So three blues albums have been in my listening rotation over the last week or so, first there is the debut album of Laurence Jones, Thunder in the Sky, which was released in 2012, then the 2013 release from David Gogo and finally the 2014 release from Jim Shuler all three are great albums!!
I discovered Laurence Jones while I was researching information about Christina Skjolberg. He is one-third of the Ruf Records Blues Caravan that will be storming across Europe this year! The other 2/3s are Christina and Albert Castiglia. I have yet to listen to Albert’s latest release Solid Ground. Maybe that album will be combined with the new album from Joe Walker Louis Hornet’s Nest, so look for that one! Anyway, Jones is a 21 year-old guitar wizard who has already played along side of some of blues’ biggest names. Walter Trout for one! Trout asked Jones and his ban to support then on Trout’s 2013 UK Tour!! Walter says this about, the young man from Stratford Upon Avon:
. “Laurence is a cross between Eric Clapton & Buddy Guy he is a genius, he sure has the feel”
Not bad company to be named in; eh?? Especially Jones cites Clapton as one of his influences. Jones’ other influences include: Jimi Hendrix, B.B King, Tony McPhee, and Albert Collins!!
You know before I wrote that the Blues Caravan would be storming across Europe. I could just as well have said “Smoking 
across Europe” because that’s what Laurence’s guitar does on Thunder in the Sky, and his vocals are pretty damn good, too. Some of my favorite tracks on the album are “Bad Girl” which creates a great mood as the opening track, that is sustained through the rest of the album,. Ok, now when B.B, King’s “The Thrill is Gone” came on I though,t oh no mistake, but then Jones took off midway through the track with a great guitar solo and made the song his own!! “Gotta Get Back Up” is another favorite, along with the title track “Thunder in the Sky”. Hell, all ten tracks are great!! Jones has a brand new album out Temptation that was released last month – but it wasn’t on Spotify or MOG yet, but you can bet when it is, I’ll be listening to it!! Here’s some more press about Jones (So that you just don’t have to take my word for it!)
Get ready to Rock Magazine gave the debut album “Thunder In The Sky” a 5/5***** rating “Laurence Jones is a wise musical head on young shoulders and ‘Thunder in the Sky’ is an excellent debut album, its worth five stars”.
Classic Rock magazine quoted Laurence as “Blues Rocks youngest Talent” and was featured on the “Blues Fury C.D along with Joe Bonamassa, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Popa Chubby and many more.
So Check Him Out!!
Here’s Laurence performing the classic “Killing Floor”
