Nashville-based guitarist, singer and songwriter JD Simo released his new album, Â âSongs From The House Of Greaseâ, last Friday (13th January).
Recorded with his trio (completed by drummer Adam Abrashoff and bassist Todd Bolden), JD has previously explained that “this album is a live snapshot of me and the fellas playing some favourite tracks, and I think it comes through on the recordings just how comfortable and easy-going the sessions were. Itâs as if youâre in the room with us hanging out. I couldn’t be prouder, as it captures my best playing ever.â
Containing five songs with a total running time of 40 minutes, it includes covers of John Coltrane’s ‘Afro Blue’, Blind Alfred Reed’s ‘How Can A Poor Man Stand Such Times And Live’ and Mississippi Fred McDowell’s ‘Mortgage on My Soulâ, plus a free jazz take on Simoâs own ‘Higher Plane’ (from his self-titled 2020 solo record) and a brand new Meters inspired cut entitled âMissyâs Strutâ. The last of these was immediately added to Spotifyâs popular Instrumental Funk playlist upon release.
âMortgage On My Soulâ was released as the first single from the record in September and can be heard HERE. Discussing his incendiary version of the classic hill country blues song, JD enthused: âI just really dug the words and I also love the hypnotic vibe of his style. Over the course of a few months we started doing it during soundchecks and Adam came up with this killer Afrobeat style groove. Itâs also a really good showcase for my slide playing and is such a blast to play.â
Its follow-up was the very different âAfro Blueâ, which was ostensibly an interpretation of John Coltraneâs arrangement of the minor key jazz standard by Mongo Santamaria. The sultry and slinky instrumental can be heard HERE. ââAfro Blueâ is a cornerstone tune in the language of music,â stated JD. "We just played it off hand during the sessions and ended up capturing a lovely moment. It's hard to approach such hallowed material but I'm proud of it and really enjoy playing it.â
JDâs love and respect for the roots of blues and rock ân roll led him to be chosen by music supervisor David Cobb to record all the guitar parts for the recent blockbuster biopic âElvisâ. In an interview with Guitar World magazine about his role in creating its soundtrack, JD said, “Iâm such a fan of Elvisâ music, but also the music of that period and the other stuff we recorded for the film. Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Arthur âBig Boyâ Crudup, Muddy Waters, B.B. King â all of that is a big part of my musical DNA.â
Splitting his band SIMO in 2017 and going solo, JD issued a well received 2019 solo debut, âOff At 11â, followed by a self-titled 2020 effort that connected the missing link between Woodstock and Motown. His current studio album, âMind Controlâ, was released in late 2021 and also earned plaudits on both sides of the pond. In the UK, Classic Rock magazine have declared that âhe has the kind of talent that demands you turn your headâ, while Guitarist recently described his music as “high energy psychedelic rock workouts with melodic earworms aplenty.”
Collaborations with the likes of Jack White, Tommy Emmanuel, Luther Dickinson, Dave Cobb and Blackberry Smoke, as well as time spent as part of Grateful Dead founder Phil Leshâs âPhil & Friendsâ, have further cemented his reputation among guitar music aficionados.
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