OC Music Magazine

Dianne Austin

If you thought the Blues had gone away, you’re wrong.  With artists like Dennis Jones and Johnny Mastro heating up the current local music scene, Blues music is here to stay.  

Check out these brand new CD’s by two of  So Cal’s finest:

Captain Trappiste Picks Vol. 1

Johnny Mastro and the Mamas Boys

From “Wineheaded” to “Throwdown” this fifth (single with bonus tracks) release from Johnny Mastro and the Mamas Boys is what nitty gritty is all about.  It’ll satisfy the craving you’ve had for some fundamental, no-nonsense Blues, which equates to basic but oh so creative rhythms, riffs, and beats. The raw and raucous yet strangely melodic vocals coming from Mastro’s pipes make this music extraordinary.  

Blues is basic, yes, but if you want frills, a few do exist here. The extras come in the form of some awesome guitar work from Smokehouse and amazing harmonica by none other than Mr. Mastro himself. Johnny’s harmonica and voice make this band a distinctive force in the Blues world, and those elements are particularly present on this special release CD.

There are two tracks of new music here which were recorded in Detroit with producer Jim Diamond. Diamond has handled artists like the Whitestripes (along with some other awesome Detroit bands.)  Captain Trappiste Picks Vol. 1 gives us a taste of what Mastro has up his sleeve for a new full length album—there’s 11 more tracks where these came from—and a new CD is hoped for by next year. It will not likely happen before Mastro and the Boys get picked up by a major label, which could come about soon since they’ve been diligent about making it happen  

But you may be asking, “Who the hell is this Captain Trappiste dude anyway?  Interesting story.  He’s an imaginary character that Mastro invented. Remember all the crazy creatures that colored and surrounded the Beatles songs and album titles? This is what the Captain is for Mastro.

The name actually came from a special order of Monks in Belgium who brewed outstanding beer. Johnny loves beer (he likes whiskey too, but that’s a common thread for Blues players.) Hence, Captain Trappiste.  Sounds right somehow, doesn’t it?  Well, Johnny says Trappiste’s the one who made the choices for this sampling of his latest music—his picks, Vol. 1.

You can go to www.johnnymastro.com  or www.themamasboys.com to order the new CD, and if you find you like it--well just thank the Captain!

Pleasure and Pain

The Dennis Jones Band

This is the Dennis Jones Band’s third album and the old saying “three’s the charm” definitely applies here. Although Jones’ first CD, Falling Up, set the wheels in motion and established him as a rising Blues force on the local scene, his second offering, Passion for the Blues, became definitive for what he is all about.  

Now, with his third undertaking, Jones gets everything right. Pleasure and Pain delivers what we look to the Blues for in the way of emotion, groove, spirit, and an ability to let go (with eyes closed) and lose ourselves in the moment.  With the addition of this body of work, and with a few international tours under his belt now, Jones can be assured that he has stepped up and out into the larger realm of top-notch Blues/Rock performers.

Setup counts, so it makes sense that the first and last songs out of the gate follow the same style suit. Energetic, upbeat, and reminiscent of a time when the Blues was veering off towards a new thing called Rock n’ Roll, “Brand New Day” and “Hot Sauce” really rock.  The horns section on the first selection is added for a bigger band sound and it works well with those Dennis Jones velvet vocals and mind boggling, fast and frenzied guitar streams.  “Hot Sauce” makes you feel like you’ve got ants in your pants (or something more intense than that) since there’s a little more jumpin’ and jivin’ goin’ on than your traditional Blues tends to offer.  These two are a refreshing approach and a bit of a break from the mainstay.

But don’t forget that Blues is what makes Dennis Jones tick, and this new work of his absolutely delivers.  The arm-and-back-of-your-neck-hair-raising guitar strains are unmistakably Jones, and when combined with the talented drum accompaniment provided by Michael Turner, and the fabulous bass performance offered us by Tony Ruiz, the result is something to write home about.

The cover pic on the new album is representative of the tone and content found in the songs.  Watch out ladies—what you see is what you get—a straight forward, passionate almost-bad boy who is quite impatient about not yet finding the woman of his dreams.  We can all relate to relationships that haven’t quite measured up, as is evident here on “Try Not to Lie,” “I Want it Yesterday,” and “Him or Me.”  

Once again, as was the case with his first two albums, Jones shows that his talent lies not only in his instrumental and vocal abilities, but also in an amazing songwriting prowess. The songs that Jones offers us on this CD have all of the right components, including some dynamic and alluring lyrics.

But don’t let me tell you what the best selections are on Pleasure and Pain.  Go check it out for yourself.  Sample songs are now playing at www.myspace.com/dennisjones . The CD can be purchased there or at www.CDbaby.com.