payne and bass player Russell Pritchard, became the new back line for 'The Zutons', whilst lead guitarist Howie Payne went on to form 'The Stands' and then release material under his own name.
By 2005 he seemed to have found the perfect palate for his influences, not to mention the players with which to play the tunes. He had begun to formulate the idea of creating a group of musicians who would emulate the great sixties session bands like 'The Wrecking Crew'. The plan would manifest itself in the formation of 'The Joneses', a musical collective who began to encompass Edgar's love of jazz and R 'n' B in a glorious fashion. Recorded in a portastudio donated by Johnny Marr, jazz, rock'n' roll, soul, funk and doo wop were all smeared across this debut solo album, 'Soothing Music For Stray Cats', which was released to critical acclaim and was nominated for a Mercury Music Prize.
Edgar then followed that album up in 2007 with 'Gettin' A Little Help From The Joneses', backed by 'The Joneses' and a third album, 'The Masked Marauder', recorded with friends was released in 2008.
When 'The Joneses' split up, Edgar's response in August 2008 was to go back to the start and once again convene a three-piece called 'Free Peace', with his nephew Nick Miniski and guitarist Stuart Gimblett playing loud garage rock. It sounded like he simply wanted to get back to playing good music.
The band's Myspace page read: "Their sound is loud and heavy but contains a lot of soul. 'Led Zeppelin' is a definite influence but 'The Jimi Hendrix Experience' and the Southern soul sound of New Orleans also form an important part of the mix. Like the great rock bands of the late 1960s, 'Free Peace' is all about respecting the traditions of jazz, R 'n' B and soul music, something which Edgar feels that a lot of modern bands just don’t do."
An EP was released via gigs, mail order and independent record shops in Liverpool as they began the process of recording for their debut album, which was set to be released on their own label, Loud Soul in October 2009. The band had seen Jones return to the 3 piece rock sound of 'The Stairs' and they had reportedly finished about 20 songs for their debut album before they set off on a European tour supporting 'Oasis'. The Gallagher's loved them, as did the fans; It was all set up; the album was in the making, so could 'Free Peace' finally propel Edgar Jones to the standing in British music he deserved?
Well, no! For some reason 'Free Peace' dropped off a cliff. No album. No tour. No news. No updates.
After a brief spell playing with ex-'Zutons' singer Dave McCabe, Edgar retreated to his Toxteth pad to record demos for what was to become the wonderful and rather moving fourth solo album 'Sense Of Harmony'. Following a succession of health and financial problems the album was released in 2012.
In November 2015, Edgar reunited with 'The Stairs' who later released a collection of rare recordings on The Viper Label and the following year, 'Soothing Music For Stray Cats' was re-issued on limited edition vinyl via The Viper Label and Mellowtone Records.
In July 2016, Edgar put together a backing band for Johnny Echols, the co-founder and the lead guitar player of the psychedelic rock band, 'Love'. This was for a show at Sefton Park dubbed 'From Liverpool With Love' featuring guest vocalists such as John Power, Dave McCabe and Nick Ellis.
Edgar Jones' latest solo record entitled 'The Song Of Day and Night' was released in 2017, on Skeleton Key Records as he put together a touring band, dubbed 'The New Joneses' and toured the UK with fellow Skeleton Key acts as well as headlining the Kristian Ealey Stage at the Smithdown Road Festival in Sefton Park's Palm House.
Never one to shy away from unleashing a prime number for this adoring fan base, January 2021 saw the release of a stunning 3 CD box set, 'The Way It Is', featuring rarities by his garage bands and Mercury Music Prize nominated albums. Giglutz says, "The outstanding rich quality and diversity of his material is as
charming as dipping a toe into a warm soap sud filled bath, a unique
blend of mixing the sound of the old with the new. His prolific diverse output is up there with his contemporaries including 'The Real People', Paul McCartney and Paul Weller."
No comments:
Post a Comment