"The best guitarist you never heard of." —The Boston Globe
A 30+-year devotee of the so-called
American Primitive school of acoustic steel string guitarists, Glenn
Jones has been playing guitar since the age of 14. He formed Boston
pysch-rock band, Cul de Sac, in 1989 and led it on its 20 year journey
to nowhere, leaving nine albums in its wake, including collaborations
with guitarist John Fahey and Can's Damo Suzuki.
In 2004 Jones released his
first album of acoustic six- and 12-string guitar instrumentals,
This Is the Wind That Blows It Out, and set out on a month-long
tour of Europe and the UK with guitarist extraordinaire, Jack Rose.
Against Which the Sea Continually
Beats followed in 2007. Recorded on Martha's Vineyard, the album
runs the gamut from the Delta to Appalachia, from bastard classical
to cinematic soundscapes. Graceful, subtle, resonating with confidence
and power, the album is seen as a significant addition to the "guitar
soli" canon.
A third solo release, Barbecue
Bob in Fishtown, which found Jones focused on the 12-string guitar
and introduced the banjo to his arsenal, was selected by Wire
magazine as one of the best 50 albums of 2009.
Jones has performed with and
written extensively about the leading lights of the American Primitive
guitar style, John Fahey and Robbie Basho. Longstanding friendship with
both artists and first-hand knowledge of their work inform his writing,
which includes incisive liner notes for five Fahey albums. Jones produced
Fahey's posthumously issued 1968 live album, The Great Santa Barbara
Oil Slick (Water) as well as a 1980 live recording by Robbie Basho, Bonn Ist Supreme (Bo' Weavil). Further projects by both artists
are in the works.
Glenn Jones and Jack Rose toured the
U.S., Canada, Europe and
the UK, and Jones guests on several
of Jack's album, including the just-released Luck in the Valley. The Things That We Used to Do,
a DVD featuring hour-long solo sets from each artist, and a pair of
duets, is scheduled for release in April 2010 by Strange Attractors.
Jones has also performed with
Peter Lang, Steffen Basho-Junghans, Cian Nugent, James Blackshaw, Paul
Metzger, Peter Walker, Meg Baird, Harris Newman, Sean Smith, MV + EE,
Dredd Foole, Tom Carter, and many others.
"...an incredibly adept fingerstyle guitarist whose technique always remains in service of the song... His vigorous leaps are daring but never reckless, and nearly always sublime." —Keith Goetzman, Utne Reader
"...establishes the guitar aficionado as nearly being in a world of his own as far as technical prowess and emotional resonance goes... a wonderful and mesmerizing album of masterful guitar work from one of contemporary music's finest... a graceful, nuanced, tranquil affair..." —Audiversity.com
"...captivating... Jones' slide work on the resonator guitar sounds especially meaty, and when all six, and sometimes 12, strings start chiming as he fingerpicks, the effect is shimmering." —Mike Shanley, Harp
"...Jones uses half-capos and alternative tunings to create incandescent sitar-like sounds... these shimmering musical meditations evoke a wondrous tranquility that's simply soulful." —Linda Laban, Boston Globe
"...carefully drawn and skillfully paced audio narratives that impart emotions ranging from sweet affection to complicated grief... declare[s] Jones to be a musician whose moment has arrived." —Bill Meyer, Dusted
"Jones couldn't be more pliant, blending Old World into New... he dedicates himself to mastery on a downright thrilling listen that threatens to elevate his chosen idiom to renewed prominence." —Kevin Keegan, Illinois Entertainer
"...both daring and accessible... Jones is a talent who deserves a larger audience..." —Ted Drozdowski, Boston Phoenix
