“On Parole & Out of Control” highlights Jones’ mastery of roots rock, its hyper-speed guitar romping along at breakneck speed; the lyric shows a playful side. Speaking of, it’s tough not to laugh out loud at “Doghouse,” with its tale of love gone bad and a chickin’-pickin’ solo that perfectly fits the country feel. The tour de force, though, is “How High the Moon.” His gorgeous chord opening turns quickly into plain-old swing that features the familiar melody before Jones displays his harmonic skills while playing chords and chops that takes the listener through chorus after chorus of soloing without becoming monotonous or boring.
Jones, bassist Joe Kyle, Jr., and drummer Jimmy Sage form the trio, and get some help from pianist Caroline Dahl and steel guitarist David Phillips. The band cooks and the empathy between the players is obvious. With Rip and Run, Jones moves up a rung on the ladder.
This article originally appeared in VG‘s April ’11 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.
