Fueled by American rock & roll and Texan country-boogie, J. Isaiah Evans & The Boss Tweed play revved-up roots music for garages, roadhouses, and juke joints. It’s an old-school sound for the modern age, performed by an organ trio with overdriven amps and plenty of reverence for the trailblazers who came before them.
At the center of that sound is Evans himself: a songwriter and electric guitarist who spent a decade fronting The 40 Acre Mule, earning accolades for the band’s contemporary spin on classic rhythm and blues. Classic music was in his blood, with the Dallas native growing up in a creative household filled with swamp pop, southern soul, country, Texas blues, and funk. His mother played piano, too, and the sound of twinkling ivories became a staple of Evans’ childhood. “I was raised around the piano and organ,” he says. “It was always there… in the church, in the home, in my head.”
These days, it’s in his songs, too. Teaming up with Hammond organist Matthew Vasquez and drummer Spud Crowley, Evans formed The Boss Tweed during a break in The 40 Acre Mule’s schedule, reimagining the organ trio — a lineup traditionally seen in jazz music — as a vehicle for lean, mean rock & roll. “Unless our audience is going to 1960s jazz-soul shows, they might not have seen something like this, so we’re throwing them a curveball,” he says. “We’re grateful for that. Not being part of the traditional rock & roll band formula has set us apart. It gives us the freedom to do something unique. It forces us to explore.”
On October 17th, the band is releasing their new EP Modern Sounds in Americana Music via Symphonic/Keystone Artist Connect (PRE-ORDER). The EP finds them working their magic on a handful of notable cover tunes.
Today, Glide is offering an exclusive premiere of the standout Lucinda Williams tune “Honey Bee” and its music video. With a pounding beat, soulful organ, and J. Isaiah Evans’ massive vocal blasts, the song feels faithful to the blues-soaked original while also being injected with an explosive charge of R&B and classic rock and roll power. What makes this cover impressive is the sheer amount of force and energy these three musicians bring to it, with the combination of sprawling organ, huge drum blasts, and swaggering guitar and vocals transforming it into something that could be as much a Gov’t Mule tune as a Lucinda Williams number.
J. Isaiah Evans describes the inspiration behind recording the tune:
“Lucinda Williams wears this t-shirt that says “File Under Rock-N- Roll”. That tells you everything you need to know about her and her music…tough as nails and every bit of what that shirt says. I’ve always been a fan. So, when I started picking songs to cover for this EP, there was no doubt that “Honey Bee” was going to make the cut. It’s gritty and sexy as all get out. Yeah, it’s Americana but that is a Rock & Roll song if there ever was one. “
WATCH:
